Panda Express style Chow Mein

If your noodles are mushy, then you're overcooking them. Vermicelli take barely a minute or two to cook in already-boiling water. Egg noodles take a little longer, but either way, trying the noodles as they start to loosen up is the best way to ensure the right texture.

Remember, you are going to be cooking them again when you stir fry them, so they should be a little underdone when they come out of the broth. Rinsing in cold water will arrest the cooking process and also wash off the starch that can make the noodles stick to the wok when frying.

I agree with the first answer. If they're going mushy or sticky then they're over-cooked and/or are not being washed after cooking.

Cooking noodles and spaghetti isn't just a question of dropping them into boiling water and timing them, you have to understand or know when they're 'al dente' or 'just' done. Any less is under-cooked, any more is over-cooked, there's not much margin for error.

It also depends on how big your pan is, when you drop them in the water, how quickly you bring it back to the boil etc. You can't just rely on packet timing instructions, you have to know and understand yourself when they're just 'done' and stop the cooking immediately by straining and refreshing under running cold water and then tossing in oil ready for stir frying.

I'd suggest you practice your noodle cooking technique and experiment with various levels of 'doneness' and see which ones work out the best.

Also, make sure the noodles are cold and tossed in oil and not warm when you add them to the wok for stir frying.

I agree. Make sure your noodles are not over cooked. I usually wash them out with cold water after boiling and make sure all are separated properly. I am vegetarian so, I use sliced cut white onion, long cut peppers , celery, mushrooms and broccoli. stir fry all veggies with olive oil and once cooked half way, add Soya sauce and chili sauce per taste. mix and add noodles. stir fry all together until all veggies cooked. you can add chicken or egg as needed. Enjoy delicious noodle.

I read a recipe for east Indian style noodles (chow mein). She used ramen noodles and after boiling the noodles just enough to separate them (about 2-3 minutes), she strained and rinsed with cold water to stop the cooking process. This has helped keep my noodles firm throughout the stir-fry process. Hope this helps.

I agree with the others about cooking quickly, rinsing in cold water and stirring through oil. Another consideration is your heat source. Most homes do not have even a quarter the heat of a commercial wok furnace. Chinese Cantonese people call this heat ‘wok hei’ and it can’t be replicated at home. This is how Chinese restaurants can cook it so quickly, so it doesn’t get soggy. I worked in my parents’ Chinese restaurant for years!

Try using fresh Japanese soba noodles. They can be found in most Asian markets in the refrigerated areas.