Recipe: Chicken Lo Mein (Gai See Lo Mein)

CHICKEN LO MEIN (GAI SEE LO MEIN)
Source: The Chinese Chicken Cookbook: 100 Easy-to-Prepare, Authentic Recipes for the American Table by Eileen Yin-Fei Lo

This traditional stir-fried noodle preparation is most familiar to Americans. I expect most, if not all, have had lo mein in a restaurant. It is not, however, often made with the care and with the progression of ingredients necessary to make it the highly regarded dish it ought to be. Once you 'ye made this lo mein with I believe you will be impatient with the careless efforts set forth by some restaurants.

FOR THE SAUCE:
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 tablespoons Shao-Hsing wine or sherry
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Pinch white pepper
FOR THE LO MEIN:
6 cups cold water
1 teaspoon salt
8 ounces fresh Chinese egg noodles (as thin as angel hair pasta, which may be substituted)
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 steamed black mushrooms, juilienned
1/2 cup carrots cut into 2-inch long matchsticks
2 scallions, trimmed, cut into 2-inch-long section, white parts quartered lengthwise
1/4 cup peeled and washed fresh water chestnuts, cut into matchsticks
4 ounces chicken cutlets, cleaned thoroughly, dried, and cut into 2-inch-long julienne

Put all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Reserve.

Put the cold water in a large pot and add the salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles, loosening them with chopsticks and cook for 14 minutes or until a! dente. Turn off the heat. Run cold water into the pot and drain. Repeat twice more and drain thoroughly. Reserve.

Heat a wok over high heat for 30 seconds. Add the peanut oil and coat the wok with it, using a spatula. When a wisp of white smoke appears, add the ginger and garlic and stir briefly.

Add all the vegetables and stir-fry together for 2 1/2 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the vegetables, and reserve.

Stir the reserved sauce and pour it into the wok. Turn the heat back on to high.

Add the chicken and stir to separate while allowing the sauce to come to a boil. Add the reserved vegetables and stir. Add the reserved noodles, mix well, and cook until all the liquid has been absorbed. Turn off the heat. Transfer the mixture to a preheated dish, and serve.