Recipe: Blue Ginger Chicken Chow Mein My Way (Ming Tsai)

CHICKEN CHOW MEIN MY WAY

"Chicken chow mein, that much abused warhorse of Chinese-American cooking, has a thoroughly respectable ancestry. The Chinese have always stir-fried noodles with savory accompaniments. I remember my dad concocting great dishes using leftover boiled noodles and fresh vegetables. My version, featuring bok choy and shiitake mushrooms, takes the dish a step further. It's the way chicken chow mein should be made."

2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
1/2 cup oyster sauce
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, sliced 1/8 inch thick
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus additional
1 tablespoon sambal oelek
1 pound chicken meat, preferably from legs and thighs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound fresh or dried to mein (egg noodles)
5 tablespoons canola oil
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 cups quartered fresh shiitake mushroom caps
4 heads bok choy, cored and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 cup Chicken Stock or low-sodium canned broth
Salt

In a large bowl, combine the cornstarch and wine and mix. Stir in the oyster sauce, ginger, scallions, the 1 teaspoon pepper, and the sambal oelek. Add the chicken, stir to coat, and allow to marinate covered and refrigerated for at least 2 hours and preferably overnight.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a bowl with water and add ice. Add the lo mein to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 5 minutes for fresh, 10 to 15 minutes for dried. Drain and transfer the noodles to the ice water. When cold, drain and toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Set aside.

Heat a wok over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and swirl to coat. When the oil shimmers, add the garlic and shiitakes and stir-fry until the mushrooms are soft, about 4 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and set aside.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil and, when hot, add the chicken and stir-fry until almost cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.

Add the bok choy and stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.

Add the stock and season with the salt and pepper to taste. Add the reserved shiitakes and the noodles. Stir to coat, and heat through, about 5 minutes.

Correct the seasonings and serve.

Beverage Tip: Fruity, Bright Pinot Noir (Ancien, Dutton Ranch)

Makes 4 servings
Source: Blue Ginger by Ming Tsai and Arthur Boehm