Soft-Fried Noodles (Guangdon Chau Mein)

Step 1

Put noodles into 6 quarts boiling water and cook until just tender. Drain, rinse and drain again.

Step 2

Have all remaining ingredients prepared and on hand at the stove.

Step 3

Heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil in a wok or skillet over high heat and add half the noodles. Form them into a neat cake and fry on one side until golden. Turn cake over, fry until golden on the other side, remove to large serving platter and keep warm in oven set to low heat. Add another tablespoon peanut oil to wok and fry remaining noodles in the same way, removing them to the platter.

Step 4

Put remaining peanut oil in wok (still over high heat), add salt, garlic and ginger and stir-fry 5 seconds. Add roast pork, sherry, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, celery, bok choy, water chestnuts and black mushrooms and stir-fry 10 seconds. Add stock and soy sauce, cover and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Uncover and stir-fry 30 seconds.

Step 5

Add snow peas, sugar and pepper and thicken sauce as desired with cornstarch solution. Add scallions and sesame oil, stir and remove from heat. Pour mixture over noodles in the platter (cakes may be cut into sixths beforehand for easier serving). Garnish with coriander and serve.