Which Asian flavors to add to chow mein?

Whenever I get chow mein at chinese places it always has a distinct flavor to it and I'm not sure what it is. It's something in the sauce. Anyone know what I could use to get that flavor?

Here's what I just made (it tastes great but it doesn't have that signature chow mein flavor to it)

*Fried up some soy-sauce marinated beef with sesame oil, green onions, and ground black pepper.

*Sauteed slices of portobello mushrooms (i guess not really asian but I had some that I'm planning to broil with rosemary and olive oil in the evening)

*Quickly fried baby corn, sliced water chestnuts, and more green onion.

*Mixed everything together with chow mein noodles and poured some mixed soy sauce and honey over the noodles and fried for a minute or so.

I'm thinking maybe I should have fried more green onions at the beginning?

Oh and shitty cell phone picture: (I don't have a wok :( )http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/6120/photo0062c.jpg (http://img195.imageshack.us/i/photo0062c.jpg/)

sesame oil

you are welcome.

edit: a little minced ginger is always good, as is a tiny bit of minced garlic.

sesame oil

But thank you ;)

:heart:

fry the noodles prior to adding the veg and meat. Also make a quick gravy for it: Corn starch mixed into some chicken broth and ginger and green onion heated and then poured over the noodles after you plate it.

Also make sure your noodles are dry after you boil them. the noodles look way to wet and soft in that pic.

fry the noodles prior to adding the veg and meat. Also make a quick gravy for it: Corn starch mixed into some chicken broth and ginger and green onion heated and then poured over the noodles after you plate it.

Also make sure your noodles are dry after you boil them. the noodles look way to wet and soft in that pic.

I'll try these ideas, thanks

msg?

msg?

oyster sauce (http://images.google.com/images?q=oyster+sauce)

sriracha

mirin (sweet rice wine) is a japanese ingredient but is excellent for anything asian. you can deglaze with it, add it to a marinade, or with a sauce (tempura sauce is 50/50 mirin/soy)

this is a good question because I use all the stuff in this thread and my stuff never tastes/smells as good as the stuff the asian programmers bring for lunch.

mirin (sweet rice wine) is a japanese ingredient but is excellent for anything asian. you can deglaze with it, add it to a marinade, or with a sauce (tempura sauce is 50/50 mirin/soy)
I actually looked at bottles of asian sauces at the store and a lot of them had rice wine on the list. I looked for it on the shelf but I guess it's in the alcohol section so I forgot about it.

mirin (sweet rice wine) is a japanese ingredient but is excellent for anything asian. you can deglaze with it, add it to a marinade, or with a sauce (tempura sauce is 50/50 mirin/soy)

If you want chinese you can use xiaoxian wine too.

I actually looked at bottles of asian sauces at the store and a lot of them had rice wine on the list. I looked for it on the shelf but I guess it's in the alcohol section so I forgot about it.

it's usually in the asian section of the places i've seen it

it should be in the ethnic foods section

not too many people are drinking rice wine these days

dog, poop, etc.

mirin (sweet rice wine) is a japanese ingredient but is excellent for anything asian. you can deglaze with it, add it to a marinade, or with a sauce (tempura sauce is 50/50 mirin/soy)

I bought some mirin and used it to make a quick pan sauce after cooking a steak with a splash of soy sauce, and it was delicious. I'll definitely do this and then add noodles for chow mein.

I got this kind: Japanese Flavor Enhancers (Dashi) - Morita - Morita Honjozo Mirin 16.7 Fz | AsianFoodGrocer.com (http://www.asianfoodgrocer.com/product/morita-honjozo-mirin-16-7-fz?utm_source=google&utm_medium=base)

use mirin, soy, sake, red chile flakes, ginger and garlic chile paste for the best sauce you ever had

alternatively, make a simple white sauce for your stir fry,


2 Tbsp sherry (or chinese cooking wine)
6 Tbsp chicken stock
2 tsp corn starch and a touch of sugar (1/2 tsp maybe)

mix it all down and simmer until thckened, toss it in at the end of your stir fry

mirin (sweet rice wine) is a japanese ingredient but is excellent for anything asian. you can deglaze with it, add it to a marinade, or with a sauce (tempura sauce is 50/50 mirin/soy)