Chicken on crispy noodles

Method

1. For the chicken, place the chicken strips into a bowl and add the egg white, cornflour, salt and freshly ground white pepper. Mix well until the chicken is evenly coated, then cover the bowl with cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.

2. For the noodles, blanch the fresh egg noodles for 2-3 minutes in a large pan of boiling salted water, or until just tender. (If using dried egg noodles, cook according to packet instructions, reducing the cooking time by about 1-2 minutes.) Drain well and set aside.

3. Heat a frying pan over a high heat, then add 1½ tablespoons of the groundnut or peanut oil. Evenly spread the drained noodles over the base of the pan, then turn the heat to low and allow the noodles to gently fry for 4-5 minutes, or until golden-brown and crisp on the bottom.

4. Gently flip the noodles over, adding another 1½ tablespoons of the oil to the pan. Cook for a further 3-4 minutes, or until the noodles are golden-brown and crisp all over. Remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper.

5. Heat a wok over a high heat and add the remaining groundnut oil. When the oil is very hot, remove the wok from the heat and immediately add the marinated chicken strips and stir-fry quickly for 1-2 minutes, or until the chicken is sealed all over. Drain the chicken and set aside, discarding the oil.

6. Clean the wok and place back over a high heat. Add the rice wine, oyster sauce, soy sauce, chicken stock, salt, and the black pepper. Bring the mixture to the boil, reduce the heat, stir in the cornflour mixture and bring to a simmer. Return the chicken pieces to the wok and stir to coat in the sauce.

7. To serve, place the crispy noodles on a serving plate and spoon over the chicken and sauce. Garnish with chopped spring onions.