Chef Jacob's Wok in the Park Subgum Chow Mein recipe.

When people look for Subgum chow mein they usually have an idea or memory of a wonderful time and place where they enjoyed this dish with friends and family; it is a difficult thing to replicate.  Directly translated “sub gum” in Cantonese means “diverse and varied”, whereas in Mandarin “sub” or “sup” means “10” and “gum” means “sticky.”  So altogether we have a diverse and varied combination of 10 fresh ingredients to accompany your preferred protein in a thick sauce creating a delicious, classic dish for you and your loved ones.  It is a house specialty, and everyone has their favorite.

Our recipe heralds from the good ol’ days of the Nankin café which served Minneapolis for 80 years from 1919 to 1999. It was an exciting adventure to go downtown with parents and grandparents for great chow mein.  Many try to duplicate it, but it is each person’s memory that makes it so special. Here is our version of Subgum chow mein...

Ingredients:

(Recipe feeds about 4)

2 cups diced chicken(or protein of choice)

½ cup vegetable oil, (2 tbs if only using veggies, seafood or steamed tofu)

4 cups chicken broth,(or veggie broth)

The “Sup” (or 10):

2 cup celery

½ cup each of the following:

Onion, bell peper, waterchesnut, bamboo shoot, peapod, cabbage, carrot, white mushroom, &  roasted cashews

2 cloves garlic, minced

1” ginger, minced

Sauce(mix together):

4 tbs soy sauce

2 tbs oyster sauce

2 tbs michu rice wine or sherry

2 tbs brown sugar

¼- ½ tsp white or black pepper to taste

4 tbs cornstarch mixed with 6 tbs cool water

(Chopped green onion and extra cashews for garnish, optional)

*Cut all your veggies diagonally, about ½” long and ¼” thick

*Heat oil in wok til bubbly, toss in chicken, stir fry til ½ cooked (just white outside, this is called blanching), 1-2 min

*Turn off flame & pour off excess oil, discard, or save for later

*With the small amount of oil left sauté garlic and ginger, medium heat til fragrant, about 30 seconds, toss with meat, brown a little for roasty flavor

*Add broth, turn up heat to high

*when rapidly boiling add veggies(if too soon veggies overcook)

*as it comes to boil again, add sauce( premix sauce to add quickly)

*when it comes to boil again add cornstarch/water mix, cook for a minute longer to fully incorporate the starch

Total cook time is about 5-7min over high flame, check your chicken to make sure it is cooked through. Serve over crispy noodles with sides of steamed rice.  If you would like to try this dish, but dont want to make it at home come in and let us serve you.  Enjoy a savory trip down memory lane!

 -Wok in the Park

Please contact Colton Ray at Google+ for Wok in the Park blog information, updates and stories.