In Chinese culture, long noodles (uncut) symbolise long life. This is simple yet ideal dish to include in your next Chinese New Year feast, or for a birthday meal.
Ingredients
- 400 g chicken thigh fillets, cut into 2-cm slices
- ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 bunch kai lan (Chinese broccoli), trimmed, stems and leaves separated
- 1 small white onion, cut in half, then into thick wedges
- 12 slices fresh ginger
- 450 g packet fresh Hokkien noodles
- 2 tbsps shao hsing wine or dry sherry
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp malt vinegar
- ½ tsp sesame oil
- 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
- ½ cup julienned green onion (green shallot)
- 2 large fresh red chillies, sliced finely on the diagonal
Marinade
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp shao hsing wine or dry sherry
- ½ tsp sesame oil
Steps
Combine chicken and Marinade ingredients in a bowl; cover and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for 30 mins.
Heat 2 tbsps of the oil in a hot wok until surface seems to shimmer. Remove chicken from Marinade; reserve Marinade. Add chicken in two batches and stir-fry for 1 min or until browned. Remove from wok and set aside. Add kai lan stems and stir-fry for 1 min or until softened slightly. Add to chicken.
Add remaining oil to hot wok with onion and ginger, and stir-fry for 1 min. Toss in noodles, reserved chicken and kai lan stems, wine or sherry, sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and reserved Marinade, and stir-fry for 1 min. Add kai lan leaves, bean sprouts, most of the green onion and half the chilli, and stir-fry for 30 secs or until chicken is just cooked through and noodles are hot.
Arrange noodles in bowls, top with remaining chilli and green onion, and serve immediately.
Photo: John Paul Urizar/bauersyndication.com.au