Chinese takeout is always a treat, but it can be hard to sort out whether it's a healthy one.
With egg rolls, spareribs and fried rice, there's not much guessing. But when it comes to vegetable stir-fries and noodle dishes, the answer isn't so obvious.
In principle, most Chinese stir-fries and noodle or rice dishes should be nutritionally sound. Lots of vegetables and carbohydrates and smaller amounts of saturated fat from meat. But those ingredients usually are accompanied by plenty of oil and sodium in the wok.
If you want to enjoy the healthy balance of ingredients in Chinese dishes, make your own. This chicken and shiitake mushroom lo mein has all the flavor of the restaurant version, but just 4 teaspoons of oil and a lot less sodium.
Start by substituting whole-wheat spaghetti for the traditional lo mein noodles. This adds fiber and a pleasant, nutty flavor. Next, for both the sauce and the chicken marinade, use dark soy sauce. This is richer, sweeter and more full-bodied than traditional soy sauce, so you can use less.
Finally, use a nonstick skillet or a well-seasoned wok to get away with using a small amount of oil.
Chicken and shiitake mushroom lo mein
Start to finish: 45 minutes
Servings: 8.
For the sauce:
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
For the stir-fry:
16 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
1 egg white
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
4 teaspoons peanut oil, divided
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1/4 -inch slices
1 medium yellow onion, halved and cut into thin slices
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced (about 2 cups)
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks (1 cup)
1 red bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
6 scallions, cut into 3-inch pieces, then sliced lengthwise
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
To make sauce, in a small bowl whisk together broth, cornstarch, dark soy sauce, brown sugar and oyster sauce. Set aside.
To prepare stir-fry, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg white, cornstarch, dark soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of oil. Add chicken and mix thoroughly.
In a large nonstick skillet or wok, heat 1 teaspoon of oil over medium-high. Swirl oil to coat bottom of pan. Add onion and stir-fry until softened, about 3 minutes.
Add mushrooms, carrots, bell pepper and scallions. Stir-fry until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and set aside.
Return skillet to medium-high and add another teaspoon of oil. Swirl oil to coat bottom of pan. Add chicken in an even layer and cook for 3 minutes. Turn chicken and cook until no longer pink in the center, about 3 minutes more.
Push chicken to sides of pan and add last teaspoon of oil to center. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir reserved sauce to recombine and add to center of pan; cook until sauce begins to bubble and thicken, about 2 minutes.
Add cooked spaghetti to pan, along with reserved vegetables. Toss to coat with sauce and continue cooking, until lo mein is heated through, about 4 minutes more. Transfer to serving platter.
