Are you looking for a Guyanese main meal that is low carb, low fat, tasty and filling in one serving? Then look no further with my foolproof Guyanese chow mein. Totally wheat free, using spiralised zucchini (vegetable noodles) in place of regular noodles.
This is a Guyanese inspired chow mein recipe with it's own magical twist. it's low fat, low carb with vegetable noodles yet taste equally as delicious as it would had it been made with chow mein noodles.
If you want a taste of the Caribbean with a element of Chinese influence then this recipe is the one for you.
When I first contemplated making this particular dish, I was initially concerned about replicating a wheat/gluten free version of the noodles.
It seems almost impossible to find gluten free chow mein noodles, but of course this didn't stop me from attempting it.
My first thought was to use rice noodles, but something seemed off with the idea.
I then thought about making the recipe more centre focused around health which is why I created my very own vegetable noodles made from zucchini (courgettes) that have been spiralized to resemble ordinary noodles.
Optimizing good health in Caribbean cooking
I must admit I was slightly hesitant in changing the original recipe from chow mein to vegetable noodles.
When I think about the obesity rate and other cardiovascular conditions I know that I am doing the right thing by making this change.
Regardless of what anyone says. I think a lot of the mindset has to do with "fear of change" and "cultural evolution" .
Click on my Caribbean Foodie link to learn more about my approach toward healthy Caribbean food and why we need to change our consumption habits.
Opting for vegetable noodles is a great solution of any one (Guyanese or other wise)
Who wants to enjoy this stir fry without feeling like that are contributing to further weight loss or simply looking for healthy cultural alternatives?
I've had so many people reach out to me thanking me for changing their outlook or overall palate and this is what I continue to do.
Although Guyana is geographically located in South America, it shares so many similarities with many Leeward, Windward and Antilles islands that's why it is classed as part of the Caribbean.
I'm so embarrassed to admit that I only have one Guyanese recipe on my website aside from this one which is the pumpkin pone.
I highly recommend giving it a try, its tasty and seasonal too.
Ingredients you will need
- Boneless chicken thighs
- Vegetable noodles
- Cassareep
- Green seasoning
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Onions
- Chinese 5 spice
- Carrots
- Bell peppers
- Bora (long green beans)
- Scallion
- Pink salt
- Wiri wiri peppers/Scotch bonnet.
Green seasoning
I will run through a few of these ingredients in case they are of an alien concept/new to you. If you have been following my Caribbean recipes then you will know Green Seasoning
A herbaceous/vegetable paste that is used as the backbone to Trinidadian, Guyanese, Bajan and other Eastern Caribbean island delights. I have used green seasoning in a slow cooker version of Trinidad Stew Chicken and Caribbean Turkey Steaks Recipe.
The Haitian version of this is called Epis and Sofrito for the Latin Islands. Don't skip this ingredient because I personally think it makes a difference.
What is cassareep?
Cassareep is a thick dark liquid made from the cassava root.
Similar to Browning sauce it is used to darken meat in Guyanese cuisines but more noted in the national dish called pepperpot.
Wiri wiri peppers
These peppers known as hot bird peppers, originate from Guyana and are very difficult to source outside of the country but particularly used in Guyanese cooking.
The steps
- Start by placing the chicken thighs in a medium sized bowl then add the grated ginger, green seasoning, cassareep, garlic (granules or powder) Chinese five spice, black pepper and pink salt.
- Marinate the chicken (using hands or tongs) to ensure the chicken is evenly combined then wrap and set aside for at least an hour (overnight is preferred).
- Melt coconut oil in a heavy duty wok or large frying pan/skillet on medium/high heat and proceed to sear (brown) the chicken on both sides.
- Reduce the heat to medium and allow the meat to cook through and this should take 10-15 minutes.
- Add the onion and garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes until soft.
- Then add the vegetables - carrots, bora (green beans), scallion and bell peppers. Fold in the vegetables so they are mixed in with the chicken pieces.
- Cover the vegetables with a lid for 5 minutes, there should be enough liquid in the pan to do a quick steam of the vegetables so they are completely soft. If not add a splash of water (not too much) to do so.
- Remove the lid, if there is excess liquid increase the heat to high to cook off the excess liquid.
