LO MEIN WITH BEAN SPROUTS, CHILI, SCALLIONS AND SHRIMP (for four)

12 uncooked medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and butterflied, leaving tails intact

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 medium-size red onion, finely sliced

12 ginger slices

3 garlic cloves, finely sliced

1 pound fresh, uncooked, 1/8 inch wide Chinese egg noodles

2 tablespoons shao hsing rice wine or dry Sherry

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 tablespoon malt vinegar

1 teaspoon white sugar

½ teaspoon sesame oil

1 cup fresh bean sprouts

1 cup scallion julienne

1 large red chile, finely sliced on the diagonal

---

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, salt it and drop in the noodles, a few at a time, separating them as they fall into the water. Cover and bring the water back to a boil as quickly as possible.  Uncover and boil the noodles for 5 minutes, then drain immediately and run under cold tap water to stop the cooking.  Drain again and set aside.

2. Heat half the oil in a hot wok until the surface seems to shimmer slightly.  Add shrimp and sear on each side for 30 seconds or until lightly browned.  Remove from wok and set aside.

3. Add remaining oil to hot wok with onion, ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute or until onion is lightly browned. Toss in noodles, reserved shrimp, wine or Sherry, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and sesame oil and stir-fry for 30 seconds.  Finally add bean sprouts, half of scallions and half of the chile and stir-fry a further 30 seconds, or until shrimp are just cooked through and noodles are hot.

4. Arrange noodles in bowls, top with remaining scallion and chile and serve immediately.

 

adapted from Kylie Kwong, Simple Chinese Cooking