Recipe: Weeknight Chow Mein
Description: Easy, tasty weeknight recipe.  Adaptable to different types of meat; add veges or delete to suit your taste, or what you have on hand.  I developed this &quot;cook-and-drain&quot; technique to avoid chow mein that was swimming in liquid.  It also makes added thickeners unnecessary.  I show varying amounts of noodles and cabbage - I enjoy a chow mein with lots of veges, but others in my family like the noodles.  This recipe works well either way.
Ingredients: [{"text": "8 -12 ounces whole wheat spaghetti"}, {"text": "1 teaspoon peanut oil"}, {"text": "1 tablespoon peanut oil"}, {"text": "8 -12 ounces Chinese cabbage, shredded"}, {"text": "2 tablespoons peanut oil"}, {"text": "2 teaspoons sesame oil"}, {"text": "1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated"}, {"text": "1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce (or to taste)"}, {"text": "1 lb pork or 1 lb shrimp"}, {"text": "1/2 onion, sliced thinly"}, {"text": "4 ounces Chinese pea pods, slivered"}, {"text": "1/2 red bell pepper, slivered"}, {"text": "1 small zucchini, slivered"}, {"text": "1 carrot, slivered"}, {"text": "4 ounces mushrooms, sliced"}, {"text": "3 tablespoons oyster sauce"}, {"text": "lime wedge, to garnish"}]
Instructions: Cook spaghetti in boiling water as directed.  Drain in colander, sprinkle with 1 t. peanut oil to keep from sticking, and let set.
Slice chicken or pork into thin strips.  Peel shrimp.  A single meat, or a combo work fine in this recipe.
Heat 1 T. peanut oil in wok.  Stir-fry cabbage until hot-crisp.  Dump on top of spaghetti in colander and let set.  (any moisture coming off the cabbage will drain, keeping your chow mein from getting soggy).
Heat 2 T. peanut oil in wok.  Add sesame oil, ginger, chili sauce, meat or shrimp.  Stir-fry until meat is almost done.
Add remaining veges and continue stir-frying until veges are hot-crisp and meat is done.
Add oyster sauce and stir to coat.  Add cabbage and spaghetti and combine thoroughly.
