Crispy egg noodles with vegetables (Crispy chow mien)

This noodle dish has to be one of my family's favourite dinner dishes.  The crispy noodles, the delicious gravy sauce combined with lots of vegetables is almost a flawless combination.  I know plenty of people who always order this dish when they are at an Asian restaurant so now you can make it in your own home without the MSG and other nasties!  It can easily be altered to a vegetarian dish (just omit the meat step) and the other great thing about these noodles is that you can add any vegetables in season or the ones your family loves to eat.  Finally, this recipe can also be doubled using 1kg of chow miew noodles - just fry your noodles in two batches.

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Serves 4 people

Ingredients

 - 500g fresh egg/chow mien noodles (I use the Gold Star brand)
- 2L of water (or enough to cover the noodles in the wok)

- 300g sliced chicken, beef or pork (seasoned with 2 tsp light soya sauce,1 tsp oyster sauce and pepper to taste)

- 4 tbs oil for frying the noodles 

- 1 tbs oil for the meat and vegetables

- 4 thin slices if young ginger (optional)

- 2 cloves garlic, sliced

- 300g vegetables of your choice (e.g. mushroom, carrot, broccoli, capsicum, choy sum, snow peas, etc)

- A hand full of bean sprouts (optional but provides a lovely crunch to the dish)

- Spring onion & coriander to garnish

Gravy sauce

- 1 tsp of vegetable powder/stock

- 1 tbs oyster sauce

- 1 tsp light soya sauce

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp sesame oil

- 1 1/2 tbs corn flour

- 1 1/2 cups water

Method

- Boil water in the wok then place in the egg noodles and cook about 1-2 minutes or uncil noodles separate.  Drain in a colander.

- Heat 4 tbs of oil in the wok then put the egg noodles in.  Fry till crispy or until golden brown on one side then flip the noodles over (a little like a pancake!) and repeat on the other side of the noodles. Drain the oil out of the noodles then set aside on your serving plate.

- In the same wok, add another tbs of oil and fry the ginger and garlic then add the seasoned meat. Fry until cooked then remove contents into a bowl.  Set aside.
- Combine the gravy sauce ingredients in a bowl.  Mix well and set aside.
- Add in the vegetables (without cleaning the wok) and pour in the gravy sauce.  Cook until the gravy starts it to boil (you will see the edges of the sauce boil which means the sauce is thickening) then add the meat.  If using choy sum, add them in now as well as the bean sprouts if using.  Mix with the wok spatula then turn off the stove.
- Pour vegetables, meat and sauce onto the crispy noodles and garnish with spring onion and/or coriander.
- Serve immediately... and enjoy!

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