The following excerpt and recipe for Scallion Lo Mein is from Nadia Liu Spellman and Sally Ling's cookbook "Dumpling Daughter Heirloom Recipes: From Our Restaurants And Home Kitchens." It features dishes from Dumpling Daughter and Sally Ling’s restaurants, as well as family favorites. The cookbook is available for purchase on Amazon.

My parents weren’t the only restauranteurs in the family. My mother’s sister, Wilma, and her husband, Rick, were also in the restaurant business. At one point, between the two of them, the sisters owned and operated over ten restaurants. I just loved visiting my aunt and uncle’s restaurants. My favorite was Weylu’s Palace. Its Pagoda-like architecture cut a distinctive shape along Route 1 in Saugus. On the top floor, there was a Japanese hibachi restaurant called Midori — to me, this was where all the action happened. My favorite dish there was “garlic noodles,” a simple but delicious plate of sautéed yellow noodles. I set out to recreate it at home so that I could have it anytime a craving hit. Like the teppanyaki from my childhood, this Scallion Lo Mein is heavy on the garlic. I love sharing this dish with kids, who tend to devour it as I do. Sometimes I like to stand next to the chef at Dumpling Daughter just to smell the noodles — it brings me right back to Midori.

Scallion Lo Mein

  • Prep Time:5 secs
  • Cook Time:20 secs
  • Total Time:25 secs
  • Servings:4
  • Medium

    Ingredients

  • 12 ounces fresh egg noodles or substitute with 8 ounces dry spaghetti
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 4 scallions - trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 5 cloves garlic - peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1½ tbsp sugar
Photo from Nadia Liu Spellman and Sally Ling

  • Step 1

    Cook the noodles according to package instructions, until al dente. Blanch in ice water and strain to prevent the noodles from sticking. Prepare and measure the remaining ingredients.

  • Step 2

    Heat a large pan over high heat. Add the butter and the oil. When the butter has melted and the oil is hot, add the scallions and the garlic and sauté until fragrant and the garlic is golden, about 30 seconds.

  • Step 3

    Add the cooked noodles to the pan, breaking them apart and tossing with tongs. Add the soy sauce and the sugar, tossing well to ensure the noodles are evenly coated. Cook until the noodles are warmed through, about 90 seconds.

Reprinted with permission from Dumpling Daughter Heirloom Recipes: From Our Restaurants And Home Kitchens by Nadia Liu Spellman and Sally Ling copyright © 2022. Published by Dumpling Daughter.