Longevity Noodles With Chicken, Ginger and Mushrooms

Ingredients

12 ounces thin fresh noodles, like lo mein or tagliarini

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into ¼-inch-thick, bite-size slices

1 tablespoon finely shredded ginger

1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Salt

¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

5 ounces (about 3 cups) thinly sliced Napa cabbage

4 ounces (about 2 cups) fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps thinly sliced

½ cup finely shredded scallions

Preparation

Step 1

Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil over high heat and cook noodles until just done, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water until cool, then shake well to remove water. Return noodles to pot, add sesame oil, and toss.

Step 2

Put chicken in a shallow bowl and add ginger, one teaspoon rice wine, cornstarch, one teaspoon soy sauce, ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper. Mix gently to combine. In a small bowl, combine remaining one tablespoon rice wine and one tablespoon soy sauce.

Step 3

Heat a wok over high heat until a bead of water evaporates almost on contact. Swirl in one tablespoon peanut oil, add red pepper flakes and stir-fry 10 seconds using a metal spatula. Push pepper flakes aside and add chicken, spreading in a single layer to maximize contact with the wok. Let cook undisturbed one minute, until chicken begins to sear.

Step 4

Stir-fry chicken and pepper flakes together, tossing in the wok, for a minute or 2 until just done. Remove to a bowl. Add cabbage and mushrooms and stir-fry one minute until just wilted but not cooked. Empty into the bowl with chicken.

Step 5

Reheat wok, swirl in remaining one tablespoon peanut oil, and add noodles. Stir-fry 30 seconds, moving constantly to heat through. Swirl soy sauce-rice wine mixture and add to wok along with chicken-vegetable mixture and scallions. Sprinkle on ¾ teaspoon salt and stir-fry a minute or 2 until chicken and vegetables are heated through.