Pan Fried Noodles

4 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 pound barbecued pork strips
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 pound fresh thin noodles
1 tablespoon thin soy sauce
Peanut oil
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry
2/3 cup chicken broth
sherry

BBQ PORK & VEGETABLE TOPPING:
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoon peanut oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch in 2 T cold
1 pound bok choy -- in 2-in sections
- chicken broth

Preparation:
Blanch 1 pound of fresh noodles in boiling water to wash away the starch and to loosen them up (about 2 minutes). Drain them well. Scatter the noodles in a baking pan. Use a pair of chopsticks and your hands to untangle them as much as possible. Put a layer of the noodles 1-inch deep in each of 2 large, heavy skillets. Pour 2 tablespoons of oil and 1/3 cup chicken broth in each. Cook
over a low flame until the broth boils away and the bottom becomes brown and crisp. From time to time, add a little oil and broth to keep the noodles moist and allow the crust to develop slowly. This should take about 10-to-12 minutes. To flip, first shake the pan to make sure the cake is not stuck to the bottom (if it is, dribble some oil around the edge to loosen it). Cover the pan with a wide lid. Flip the skillet over, holding the lid firmly. The cake will drop onto the lid. Slide the cake back into the pan to brown it on the other side. Add more oil around the edge if it seems to be sticking. To serve, slide it out onto a plate and use it as a base for any dish with sauce.

TO MAKE THE PORK AND VEGETABLE SAUCE: Heat the peanut oil in a wok. When it is hot, add the bok choy and stir-fry to coat with oil. Add the pieces of pork and stir-fry to heat through. Add the broth. Stir in the soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, and oyster sauce. When the sauce is hot, thicken it with the dissolved cornstarch and serve on the bed of pan-fried noodles.

This is a basic chow mein. You can add meat or vegetables as you like.