Chicken and Shrimp Chow Mein - Guyanese Style
14.1.18
| Recipe by Renz
A Caribbean twist on a traditional Asian dish of noodles, ram-packed with
chicken and shrimp and a host of vegetables. A delicious one-pot dish that is
great for any weeknight dinner.
There are some dishes that are just stand-out dishes even if they are simple ones. And I think chow mein is one of those dishes.
It's just simple and delicious.
This versatile dish has many options. It can be made with vegetables only, with chicken, with seafood or with them all.
A one pot of goodness that is bursting with flavor.
There is something about Asian food from the Caribbean that is different from the "Chinese" we eat here in the United States.
Most people won't think of Chinese food and the Caribbean, but they sure have had some influence on our food when they came in. Allowing us to create a unique twist to what was their traditional meal.
The stand-out dishes for me, that I always have to get are chow mein, pow, and roast chicken. Chow mein being the number one.
If you remember a few months back I shared on my Instagram stories that I had found cassareep while hunting for some dasheen bush to make some callaloo.
I found this little Guyanese supermarket that not only had the bush but also had a lot of Caribbean sauces and snacks. Casareep was there and I decided to grab a bottle.
Cassareep is a sauce made from grind cassava and some other spices. It is commonly used to make Guyanese Pepper pot. I would compare it to soy sauce but with a lot more flavor.
This guyanese staple is made from cassava root. It's a thick black liquid which has added spices for more flavor.
When I saw it on the shelf I knew I wanted to get a bottle and make something. I then spotted some chow mein noodles like the one I grew up eating and then knew exactly what I was going to mimic.
Occasionally I grab food from a Guyanese restaurant here in Florida that makes great Caribbean Chinese food. Tropics Restaurant and lounge is the business!!
The downfall is that it is 45 minutes drive away. Am I greedy for wanting to drive 45 minutes to get some chow mein?
So making a chow mein at home was a no-brainer. I opted to make a delicious chicken and shrimp mix.
How do you like your chow mein?
I love mine with the noodles nice and al dente and the vegetables with a little crunch. If there is cabbage, I also want that crunchy.
I don't like sappy vegetables and sappy noodles. I also like to get the fat noodles.
I also weirdly, don't like green peas in my chow mein. But it is an option. I would usually pick those out when I'm eating if they are there.
So what's the great advantage of me not buying already made chow mein? I'm quite able to put whatever I want in my meal.
So bring on the bell peppers (or sweet peppers if you're from the islands), carrots, celery, and cabbage. Mushrooms are also a great addition or spring peas. Have frozen vegetable packs on hand? Those are perfect too.
And don't eat this standing up like I do.
I serve dinner in the kitchen and somehow think I need to start tasting it before it gets to the table. Then I end up tasting a little more and a little more.
The flavors are just so delicious. The hint of ginger adds a nice kick.
Tropics sorry, I now no longer need to drive 45 minutes to get your chow mein. You may still see me though, for those wontons.
Indulge in some more dinner options:
Dhal and Rice
Escovitch Fish
Saltfish Rundown
There are some dishes that are just stand-out dishes even if they are simple ones. And I think chow mein is one of those dishes.
It's just simple and delicious.
This versatile dish has many options. It can be made with vegetables only, with chicken, with seafood or with them all.
A one pot of goodness that is bursting with flavor.
There is something about Asian food from the Caribbean that is different from the "Chinese" we eat here in the United States.
Most people won't think of Chinese food and the Caribbean, but they sure have had some influence on our food when they came in. Allowing us to create a unique twist to what was their traditional meal.
The stand-out dishes for me, that I always have to get are chow mein, pow, and roast chicken. Chow mein being the number one.
If you remember a few months back I shared on my Instagram stories that I had found cassareep while hunting for some dasheen bush to make some callaloo.
I found this little Guyanese supermarket that not only had the bush but also had a lot of Caribbean sauces and snacks. Casareep was there and I decided to grab a bottle.
Cassareep is a sauce made from grind cassava and some other spices. It is commonly used to make Guyanese Pepper pot. I would compare it to soy sauce but with a lot more flavor.
This guyanese staple is made from cassava root. It's a thick black liquid which has added spices for more flavor.
When I saw it on the shelf I knew I wanted to get a bottle and make something. I then spotted some chow mein noodles like the one I grew up eating and then knew exactly what I was going to mimic.
Occasionally I grab food from a Guyanese restaurant here in Florida that makes great Caribbean Chinese food. Tropics Restaurant and lounge is the business!!
The downfall is that it is 45 minutes drive away. Am I greedy for wanting to drive 45 minutes to get some chow mein?
So making a chow mein at home was a no-brainer. I opted to make a delicious chicken and shrimp mix.
How do you like your chow mein?
I love mine with the noodles nice and al dente and the vegetables with a little crunch. If there is cabbage, I also want that crunchy.
I don't like sappy vegetables and sappy noodles. I also like to get the fat noodles.
I also weirdly, don't like green peas in my chow mein. But it is an option. I would usually pick those out when I'm eating if they are there.
So what's the great advantage of me not buying already made chow mein? I'm quite able to put whatever I want in my meal.
So bring on the bell peppers (or sweet peppers if you're from the islands), carrots, celery, and cabbage. Mushrooms are also a great addition or spring peas. Have frozen vegetable packs on hand? Those are perfect too.
And don't eat this standing up like I do.
I serve dinner in the kitchen and somehow think I need to start tasting it before it gets to the table. Then I end up tasting a little more and a little more.
The flavors are just so delicious. The hint of ginger adds a nice kick.
Tropics sorry, I now no longer need to drive 45 minutes to get your chow mein. You may still see me though, for those wontons.
Indulge in some more dinner options: