How to make Chicken Chow Mein

Ingredients

225g/8oz eggnoodles, 2 tbsp sesame oil, 100g/4oz chicken breast, skinned, 2½ tbsp finely chopped garlic, 50g/2oz mangetout, trimmed, 50g/2oz Parma ham or cooked ham, finely shredded, 2 tsp light soy sauce, 2 tsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry,
½ tsp salt, ½ tsp freshly ground white pepper, ½ tsp sugar, 3 tbsp finely chopped spring onions,
2 tsp sesame oil
For the marinade
2 tsp light soy sauce, 2 tsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry, 1 tsp sesame oil, ½ tsp salt,
½ tsp freshly ground white pepper

Method

1. Cook the noodles by boiling them for 3-5 minutes in a pan of boiling water. Drain and plunge into cold water, drain again then toss with a little sesame oil.
2. Using a cleaver, slice the chicken breasts into fine shreds approximately 5cm (2 in) long.
3. To marinate the chicken, combine the chicken with the light soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
4. Mix well and leave to marinate for 20 minutes.
5. Heat a wok until it is very hot. Add one tablespoon of oil and, when it is very hot and slightly smoking, add chicken shreds.
6. Stir-fry the mixture for about two minutes, then transfer to a plate.
7. Reheat the wok, and add remaining oil. Add the garlic and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Add the mangetout and ham and fry for one minute.
8. Add noodles, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice wine, salt and pepper, the sugar and spring onions and continue to stir-fry for two minutes.
9. Return chicken to noodle mixture.
10. Continue to fry for 3-4 minutes, until chicken is cooked.
11. Stir in sesame oil and give a few final stirs.
12. Turn onto warm serving platter and serve at once.

There is another way. Call Wong's, our local Chinese takeaway, and you can have the meal on your table in fifteen minutes. That's what I did last night. Magic.