Chinese stir-fried noodles

http://thaifood.about.com/od/oodlesofnoodles/r/Thai-Stir-Fried-Noodles-Vegetarian-Friendly-Recipe.htm

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes

Yield: SERVES 3-4

Ingredients:

• 5 to 8 ounces (140 to 226 g.) Chinese-style wheat or egg noodles
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-3 tsp. grated galangal OR ginger
• 1/4 cup chopped shallots OR purple onion
• 1 carrot, sliced or cut into matchsticks
• 5-8 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small head broccoli, chopped into florets
• 1 small red pepper, sliced
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• fresh coriander or basil to garnish
• 2-3 Tbsp. vegetable oil for stir-frying
• STIR-FRY SAUCE:
• 3 Tbsp. Hoison sauce
• 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. fish sauce, OR 1 additional Tbsp. soy sauce if vegetarian
• 3 Tbsp. rice vinegar OR white wine vinegar OR fresh lime juice
• 3 Tbsp. oyster sauce OR vegetarian oyster sauce OR vegetarian stir-fry sauce
• 1+1/2 to 2 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tbsp. white pepper (available in most spice aisles)
• 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. dried crushed chili (chili flakes) OR fresh-cut red chili

Preparation:

1. Boil noodles in lightly-salted water until 'al dente', veering on the side of undercooked (you will be stir-frying them later so avoid overcooking them now). Drain and rinse with cold water to prevent sticking. Set aside.
2. Place all 'Stir-Fry Sauce' ingredients together in a cup, stirring well to dissolve the sugar. Set aside.
3. Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add oil and swirl around, then stir-fry the garlic, ginger, and shallot/onion 1 minute.
4. Add the carrots plus 1-2 Tbsp. of the stir-fry sauce you made earlier - enough to keep ingredients frying nicely. Stir-fry 2 minutes, until carrots soften slightly.
5. Add the mushrooms, broccoli and red pepper, plus 3-4 more Tbsp. of the stir-fry sauce. Continue stir-frying until mushrooms and red pepper soften and broccoli turns bright green but is still crisp (3-4 minutes).
6. Now add the noodles plus remaining stir-fry sauce. Using 2 utensils, lift and turn the noodles in the pan to combine with the vegetables. Stir-fry in this way 3-5 more minutes, or until you are happy with the softness/texture of the noodles. During the last 1 minute of cooking time, fold in the bean sprouts.
7. Taste-test the noodles, adding up to 1 more Tbsp. fish sauce or soy sauce if not salty or flavorful enough. If too salty for your taste OR too sweet, add 1/ to 1 Tbsp. more lime juice. If too sour, sprinkle over a little more sugar. More chili can be added if you prefer it spicier.
8. Serve immediately in bowls or plates, topping with a sprinkling of fresh coriander or basil. More fresh bean sprouts can also be added as a topping. ENJOY!