Noodles
Chow Mein
炒面
China
Boiled wheat noodles stir-fried at high heat with shredded meat, cabbage and bean sprouts until the edges catch.
Original eatfuls sticker artwork
What it is
A closer look at Chow Mein.
Boiled wheat noodles stir-fried at high heat with shredded meat, cabbage and bean sprouts until the edges catch.
What to look for
Know it when you find it.
In China it is a plain workaday plate, not the crisp-noodle version served abroad. What you want is scorch marks and a dry finish.
Where it belongs
Origins and
traditions.
Food rarely respects a border. These are the places the dataset connects most strongly to Chow Mein.
Names around the table
One food, more than one name.
Keep exploring
If this caught your eye…
Tokyo, Japan
Abura soba
油そば
Abura soba, ramen noodles served with tare and oil but no soup, is a named Tokyo format with its own shops and is not a broth rendering.
Armenia
Arishta
Արիշտա
Traditional Armenian flat noodles made from unleavened wheat dough, rolled thin, cut into strips and dried, served with butter, cheese or in soups.
Hokkaido, Japan
Asahikawa Ramen
旭川ラーメン
Hokkaido's soy-based ramen with a layer of lard to keep the broth hot in cold weather.
Karakol, Kyrgyzstan
Ashlyamfu
Ашлямфу
Cold dish of wheat noodles and slippery starch jelly in a chilli-and-vinegar broth, topped with egg crêpe strips and a spoonful of hot oil.
Afghanistan
Aush
آش
Hand-cut noodles cooked in a broth with beans, chickpeas and herbs, finished with yoghurt, dried mint and a meat sauce.
Singapore, Singapore
Bak Chor Mee
肉脞面
Egg noodles tossed in vinegar, chilli and pork lard, topped with minced pork, liver, meatballs, fried sole fish and a small bowl of soup on the side.
Central Java, Indonesia
Javanese Noodles
Bakmi Jawa
Javanese-style noodles with sweet soy sauce and chicken, cooked over charcoal for distinctive flavor.
United Arab Emirates
Balaleet
بلاليط
Balaleet combines sweet vermicelli cooked with cardamom, rose water, and saffron with a thin egg omelet on top, creating a sweet-savory breakfast.