Cooking Chicken Chow Mein – Guyanese Style!

Chow Mein – A favourite and cherished delicacy of many Guyanese. This tasty dish was introduced to Guyana by the Chinese who arrived in 1853. Almost everyone loves this food; it is cooked simple and eaten on a daily basis while on special occasions it is cooked fancy and elaborate with various spices, meat and vegetables. It is quite famous since most local cookshops always seem to have chow mein on their menu. As you read, you’ll find out more about this unique and delicious meal.

Chowmein – Photo By Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31805598

About Chow Mein

Chow Mein are Chinese stir-fried noodles, cooked with vegetables, meat and seafood or even tofu. Apart from Fried Rice and ramen, Chowmein may be the most popular Chinese dish. Chowmein is a common meal in the West Indian cuisine in countries like Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica, as there are is a noteworthy Chinese population. In some South American countries like Guyana and Suriname, Chowmein is also a popular meal. This noodle dish is cooked is a similar way throughout the world; typically with green beans, carrots, peas, onions and sometimes other vegetables. A protein is usually added as well. These include chicken and sometimes pork and/or shrimp. Local spices are often added to Chowmein which gives it a definitive flavour and it is served with ketchup and/or pepper sauce.

Tip: Chowmein means ‘stir-fried noodles’. Chow and mein mean stir-fried and noodles, respectively.

Guyanese Style Chow Mein

Ingredients:

• 1 pk chow mein noodles
• 1 lb boneless chicken thighs cut into thin strips
• 1 can mixed vegetables
• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp Chinese sauce
• ½ tsp 5 spice powder
• ½chowmein seasoning
• 1 wiri wiri pepper, finely chopped
• 1 green sweet pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 green sweet pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, peeled and grated
• 5-6 bora, chopped finely
• ½ tsp black pepper
• sunflower/vegetable oil
• 5 stalks eschalot, chopped

Optional: cabbage garnish

Method:

1. In a large pot, boil noodles for about 10 minutes or until soft.
2. Drain water and set aside.
3. Put chicken into a bowl and season with all spices.
4. Cook chicken in a frying pan until light brown. Add onions, pepper and stir fry until onions become translucent.
5. In a large bowl/basin mix butter into chowmein.
6. Add soy sauce, black pepper and chowmein seasoning. Mix thoroughly.
7. Add chicken and mixed vegetables.
8. Garnish with sliced cabbage and serve.

Watch This: Guyanese Chicken Chowmein Recipe

Chow Mein In Guyana

In Guyanese Chinese cuisine, Chowmein is the most popular noodle. While the Chinese may have brought their Chowmein recipes, Guyanese have put our own spin to this noodle, with local spices and flavours. We like to add bora (long bean) and season it with the Chinese Five Spice. So, go ahead and experiment, see which one of the chowmeins appeal to you more. Some persons like their chow mein simple with very little spices and sauce while others love it with everything inside. Remember you can cook it with various meats like chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, etc. You can also use a variety of vegetables including broccoli, baby corn, carrots, bell peppers, cauliflower, etc. Or you can simply buy it at a local cookshop or Chinese restaurant.

Article References:

• http://www.guyanadining.com/chowmein-recipe/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chow_mein

Last Updated: 2020-07-22