Shanghai Noodles (Cu Chao Mian)
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These Chinese fried noodles feature thinly sliced pork, cabbage, garlic, ginger, green onions, and a sauce that will make your mouth water! This Shanghai Noodles recipe is Chinese street food at its best. Quick and easy to make, it’s perfect for a weeknight meal.
Quick and Easy Shanghai Noodles
Shanghai, China. The most populated city in the world. Bustling with tourists, it is also a major port town, financial hub, business and commerce center, and cultural hotspot. Amidst the ever-changing dynamics of this global city, one thing remains constant: Noodles are the way of life.
Plump, handmade noodles are the preference and have been for centuries. Watching Chinese noodle-makers at work in food stalls along the streets of Shanghai, pulling dough and chopping with cleavers at lightening speed is truly awe-inspiring. And whatever variations of noodles are served, the most popular remain ones based on rich brown sauces such as the one featured in this authentic recipe. Not encumbered with a lot other ingredients, the central feature of this dish is, of course, the noodles. Simple, quick, and satisfying…just what a large city dweller needs.
These Shanghai Noodles are fast, easy, and positively mouth-watering. I’m confident you’re going to love them as much as we do!
Shanghai Noodles Recipe
Let’s get started!
Shanghai Noodles use pork, but you can substitute chicken, beef or shrimp. Marinate the pork for at least 10 minutes.
Cut up the green onions and Napa cabbage (keeping the green parts and firmer white parts separate. They’re going to be cooked separately so the more tender parts aren’t over-done). Thinly slice the garlic.
Fry the pork in a wok or heavy pan over high heat for a couple of minutes, setting the reserved marinade aside.
I like to use avocado oil for high heat cooking. Unlike most other oils like vegetable and peanut oil that oxidize at lower heats (oxidation = free radicals/unhealthy), avocado oil has a very high smoke point.
Remove the pork and set aside. Next cook the white parts of the green onions and cabbage along with the garlic for about 30 seconds or until tender.
Add the green parts of the cabbage and green onions and cook for another 30 seconds.
Return the pork to the pan along with the reserved marinade, the sesame oil, and the chicken stock/cornstarch mixture.
Stir to combine and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the cooked noodles and stir to coat.
Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
For more delicious Chinese takeout recipes, be sure to try my:
- Mongolian Chicken
- Mongolian Beef
- Egg Foo Young
- Orange Chicken
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Beef and Broccoli
- General Tso’s Chicken
- Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Orange Beef
- Sesame Chicken
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Shanghai Noodles (Cu Chao Mian)
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup dark soy sauce (see Note)
- 1/4 cup oyster sauce
- vegans: use hoisin sauce
- recipe for homemade hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger , finely minced
- 1 lb pork tenderloin , sliced thinly (vegetarian/vegan: use tofu following directions from Kung Pao Chicken recipe at https://www.daringgourmet.com/2013/01/08/30/)
- 1 lb thick round Chinese egg noodles (can substitute Japanese udon noodles) , cooked according to package instructions (fresh noodles are even better, in which case cut the sauce in half because the fresh noodles weigh more) (vegans: use wheat noodles)
- 2 tablespoons high heat cooking oil
- 4 cloves garlic , sliced thinly
- 6 green onions , cut into 1-inch pieces and then julienned lengthwise (keep green and white parts separate)
- 1/2 head Napa cabbage , thinly sliced (white and pale green parts kept separate)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
- Ground white pepper to taste
Instructions
- To make the marinade, combine the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and ginger and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Place the pork in the marinade and let sit for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve the marinade for later.
- Heat the oil in a wok or heavy skillet on high heat and fry the pork for one minute or until done. Remove the pork and set aside. Next fry the white parts of the cabbage and green onions along with the garlic for 30 seconds or until tender. Return the pork to the pan along with the reserved marinade, the sesame oil, chicken/cornstarch mixture and the green parts of the cabbage and green onions. Cook for 30 seconds. Add the noodles and stir until combined. Add white pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet on January 23, 2013
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
This is my favourite recipe that I use all the time! Thanks
Thank you so much, Marlene! <3
I love cooking and have tried many Chinese recipes but this one was absolutely spot on. The marinade is fabulous, I even use it now if I make a chop suey ( bean sprout) dish with chicken or beef. The only ingredient I skip is the chicken stock. This is a keeper.
Thank you so much, Danny, I appreciate the compliment and am thrilled that you enjoyed this!
Everything oxidizes in air. That doesn’t automatically make it Carcinogenic.
Hi Fred, that’s true, it isn’t necessarily carcinogenic (but it certainly can be), it can also cause heart disease and a whole host of other problems caused by cellular damage. Bottom line, it’s unhealthy.
Hello, Can you use Udon noodles? I am not a fan of oyster sauce, can I skip that? Can’t wait to try this! Thank you,
Hi Karen, yes you can use whatever noodles you like and yes, you can skip the oyster sauce if you prefer. Happy cooking!
Our Chinese exchange student loved it. Thank you.
Fantastic dish! I usually make pancit, but my hubby found fresh knife-cut Korean noodles so we made this instead. Added shrimp and chicken instead of pork. So good. The sauce was very flavourful. Love your recipes!
Fantastic, Monica, I’m so glad you both enjoyed it and appreciate the feedback, thank you!
Is the nutrition information on this per 1 serving? Or all 4 servings? What is a “serving” for this recipe? Thank you so much!
Hi Michael, this recipe makes 4 servings and the nutrition info is per serving (they are generous servings).
Just finished demolishing this fantastic meal. Made this tonight with beef strips and it turned out phenomenal! The family loved it. I had no chicken stock so I just used water for the cornstarch slurry and it still came out perfect. Will definitely be making this again.
Thank you, Jasmine, I’m so happy it was a family hit!
I hate to be “That Person” but as a pretty fab cook being married for 31 years, we did not love it. I think the addition of the chicken broth / cornstarch made it a bit gummy. I did like the base though with the fresh ginger which I always have in the freezer – I just break a chunk off when I need it. But thanks for sharing it jus tthe same!
While searching for a recipe similar to my favourite Shanghai Noodles this recipe was recommended to me. Is the flavour very strong? Or is it milder?
Hi Candi, strong versus mild is very subjective but I personally wouldn’t consider it very strong, but rather typical of the Asian takeout food most people are familiar with.
I have tried this recipe but adding some chilies & 1 onion. And i used chicken. It tastes really good. All my family loved it. Although mine is actually more pale compared to the noodle presented here…I wonder maybe it has something to do with the soy sauce i used…
Wonderful, Eliz, thanks so much for the feedback! Yes, the soy sauce can make a difference in the color as well as the noodles.
Just made this for dinner, it was delicious! Mine did come out super saucy compared to yours, do you happen to have any suggestions why? Looking forward to making again!
Hi Kat, what kind of noodles you use will in part determine that as some will soak up the sauce more than others.
I tried this recipe with chicken and it was so delish,can i try it with prawns, will the prawns work well with this recipe
Thanks alot for this delicious recipe
Wonderful, Naima, thank you so much!