Vegetable Lo Mein

I had made Mongolian Beef and wanted to pair it along with stir-fry vegetables but I quickly changed my mind when I found this recipe. Everything comes together fairly well, and if you wanted to add proteins in the dish like chicken, pork or even tofu - it would be a perfect addition. My only cooking tip that helped me greatly when I prepared this recipe is by NOT using fresh ginger. Normally, I would use everything fresh, but I read somewhere in one of my food magazines that by keeping ginger (I have it a ziploc baggie)in the freezer helps it last longer. It's one of those costly ingredients that you use rarely, and it's so much easier to freshly grate a teaspoon frozen versus fresh! You'll never taste the difference. Enjoy!

Vegetable Lo Mein
Adapted from Whole Foods Market
Ingredients:
3/4 pound whole wheat thin spaghetti
Sesame oil (start with a small amount)
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons minced frozen ginger
4 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
1/3 cup sliced scallions (green onions)
1 cup julienne carrot (2 large)
1 cup thinly sliced celery (1-2 stalks)
1 cup thinly sliced red onion (1 medium)
3/4 cup fresh bean sprouts
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation:
1. Cook the lo mein noodles in boiling salted water until al dente. Cool. Toss lightly with sesame oil to prevent sticking.
2. Combine the hoisin and soy sauces in a small bowl and mix well.
3. In a wok or a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon canola oil and quickly sauté the ginger, garlic and scallions until they release aroma, then add the carrots, celery and red onions and briefly sauté before adding the bean sprouts, about 2 minutes.
4. In a separate medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon canola oil and sauté the noodles. When they are hot and look pan-fried or lightly browned, add them to the other sautéed ingredients in the large pan. Add the soy-hoisin mixture and stir to coat. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro and serve.

Review: This is a huge batch of lo mein (enough to serve 8). I should have cut the recipe in half since I had this as a side dish. But this is a great way to enjoy lo mein noodles at home without the fuss.