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Prep Time1 hour
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Cook Time20 minutes
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Serving4
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Am I the only woman in the world who finds Boris Karloff a little sexy? Is it the lisp? The mischievous lift of his eyebrows? Or just that he played such wonderfully sinister characters in fun movies that I remember from childhood when we paid 25 cents to see a Saturday matinee at the Ritz in Anniston, Alabama.
Wikipedia says: William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff, was an English actor who starred as Frankenstein’s monster in the horror film Frankenstein (1931), which established him as a horror icon. He reprised the role in Bride of Frankenstein (1935) and Son of Frankenstein (1939). Karloff also appeared as Imhotep in The Mummy (1932), and voiced the Grinch, as well as narrating the animated television special of Dr. Seuss‘ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966), which won him a Grammy Award.
Boris also played Mr. Wong in a series of detective movies made in the late ’30s and ’40s. Set in San Francisco, these movies are in the style of Charlie Chan, clever, smart and fun to watch even now. A Mr. Wong marathon was the PERFECT accompaniment to this iconic Chinese recipe: Chow Mein with Crispy Noodles. To wash it down, I poured a Tasmanian champagne called Jansz that had a note of sweetness and baked fruit and paired really well with the umami notes in my garlicky Chow Mein sauce.
This is SUCH a fun dish to make because you can make it in a few hours or stretch it out over an afternoon and evening while you have a Mr. Wong marathon. Add whatever vegetables you like but the bok choy is a “must,” in my opinion. I just happened to have some roasted garlic on my stovetop that added depth and warmth to the sauce, but that’s optional. The requirements for success here are: Don’t overcook the shrimp and get the noodles nice and crispy.
A note about INGREDIENTS: I used a half teaspoon of Coconut aminos but I’m not sure this is necessary or that it really made a difference. This condiment is a thin syrup that packs an umami punch without a lot of sodium. I used the thin Healthy Boy soy sauce at first, mixed the sauce and then started tinkering with it. It needed a little more sugar… I wound up using 2 1/2 almost 3 sugar cubes and I added a DROP of dark soy sauce before I was satisfied with it. The cornstarch slurry will thicken the sauce and when you cook it down to a caramel colored syrup it is DELICIOUS. This is one of my favorite recipes.
Ingredients
FRIED NOODLES
STIR FRY
Sauce
Directions
Peel and devein shrimp. Pat dry with paper towels and put in a small bowl. Sprinkle Paprika over the shrimp and let them soak up that seasoning while they sit in the frig.
Make the fried noodles. Cook the noodles in boiling water for 3 minutes, then rinse in cold water and shake to separate. Set aside; hold in a colander.
Heat a few TBS. oil over medium high heat in wok. Fry the noodles on both sides. Set the noodle "cake" aside.
Make the sauce: Combine all ingredients and set aside. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of Coco aminos and 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil. You could add a DROP of Dark Soy Sauce. Go to as many as 2.5 sugar cubes.
Blanch or steam the bok choy and snow peas. Get them just a little tender so that when you stir fry them a few minutes they will be done but not over-done or mushy!
Heat the vegetable oil over medium high heat in wok. Add the garlic, dried shrimp (ground), scallions and ginger. Add about 4 cloves of roasted garlic, if using. Stir with a wooden spoon and cook until translucent. Don't burn the garlic.
Add the steamed vegetables and cook a minute or two.
Add the shrimp and cook until pink. Don't overcook! You could even remove the shrimp and the vegetables after they are cooked to be super-careful that you don't over-cook and especially if you are slow-cooking and watching t.v. at the same time. Whatever you do, don't leave those shrimp in that hot wok to cook until they are rubbery.
Add the sauce and cook until it thickens. Add the slurry as needed. Cook the sauce down until it is thick, and keep the shrimp in a separate bowl.
To serve: put the fried noodles on a plate and place the shrimp and vegetables on the noodles, then ladle the sauce over everything. Garnish with more scallions.
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