Comments on New England Bites: (REPOST) Bite of the Week - Hoo-Mee Chow Mein Mix

My grandparents were from Fall River and my parent...

2011-08-18T23:31:57.558-04:00

My grandparents were from Fall River and my parents moved to Texas. Every summer we would go back to FR and we always had to have Hoo Mee's chow mein. I am in heaven to be able to order it and now my grandchildren love it too!
Have many memories come back to me when eating this chow mein. It is THE BEST! We eat it with out meat and with a splash of vinegar!

I too grew up in the Fall River/New Bedford area s...

2009-05-31T14:15:15.482-04:00

I too grew up in the Fall River/New Bedford area so chow mein sandwiches were eaten on a regular basis in my home. My grandmother used the Hoo Mee Gravy Mix and noodles from Fall River and would sell her delicious chow mein sandwiches! Knowing how popular chow mein still is I have developed my own "all natural" version of the Hoo Mee Chow Mein gravy mix (no MSG/Preservatives/wheat) and it is delicious!! Please visit my site www.josephinesfood.com (named after my grandmother). I have a lot of really cool pictures of the different ways you can enjoy chow mein for people who are not from this area and want to see what all of the buzz is about it! Take care, Robbie

Hi Karen -- the other kind I've had in places like...

2009-05-04T19:50:00.000-04:00

Hi Karen -- the other kind I've had in places like California -- like LaChoy brand in the supermarket - round beige noodles and bland, clear "gravy".

My parents moved to Florida 5 years ago and order from the Oriental Chow Mein Company -- a 5lb bag of noodles with 1 lb package of gravy mix. I want to share the doctored up gravy recipe (using the mix) with you, because it is just as good if not better than any restaurant -- delicious:

Chow Mein Recipe

2 or 3 teaspoons-- of olive oil
1 large onion--- sliced in rings ,cut in halves
1 half cup-- of diced celery
2 teaspoons --of soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon --of gravy master
1/2 teaspoon--- of Chinese black molasses
( I usually get this at the Fall River Eighth St Chinese place . You can make the gravy without it but this recipe calls for it. )
1 ---48 once can of College Inn Chicken Broth ( you can always double the recipe if you are having guests.) We use the low fat broth.
1 cup-- cooked chicken cut up in cubes or
1 cup---cooked ground sirloin -crumbled and drained

Salt and white pepper to taste

4 heaping tablespoons of dry gravy mix from chow mein company. Add warm water and make a liquid paste and add to chicken broth to thicken when all ingredients are cooked. If you like a thicker gravy you can always mix a paste of corn starch and add it to the finished gravy to thicken it.

1/2 cup of fresh bean sprouts. ( I freeze the remaining bean sprouts in small packages so I can use the next time.)

Simmer onion in olive oil for about 15 minutes on low flame until onions are translucent. Do not brown onions.

Add College Inn chicken broth ( you can add an extra 14 ounce can of chicken broth if you want extra)

Then add celery, soy sauce and gravy master , simmer for about 30 minutes.

Then add the liquid gravy mix to the chicken broth . This will flavor and thicken the gravy. simmer for about 5 minutes while stirring gravy.

Then add the bean sprouts and cooked chicken cubes or cooked ground sirloin and cook on low for another 5 minutes. ( you can also add pork in place of)

If you have any chinese molasses you can add 1/2 teaspoon to the gravy -- cook for about 5 more minutes.

Well I live in Fall River and love our chow mein. ...

2009-04-30T20:43:00.000-04:00

Well I live in Fall River and love our chow mein. My husband grew up in Bristol, RI. We've gone to many chinese places there over the years but I don't think I ever came across "the other" kind of chow mein there. I'd be curious to know what place had it so I could avoid it!