Crispy Egg Noodles with Seafood

By norsegal8

The first time I had this dish was when I was about 10 years old, from a stand that set up behind my family's shop in Vietnam.
What makes this dish so good is the contrasting textures. The fried noodles are crunchy, and when you add the vegetables, seafood and gravy, they get soft and chewy in places, soaking up the sauce.
I've made a seafood version here, but you could substitute chicken, if you prefer, and vary the vegetables depending on what you have in your fridge. It's best to use homemade chicken stock, which will give you the most flavorful gravy.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups small broccoli florets
• 1/4 cup canola oil, plus more for frying
• 1 1/2 pounds fresh chow mein egg noodles, divided into 6 equal portions
• 6 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1/2 cup julienned carrots
• 1 cup sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms
• 12 medium-sized shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 pound cleaned squid, bodies cut into 1/2-inch rings
• 6 small scallops, sliced in half horizontally
• 1/4 cup rice wine
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1/4 cup vegetarian stir-fry sauce
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat the oven to 250°F. Bring a medium pot of water to boil over high heat. When the water is boiling, add the broccoli and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.

2. In a wok or heavy-bottomed pot, heat 2 inches of oil to 350°F. Divide the noodles into 6 portions and form each portion into a loose ball about 5 inches in diameter. When the oil is hot, place one ball of noodles on a spider or two slotted spoons and gently lower into the hot oil. The noodles will spread into a disc about 8 inches wide.

3. Cook the noodles for about 1 minute or until golden brown. With the spider or slotted spoons, remove the noodles from the oil and drain on paper towels. Repeat with each portion of noodles, allowing the oil to return to 350°F. between batches. When all of the noodles have been fried, put on a sheet pan and place in the oven to keep warm. If you fried the noodles in your wok, let the oil cool slightly, then carefully pour into a heatproof bowl. Save for future frying or discard once it has cooled.

4. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with 3/4 cup of cold water, stirring until smooth. Set aside. Heat a wok over high heat; the metal will have a matte appearance and a drop or two of water flicked onto the surface should evaporate immediately. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and the onions and cook, tossing frequently, until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add half of the broccoli, carrots and shiitake mushrooms. Toss and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Add half of the shrimp, squid and scallops and cook 1 minute more, tossing frequently. Deglaze the wok with half of the rice wine and cook 30 seconds more. Add half of the chicken stock, sugar, fish sauce, stir-fry sauce, sesame oil and cornstarch slurry. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so that the liquid is simmering and simmer for 2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

5. Place 3 of the fried noodle discs on individual plates and divide the seafood and sauce mixture evenly over the top of the noodles.

6. Wipe the wok clean and repeat steps 4 and 5 using the remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.