- Finally fold in the vegetable noodles, heat them through and serve
Notes and tips
- I would highly recommend using lean meat that is boneless. Chicken breast or what I like to use is boneless chicken thighs which tends to yield a more flavoursome result.
- Try to marinate the meat for at least an hour, overnight is preferred but definitely not essential.
- When increasing the heat to rid any excess liquid, but careful not to burn the contents in the pan. Keep stirring as you do it.
- If you cannot obtain cassareep, browning sauce or coconut aminos (soy free sauce) works too.
- As per Caribbean traditional, the meat is always washed first before moving onto the next step. The meat is rinsed with either orange sours (Haitian style), vinegar, salt and/or lime. Make sure to blot off any excess water once the chicken is washed off.
- Use a spiraliser or julienne peeler to create your low carb vegetable noodles.
- Zucchini is also known as courgette in the UK.
- If you cannot get a wiri wiri peppers use scotch bonnet or herbanero.
- Freeze any leftovers for up to 3 months.
This recipe is....
- Tasty
- Low in fat
- High in protein
- Low carbohydrates making it suitable for calorie control/weight loss/dieting
- Wheat free alternative making it suitable for gluten/wheat free lifestyles.
Other low carb recipes to try
- Buljol
- Jamaican Callaloo
- Saltfish and Cabbage
- Vegetable Fish Stir Fry
- Steamed Cabbage
- Cajun Shrimp with Zoodles
- Dhal and Rice
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Guyanese Chow Mein
Ingredients
- 1 lb Boneless chicken thighs 455g
- 1 tablespoon cassareep
- 4 tablespoon green seasoning
- 1 inch of ginger grated
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder optional
- 1 teaspoon of garlic granules or powder
- ½ teaspoon of chinese 5 spice
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1 teaspoon of pink salt
- 2 zucchini's peeled and spiralised into noodles
- 4 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 small onion sliced
- 2 medium carrots julienne
- 2 Bell peppers red and green(julienne)
- A handful of Bora long green beans, chopped in small pieces
- 2 Scallion sliced
- ½ wiri wiri peppers/Scotch bonnet optional
- Salt and pepper if needed extra to taste
- 2 tablespoon of coconut oil
Instructions
- Start by placing the chicken thighs in a medium sized bowl then add the grated ginger, green seasoning, cassareep, garlic (granules or powder) Chinese five spice, black pepper and pink salt.
- Marinate the chicken (using hands or tongs) to ensure the chicken is evenly combined then wrap and set aside for at least an hour (overnight is preferred).
- Melt coconut oil in a heavy duty wok or large frying pan/skillet on medium/high heat and proceed to sear (brown) the chicken on both sides.
- Reduce the heat to medium and allow the meat to cook through and this should take 10-15 minutes.
- Add the onion and garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes until soft.
- Then add the vegetables - carrots, bora (green beans), scallion and bell peppers. Fold in the vegetables so they are mixed in with the chicken pieces.
- Cover the vegetables with a lid for 5 minutes, there should be enough liquid in the pan to do a quick steam of the vegetables so they are completely soft. If not add a splash of water (not too much) to do.
- Remove the lid, if there is excess liquid increase the heat to high to cook off the excess liquid.
- Finally fold in the vegetable noodles, heat them through.
- Do a taste test and adjust for pink salt and black pepper for serving.
Video
Notes
- I would highly recommend using lean meat that is boneless. Chicken breast or what I like to use is boneless chicken thighs which tends to yield a more flavoursome result.
- Try to marinate the meat for at least an hour, overnight is preferred but definitely not essential.
- When increasing the heat to rid any excess liquid, but careful not to burn the contents in the pan. Keep stirring as you do it.
- If you cannot obtain cassareep, browning sauce or coconut aminos (soy free sauce) works too.
- As per Caribbean traditional, the meat is always washed first before moving onto the next step. The meat is rinsed with either orange sours (Haitian style), vinegar, salt and/or lime. Make sure to blot off any excess water once the chicken is washed off.
- Use a spiraliser or julienne peeler to create your low carb vegetable noodles.
- Zucchini is also known as courgette in the UK.
- If you cannot get a wiri wiri peppers use scotch bonnet or herbanero.
- Freeze any leftovers for up to 3 months.
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