We’re over the hump of Thanksgiving! Congratulations. You’ve made it past the turkey anxiety, the stuffing recipe selection that may or may not have escalated to existential crisis, the crossroads that is homemade or canned cranberry sauce, and of course, all those priceless family squabbles at the dinner table.
Now it’s the next day, and you’ve got a hacked turkey carcass, maybe you’ve already nommed on a leftover turkey sandwich for breakfast, and you’re itching for something different to eat. Welllll, helloooo, Turkey Lo Mein!
A Blend of Our Chinese & American Heritage
The Thanksgiving holiday for us is always a blend of Chinese and American. Old and new. Growing up, Sarah and I started fighting tooth and nail to have a “pure” Thanksgiving spread, i.e., all American, no Chinese rando dishes thrown in. Just the good Norman Rockwell stuff.
It evolved in that direction over the years as Sarah and I took over the lion’s share of the cooking, and my mom saw that our grandparents preferred pecan pie tartlets more than the Chinese food they ate all the time.
But the next day is another story. Sarah and I are zonked from the preparations of the day before (sometimes we’re caught preparing Turkey Day fixings for as many as 40-50 people!), and my mom takes back control of her kitchen.
We enjoy Leftover Turkey Congee and usually a Chinese spread for dinner with our cousins who are visiting for the epic food fest that is Thanksgiving break at our house.
This year, we’re adding this Turkey Lo Mein into the mix, which is the perfect way to use up leftover white meat after the rest of the coveted dark meat clinging to the turkey carcass gets tossed into our stock pot of congee.
Just add a little bit of homemade chili oil or chiu chow sauce, and you’ll get knocked out of any lingering Thanksgiving food coma in short order!
Turkey Lo Mein: Recipe Instructions
You’ll need either dried lo mein noodles, fresh lo mein egg noodles, or cooked lo mein noodles for this recipe.
If using dry lo mein noodles or fresh, raw noodles, be sure to follow the directions on the package. For either of these noodle options, you will need to boil and drain them before adding them to a stir-fry.
If you’re lucky enough to find them, get the cooked, oiled lo mein noodles that are now readily available from Asian grocery stores. These don’t require pre-cooking, and can be added directly to the wok for stir-frying. (Though it doesn’t hurt to loosen them up in some very hot water first!)
In a wok over high heat, add a couple tablespoons of oil to the wok, and add the garlic. After 10 seconds, add the napa cabbage and carrots. Stir-fry on high heat for a minute and add the Shaoxing wine in a circle around the perimeter of the wok.
Add the cooked noodles and the leftover Thanksgiving turkey to the wok and mix well from the bottom up for about 30 seconds. If the noodles aren’t coming apart, add about ¼ cup water to loosen them up a bit.
Add the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, and add the scallions.
Stir-fry for one more minute and serve. And remember, turkey lo mein goes great with Chili oil or Chiu Chow sauce!
Turkey Lo Mein
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh lo mein egg noodles or cooked lo mein noodles (450g)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 4 cups napa cabbage (shredded)
- 2 medium carrots (julienned)
- 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine (or dry sherry cooking wine)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded leftover Thanksgiving turkey
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/8 teaspoon sugar
- 2 scallions (julienned)
Instructions
- If using dry lo mein noodles or fresh, raw noodles, be sure to follow the directions on the package. For either of these noodle options, you will need to boil and drain them before adding them to a stir-fry. If you’re lucky enough to find them, get the cooked, oiled lo mein noodles that are now readily available from Asian grocery stores. These don’t require pre-cooking, and can be added directly to the wok for stir-frying.
- In a wok over high heat, add a couple tablespoons of oil to the wok, and add the garlic. After 10 seconds, add the cabbage and carrots. Stir-fry on high heat for a minute and add the wine in a circle around the perimeter of the wok.
- Add the cooked noodles and the leftover turkey to the wok and mix well from the bottom up for about 30 seconds. If the noodles aren't coming apart, add about ¼ cup water to loosen them up a bit.
- Add the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, and add the scallions. Stir-fry for one more minute and serve.
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