For all of you who know how to cook authentic chinese food, don’t hate me. In Lahore there is an abundance of chinese restaurants, and very few serve chinese food inspired from regions in China other than Szechuan. Szechuan cuisine is very close to our taste palette in terms of the use of spices and garlic, and us Pakistanis do not fear the art of fusion food. Hence, desi Chow Mien!

So of course, my version of chow mein is no different. I recently acquired a bottle of sesame oil that i’m having trouble putting down, and my recent craving for Chinese food will make sure I buy every other oil that can be used to add a punch of flavor to any dish. What I love about Chinese food is that it emphasizes the use of vegetables, oil for flavor and not for cooking, and the combination of textures to make the perfect dish. For this recipe you can add any vegetables, but my favorites are carrots, mushrooms and cabbage. Here’s what you’ll need:

1 pound boneless chicken, cut into thin strips

2 Tblspn soy sauce

1 T vinegar

2 Tblspn cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper

1 pack egg noodles (you can use spaghetti)

1 cup thinly sliced carrots

1 cup chopped mushrooms

2 cups shredded cabbage

3 green onions, chopped

1/4 cup soy sauce

4 Tblspn oyster sauce

2 Tblspn sesame oil

1 tsp white pepper

salt and black pepper to taste

4 Tblspn oil for frying

Start off by marinating the chicken in the soy sauce, vinegar, salt black pepper and corn flour.

In a large wok/pot heat the oil and stir fry the chicken until it’s light golden brown. Don’t overcook the chicken or it’ll dry out and get stringy.

Add all the vegetables except the green onions and stir fry for a few minutes.

Then add in the noodles, green onions, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and seasoning. Toss until everything is mixed.