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!
why is peanut oil carcinogenic and not avocado oil? they are both a mono-saturated fat just like olive oil….
Peanut oil is primarily comprised of poly-unsaturated fats and that’s where the problem lies. Take a look at the following article for a breakdown of the chemical composition of peanut, avocado, olive, and all the other commonly used oils for cooking: A Comprehensive Guide To Cooking Oils: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
where do i find chinese noodles???
Hi Dee, the recipe calls for thick round egg noodles (shaped like spaghetti). You can find them in many well-stocked grocery stories, in Asian stores, or online.
Hi can anyone tell me how many calories are in this dish thank you
Hi Kimberly, another hit! I kept going back to the wok, to put a forkful into my mouth. I think, I’ll add some more vegetables in it next time, but great flavour :)
Awesome, so glad you enjoyed it, Jennifer! Yes, this is a very basic “street food” dish from China and lends itself well to added embellishments.
Question…regarding sesame oil…what kind do you use. I bought some dor another dish and the smell of the oil was overwhelming…the whole dish tasted like the smell …it was terrible. Im afraid i bought the wrong kind?
Hi Suzi, I’ve used all brands. Most recently I finished a bottle of Kadoya and right now am using Spectrum. Sesame oil does have a strong flavor and it’s one that you either love or dislike. If you typically like sesame oil but didn’t like it this time, it may be that your oil was rancid. Sadly sometimes oils are rancid right off the grocery store shelves.
I enjoyed this recipe however I doubled it and it was unbelievably salty!!!
I’m going to add a note about the brand of soy sauce, Reanne, because another person has commented about the same thing. Saltiness varies greatly from brand to brand.
You specify “dark Soy sauce” in your ingredient list. Some people may not be acquainted with the difference between between dark & regular soy sauce. I am sure the a lot of people just grab the regular soy that they are familiar with. The dark soy tend to be a little less salty.
Hi Grove, thanks for your comment. Yes exactly, that’s why the dark soy sauce is specified.
Hi.. I am not sure if you can still read this comment or not.. But can I use spaghetti noodles? I don’t have chinese noodles on hand.
Hello! Yes, you can. Not quite the same texture or flavor but they’ll definitely work. Be sure to cook the noodles on the al dente side so they’re not mushy.
Found some great recipes here, thanks!
Thanks so much, Gale, and welcome!
This recipe looks delicious, can’t wait to try it. Do you think I could use rice noodles instead?
Thanks, Bonnie! Yes, you can absolutely use rice noodles. Enjoy!