Chow Mein —rsquo; The Asian Market Regular

April and the semester is building toward finals with the momentum of a train that does not intend to stop at any station except the last one. Organic Chemistry II is in aromatic chemistry — benzene rings, resonance structures, the particular beauty of a molecule that is neither single-bonded nor double-bonded but something in between, a molecular compromise that is more stable than either extreme. I told Priya that benzene is the MawMaw Shirley of molecules: it refuses to be one thing, and the refusal makes it stronger. Priya said, "That is either genius or you need to sleep." Both.

I have been cooking more ambitiously this month — not just budget meals but technique-driven dishes that push my skills. This week: duck and andouille gumbo, the dark-meat version that MawMaw Shirley makes for Christmas but that I have never attempted on my own. The duck was from the Asian market on Perkins, where the prices are better and the quality is excellent and the cashier has started recognizing me, which means I am officially a regular, which means I am building community through grocery shopping, which is the most Baton Rouge thing possible.

The gumbo took five hours. The duck legs needed browning, then braising, then shredding. The roux needed darkness — darker than shrimp gumbo, darker than chicken gumbo, the darkest roux I have ever made, forty minutes instead of thirty-five, because duck demands it. MawMaw Shirley would approve of the darkness. She would also ask why I didn't call her for guidance, and the answer is: because I wanted to do it alone, to see if I could, and I could, and the gumbo was rich and deep and the duck was tender and the andouille was smoky and I ate two bowls and sat in my kitchen and thought about all the gumbos yet to come.

Priya tried it. She said nothing for approximately one minute, which is the longest Priya has ever been silent, and then she said, "You need to open a restaurant." I am not going to open a restaurant. I am going to open a medical practice. But the cooking will be in both places. MawMaw Shirley told me so. I promised.

The duck and andouille gumbo would not have happened without the Asian market on Perkins — that’s where the duck legs came from, and honestly, that’s where a lot of my most ambitious cooking begins now. On the nights when I don’t have five hours and a promise to MawMaw Shirley driving me forward, I lean on that same market for something faster but still technique-worthy: a proper chow mein, stir-fried hot and fast the way the wok demands. It’s the dish that keeps my knife skills sharp and my confidence up between the big, soul-project meals — the kind of thing you cook when Priya is coming over and you want to impress her without making her wait until midnight to eat.

Chow Mein

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 8 oz chow mein noodles (fresh or dried)
• 1 lb boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced against the grain
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
• 2 cups green cabbage, thinly shredded
• 1 medium carrot, julienned
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 3 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Instructions

1. Cook the noodles. Boil chow mein noodles according to package directions until just tender, about 3–4 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and toss with 1 teaspoon of the vegetable oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
2. Mix the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and white pepper. Set aside.
3. Sear the chicken. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add chicken in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes, then stir-fry until cooked through, about 2 more minutes. Transfer to a plate.
4. Stir-fry the aromatics and vegetables. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the wok. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add cabbage and carrot and cook, tossing frequently, for 2–3 minutes until just softened but still with some bite.
5. Combine everything. Return chicken to the wok along with the cooked noodles and bean sprouts. Pour the sauce over everything and toss vigorously over high heat for 1–2 minutes until the noodles are heated through and evenly coated.
6. Finish and serve. Remove from heat, scatter green onions over the top, and serve immediately directly from the wok.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 390 | Protein: 30g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 44g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 810mg