Ford Family Recipes

Chicken Chow Mein

4 Servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp thin soy sauce
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 cup chicken broth

1 Tbsp sherry

3 garlic cloves, minced very fine

3 scallions, cut in 2-in lengths

2 chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
1 bowl snow peas, halved
1 bowl bok choy, cut into chunks
1 bowl fresh bean sprouts
1 bowl water chestnuts, coarsely sliced

5 dried mushrooms, soaked and shredded

1/2 bowl fried rice noodles

Instructions

Combine the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl, and whisk thoroughly so that the cornstarch is well dissolved. Set aside.

Heat a small amount of oil in a wok. Cook the garlic and scallions for 1-2 minutes in the hot oil. Do not let the
garlic brown. Place the chicken strips into the wok and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. The chicken is finished when the last
little bit of red is just showing. Remove the chicken immediately to a bowl and set aside.

Add a little more oil to the wok, and then the snow peas. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes, then add the bok choy and stir fry for
another minute. Add the bean sprouts and water chestnuts and stir fry for another minute. Add the chicken and mushrooms and stir fry for another minute.

Add the rice noodles to the mixture and stir to blend.

Push the food to the sides, making a well in the center; give the sauce a final whisk and pour into the well. When the
edges of the sauce begin to thicken, stir the sauce vigorously and then fold food and sauce together.

Notes

The amounts are only approximate; vary them to suit your taste. The dried mushrooms are today known as Shittake mushrooms; they should be soaked in warm water for 30 minutes or so, the stems cut off, and the remainder sliced thinly. But you can make chow mein without them if you wish.

Other fried noodles may be substituted, but the rice noodles are widely available in supermarkets and taste really yummy. Of course they're probably not authentic; but who's counting?

Note the small amount of sugar used when soy and oyster sauces are the predominant (salty) flavor; it's the same principle as when small amount of salt is used in a fudge recipe.

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