Recipe Background
Shanghai Fried Noodles: a vibrant dish that symbolizes new beginnings, perfect for milestone celebrations.
The first time I tried my hand at Shanghai Fried Noodles, it was right after moving into my first apartment post-divorce. There was an undeniable freedom in embracing the emptiness of a new space, and I remember finding solace among boxed memories and half-assembled furniture. A bag of dried chow mein noodles peeked out from a grocery sack, a spontaneous purchase in an effort to embrace a more adventurous kitchen persona. The sizzling sound of vegetable oil hitting the hot pan was like the promise of new beginnings.
As I sliced the chicken breast into narrow strips, I reminisced about my childhood spent watching my mom deftly maneuver a chef's knife. The earthy aroma of sliced mushrooms mingled with the nutty fragrance of sesame oil as they danced in the pan. Adding Chinese cooking wine felt like a one-way ticket to far-off places despite the fact that my passport had long since expired. Stir-frying the noodles and incorporating the different soy sauces was a kind of rhythmic therapy, each toss releasing the tension of the day.
I learned early on that letting the noodles soak just right before adding them to the pan was key to achieving the perfect texture—not soggy but far from crispy. Bok choy, with its vibrant green, added a touch of life to the dish, reminding me of new growth. A sprinkle of brown sugar and a hint of white pepper later, I found myself savoring not just the meal but the milestone it symbolized. My first bite as I stood by the kitchen counter marked a step toward reinvention.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 chicken breast sliced into narrow strips
- 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine
- 1 (8-10-ounce) package chow mein noodles thick or thin, soaked in water for 5 minutes then drained
- 3 mushrooms sliced
- 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 large bunch bok choy bases trimmed, discarded
- 2 tablespoons water optional
Directions
- In a large pan over high heat, add the oil.
- Add the chicken strips to the hot oil and cook, while stirring, until they are browned on the outside but not quite cooked through, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the cooking wine to the chicken strips and stir to combine.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Add the prepared noodles to the chicken mixture and stir to combine.
- Add the mushrooms and the sesame oil to the chicken mixture and stir-fry the mixture until the mushrooms are soft, about 3 minutes.
- Add the soy sauce, the dark soy sauce, the brown sugar, and the white pepper to the chicken mixture and cook, while stirring, until combined, about 1 minute.
- Add the bok choy to the chicken mixture and increase the heat to medium.
- Cook the chicken mixture, while stirring, until the bok choy reaches a medium degree of softness and the chicken strips reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 1-2 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the bok choy.
- If the chicken mixture looks dry, add the water, a little at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency. You may not need any or all of the water.
- Serve hot.
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