Simply meaning ‘fried noodles’ in Mandarin, chow mein originated in northern China, where wheat is the staple crop, rather than rice. This is the ultimate in home-made fast food.
Ingredients
- 300g medium flat egg noodles
- Toasted sesame oil, for drizzling
- 3 skinless free-range chicken breasts, sliced into strips and seasoned
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tsp five-spice powder
- 2 tsp chilli sauce (we like Lingham’s, from Tesco and Waitrose)
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 3 tbsp groundnut oil
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- 2cm piece fresh ginger, cut into matchsticks
- 1 red pepper, finely sliced
- Large handful beansprouts
- Bunch spring onions, sliced lengthways
- 4 tbsp light soy sauce
- Handful fresh coriander leaves
Method
- 1. Cook the noodles in a pan of boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Drain, then rinse under cold running water and drain again. Drizzle with sesame oil and toss well. Set aside.
- 2. Place the chicken in a bowl with the dark soy sauce, five-spice and chilli sauce. Mix well, then sprinkle with the cornflour and mix again.
- 3. Heat a wok until smoking. Add the groundnut oil, then the chicken, and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
- 4. Add the chilli and ginger and cook for a minute, then add the red pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the beansprouts and spring onions (reserve some spring onions for garnishing) and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Stir in the cooked noodles, light soy sauce and a dash of sesame oil. Stir in the coriander leaves, scatter with the reserved spring onions and serve with lime wedges to squeeze over, if you like.
Nutritional info
Per serving: 591kcals, 20.6g fat (4.7g saturated), 36.9g protein, 68.5g carbs, 8.1g sugar, 4.8g salt
Wine Recommendation
We love the bright, citrus zest of Australian Riesling with this classic chicken dish. It marries well with the many ingredients.