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8 ounces dried thin Chinese egg noodles

4 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into pieces 2 inches long, 1 inch wide, and ⅛ inch thick

3 ounces large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and sliced in half lengthwise

3 ounces boneless pork loin, cut into pieces 2 inches long, 1 inch wide, and ⅛ inch thick

1 large egg white

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Pinch of salt

1 cup vegetable oil

Sauce

1 ½ cups Chicken Stock (page 70) or canned chicken broth

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry

1 teaspoon oyster sauce

1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

⅓ cup canned sliced bamboo shoots (cut 1 ½ inches long and 1 inch wide)

2 ounces snow peas, trimmed

5 Chinese dried black mushrooms, soaked in hot tap water until softened, stems trimmed, caps cut in half

1 scallion, white and green parts, trimmed and sliced diagonally into ½-inch pieces

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and return to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand until the noodles are pliable but not tender, about 10 minutes. Drain well and set aside, letting the noodles dry for at least 30 minutes. you can place a fan near them to speed the drying along. The noodles should be as dry as possible in order to fry crisply.

2. Meanwhile, combine the chicken, shrimp, pork, egg white, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well, and set aside.

3. Heat a large wok over high heat. Add the 1 cup vegetable oil and heat it to 350°F. Add the noodles, shaping them into a pancake on the bottom of the wok. Fry until golden, about 2 minutes. Turn the pancake over and fry until golden, about 2 minutes. Using a wide wire-mesh strainer, transfer the noodles to paper towels to drain.

4. Add the chicken, shrimp, and pork mixture to the wok, and stir gently until the ingredients turn white, about 1 minute. Using the strainer, transfer them to a colander to drain. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the oil from the wok.

5. To begin the sauce, mix the stock, soy sauce, rice wine, and oyster sauce in a small bowl, and set it aside. Dissolve the cornstarch in ¼ cup cold water in another small bowl, and set it aside.

6. Return the wok with the oil to high heat. Add the bamboo shoots, snow peas, mushrooms, and scallion, and stir-fry until the mushrooms soften, about 30 seconds. Add the stock mixture and bring to a boil. Return the chicken mixture to the wok and stir-fry until the meat is cooked through, about 30 seconds. Add the cornstarch mixture and cook for 20 seconds. Add the sesame oil.

7. Place the noodles on a serving platter, and pour the chicken and vegetable mixture on top. Serve immediately.

Desserts

CHINESE DESSERTS, whether sweet soups, fried pastries, or fried apples, are not made with the requisite ingredients that most Western sweets have: butter and cream. So the texture of Chinese desserts is different. A dish such as Almond “Bean Curd,” for example, is a lightly sweet dish whose texture resembles real bean curd—soft but not exactly creamy.

The typical Chinese desserts in this chapter are delicious and easy to make. Serve one at a dinner party with a Chinese menu, and I guarantee that it will be a conversation piece.

THIS QUIVERY, SOFT PUDDING has the texture of bean curd, which explains its name. It is one of the most beloved of all Chinese sweets, and any Asian market will have boxes of instant mixes. Like so many things, however, nothing beats homemade. Typically, it is served with canned fruit cocktail, but the presentation is much improved with a combination of fresh fruits, like berries, plums, or peeled and sliced peaches.

We use both agar-agar and gelatin because although they appear to be similar agents, they produce different results. Gelatin makes a liquid jell, as does agar-agar. But agar-agar also gives slipperiness to the “bean curd” while at the same time allowing the “bean curd” to be cut into distinct separate pieces.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Almond “Bean Curd”

1 envelope (2 ½ teaspoons) unflavored