Singapore stir-fried rice stick noodles

4 servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
Stephen Ceideburg
6Dried Chinese black mushrooms
½poundsRice stick noodles (about 1/16-inch thick)
3tablespoonsPeanut or corn oil
2Quarter-size slices fresh ginger
½teaspoonSalt
½poundsMedium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1Whole chicken breast, skinned, boned and cut into shreds
¼poundsChinese barbecued pork, cut into match stick strips
1smallOnion, cut lengthwise into thin slices
1Stalk celery, cut into diagonal thin slices
¼poundsFresh snow peas, stems removed and julienned
½Green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
2Green onions, cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths
1To 2 tablespoons Indian Madras-style curry powder
1teaspoonSugar
1tablespoonDark soy sauce
1tablespoonLight soy sauce, or more if needed
4tablespoonsChicken stock, or more if needed.

Directions

In this popular Cantonese teahouse specialty, the rice noodles are permeated with an aromatic infusion of curry spices and herbs, seasonings borrowed from Indian and Malay cooking-- both cuisines are indigenous to Singapore.

Cover mushrooms with warm water. When soft and pliable, remove and squeeze dry. Cut off and discard stems. Cut caps into thin slices.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles; using chopsticks, stir and loosen noodles. When soft and pliable, about 30 seconds, drain them into a colander. Cover and let cool.

Preheat wok until hot. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil, 1 slice of the ginger, the chicken, shrimp and pork; stir-fry until shrimp and chicken feel firm to the touch, about 1 minute. Remove and set aside.

Pick out and discard ginger.

To hot wok add remaining oil, ginger and salt, crushing ginger against sides of wok. When oil is hot, toss in onions, celery, snow peas, mushrooms, bell pepper and green onion; stir- fry until tender and crisp (1 to 2 minutes). Push vegetables to side of wok. Add curry powder to center of wok and lightly saute for 10 seconds. Then add sugar, soy sauce and chicken stock. Mix.

Add noodles; combine,with vegetables by using chopsticks, to lift, shake and separate strands of noodles, until they are evenly coated with sauce, moist but not wet and begin to cling to each other. (Add more chicken stock if noodles seem too dry). Return meat mix mixture, taste for seasoning. Toss to heat through.

PER SERVING: 665 calories, 46 g protein, 61 g carbohydrate, 26 g fat (7 g saturated&4, 151 mg cholesterol, 146 mg sodium, 5 g fiber.

Joyce Jue writing in the San Francisco Chronicle, 8/7/91.