Yaka meinis a type ofbeef noodle soupfound in manyCreole restaurantsinNew Orleans.It is also a type ofChinese wheat noodle.
 Yaka mein served in a bowl | |
| Alternative names | Old sober, low-rent lo mein, Seventh ward mein |
|---|---|
| Type | Beef noodle soup Chinese noodle |
| Place of origin | Louisiana |
| Main ingredients | Stewed beef (brisket), beefbroth,spaghetti,hard-boiled egg,green onions |
The soup consists of stewed beef (such asbrisket) in beef-based broth served on top of noodles and garnished with half a hard-boiled egg and choppedgreen onions.[1]Cajunor Creole seasoning andchili powderare often added to the broth.
Culture and variations
editYaka mein is sometimes referred to as "Old Sober", as it is commonly prescribed by locals as a cure for hangovers.[2]Vendors are common at New Orleanssecond lines,along with other settings including theNew Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival,alongside many otherCreoleandCajunspecialties.[1]One of the major proponents of yaka mein since 2006 is Ms. Linda Green, who caters the dish at theOgden Museum of Southern Art,JazzFest, Oak Street Po’Boy Fest, among other locations and cultural events in New Orleans.[3]The soup is well loved by locals but not well known outside of the city and its surrounding region.[4]
The dish is also found inMontreal,Canada;[5]Norfolk, Virginia;Baltimore, Maryland;andPhiladelphia,Pittsburgh,andBellevue, Pennsylvaniacarry out restaurants. Some versions of yaka mein consist of thick wheat noodles (similar toudon) in a ketchup-based sauce or brown gravy, accompanied by thickly sliced onions, a hard-boiled egg, and fried noodles.[6][self-published source?]Roast pork (char siu), chicken, and seafood can be added, with some restaurants including the option ofpigs' feet.[7]
Etymology
editThis sectionpossibly containsoriginal research.(February 2013) |
One possible etymology for "yaka mein" is a Cantonese phrase meaning "one order of noodles" (Một cái mặt;jat1 go3 min6), used by small restaurantwaitstaffsto their kitchen to prepare an order of noodles. Numerous variant spellings exist.
Origins
editThe origins of yaka mein are uncertain.[1]Some sources, including the late New Orleans chefLeah Chase,have claimed that yaka mein originated in New Orleans's now extinctChinatownthat was established byChinese immigrantsbrought fromCaliforniaduring the mid-19th century to build the railroads betweenHoustonand New Orleans[1]and work in the sugar plantations of the American South. It was during this period that the Chinesenoodle soupadapted to local Creole and Chinese clientele.[8]
Regardless of its North American origins, by the 1920s yaka mein was already known in other parts of North America. In a 1927 article published inMaclean's magazine,the author indicated that "yet-ca mein" consisted of noodles or vermicelli boiled in rich stock, divided into individual bowls and garnished with sliced hard-boiled egg and sliced and chopped cooked meats.[9]The author also indicated that other noodle dishes served in disparate fashions may also be collectively known as yet-ca mein.[9]
In the movieWhipsaw,from 1935 starring Myrna Loy, a character in New Orleans places a phone order with a Chinese restaurant for, among other things, yaka mein.[10]This mention supports the origin story cited by Leah Chase.
Noodle type
editYaka mein is also referred to as a type of dried wheatChinese noodles.In Canada Yet Ca Mein was introduced in the 1950s by Toronto-based Wing's Food Products[11]and Montreal-based parentWing Noodle Company(Wing Lung or Wing Hing Lung).[12]
See also
editReferences
edit
- ^abcdRoahen, Sara (2008-02-17),Gumbo Tales: Finding My Place at the New Orleans Table,W. W. Norton & Company,ISBN978-0-393-06167-3
- ^"Die Chemie des Katers"(in German).ORF.10 April 2013.Retrieved27 January2014.
- ^"When New Orleans parties, yaka-mein is hangover relief by the quart".NOLA.2019-03-01.
- ^McGraw, Dan (2006-02-15),"Turned Up a Notch",Fort Worth Weekly,FW Weekly
- ^"Remember Yet-Ca-Mein? Time for a comeback".AZNModern.2014-09-10.Retrieved2020-02-02.
- ^http://foodeyestomach.blogspot /2010/06/baltimore-yat-gaw-mein.html[self-published source]
- ^"Dining@Large: Pigs' feet fusion - Baltimore restaurants: The dish on the restaurant scene, memorable meals, dining trends and more - baltimoresun".18 April 2007.Retrieved1 January2015.
- ^spchef (2009-06-01),Leah Chase on the Chinese in New Orleans and "Yaka Mein"
- ^abMACPHERSON, ESTELLE CARTER (May 15, 1927)."Secrets of Chinese Cookery".Maclean's | The Complete Archive.Retrieved2020-02-02.
- ^Wood, Sam (director) (December 18, 1935).Whipsaw(Motion picture).Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.Event occurs at 58 minutes 30 seconds.
I ordered 3 chop sueys and 2 yaka meins.
- ^"About // Wing's Food Products".wings.ca.Archived fromthe originalon 2011-09-26.
- ^"History | Wing Noodles Ltd".