Lo mein

Lo mein
A plate of Cantonese-style lo mein
CourseMain course
Place of originChina
Region or stateGuangdong
Serving temperatureHot
Main ingredientsNoodles, soy sauce, vegetables, chicken, pork, beef, shrimp
  •  Wikimedia Commons logo Media: Lo mein
Lo mein
Traditional Chinese撈麵
Simplified Chinese捞面
Literal meaningnoodles
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyinlāo miàn
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanizationlōu mihn
Jyutpinglou1 min6
Southern Min
Hokkien POJhôo-mī
Alternative Chinese name
Traditional Chinese拌麵
Simplified Chinese拌面
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyinbàn miàn
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanizationbuhn mihn
Jyutpingbun6 min6
Southern Min
Hokkien POJpuānn-mī

Lo mein (traditional Chinese: 撈麵/撈麪; simplified Chinese: 捞面; Cantonese Yale: lou1 min6; pinyin: lāo miàn) is a Chinese dish with noodles. When prepared in the Cantonese style, it is often topped with or accompanied by meat (such as char siu or beef brisket), wontons, or vegetables, and may be served with a bowl of broth.

Etymology

The term lo mein comes from the Cantonese 撈麵, meaning "stirred noodles". The Cantonese use of the character 撈, pronounced lou and meaning "to stir", in its casual form, differs from the character's traditional Han meaning of "to dredge" or "to scoop out of water" in Mandarin, in which case it would be pronounced as laau or lou in Cantonese (lāo in Mandarin). In Mandarin, the dish is called lāo miàn. In its country of origin, it is made of thin flour-and-egg noodles which are notable for their elastic texture.

Regional variations

Northern China

In northern China, bàn miàn (拌面) can refer to many other types of wheat noodles without egg, including laghman in Xinjiang.

Guangdong

In Cantonese cuisine, lo mein (撈麵) typically consists of boiled wheat noodles that are tossed in a sauce, such as oyster sauce, or are served with a sauce alongside. It may be accompanied by items such as wontons, char siu, or beef brisket. Unlike chow mein, Cantonese-style lo mein is not traditionally pan-fried or stir-fried.

American Chinese cuisine


In American Chinese restaurants, lo mein is a popular take-out food and is sometimes considered synonymous with chow mein. The dish is distinct from both Cantonese lo mein and Cantonese crispy chow mein. U.S. lo mein noodles are usually stir-fried with a sauce made from soy sauce and other seasonings. Vegetables such as bok choy and cabbage can be mixed in and meats like roast pork, beef or chicken are often added. Shrimp lo mein, lobster lo mein, vegetable lo mein, and "house" lo mein (more than one meat) are sometimes available..

Indonesian Chinese cuisine

In Indonesian Chinese cuisine, lo mein is made using egg noodles or "mie hokkien".[failed verification][clarification needed] Egg noodles are made of wheat flour and eggs, commonly formed as a ribbon shape.[failed verification]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "lo mein". Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Merriam-Webster Online. 2008.
  2. ↑ 撈. 《現代標準漢語與粵語對照資料庫》 (A Comparative Study of Modern Chinese and Cantonese) (in Chinese). 香港中文大學 (Chinese University of Hong Kong). Archived from the original on 2011-07-21.
  3. ↑ 撈. 《粵語審音配詞字庫》 (Chinese Character Database: With Word-formations Phonologically Disambiguated According to the Cantonese Dialect) (in Chinese). 香港中文大學 (Chinese University of Hong Kong).
  4. ↑ Summers, Josh (May 5, 2020). "Uyghur Laghman | Introduction to a Tasty, Traditional Xinjiang Cuisine!". Far West China.
  5. ↑ Herman, Michael (2013-08-01). "A Taste of Hong Kong At A-Wah". New York Food Journal. Archived from the original on 2024-11-02. Retrieved 2025-02-23.
  6. ↑ Phillips, Michael (2010-12-10). "Restaurant Review: Buffet Offers a Variety of Asian Cuisine". Campus Times. Archived from the original on 2025-02-23. Retrieved 2025-02-23.
  7. ↑ Smith, Andrew F. (2004). "Chow Mein". Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America. Oxford University Press.
  8. ↑ "Yuk Cari Tahu Jenis-Jenis Mie yang Populer di Indonesia!" [Let's Find Out the Types of Noodles That Are Popular in Indonesia!], ilmupedia (in Indonesian), archived from the original on 2022-11-09, retrieved 2022-07-03
  9. ↑ "Bosan Mie Bakso Biasa? Yuk Coba Kelezatan Lomie" [Bored of Regular Meatball Noodles? Let's Try the Deliciousness of Lomie], tribunnews.com (in Indonesian), September 5, 2012
  10. ↑ Rahmawati, Andi Annisa Dwi (January 8, 2022), "Gurih Mantap! Lomie Lombok Khas Bandung Buat 'Brunch' Akhir Pekan" [Deliciously Savory! Lomie Lombok, a Speciality of Bandung for Weekend Brunch], Detik.com (in Indonesian)
  11. ↑ Alfaro, Danilo. "What Are Egg Noodles?". The Spruce Eats. Retrieved 19 September 2024.