I made chow mein for Lunar New Year and it was so simple

Lunar New Year has rolled around once again, beginning a new period of festive celebrations around the world.

One way people mark the occasion is with a banquet of plentiful which is supposed to bring you prosperity in the year to come.

Foods such as whole fish, chicken, noodles (for longevity), as well as some sweet treats, are shared with loved ones to bring each good fortune – and do I need some of that.

British- food may be slightly different to what’s considered traditional, but there are some things which you’ll always find at the table.

To mark Lunar New Year with my family, a non-negotiable is noodles.

A staple dish is none other than chow mein, a much loved and takeaway dish.

Chow mein isn’t complicated, fortunately for me, and it went down such a treat with my family that we made it again the next day.

While this contained chicken, people are encouraged to add different fish and vegetables, too.

One surprising ingredient I hadn’t expected to find was prosciutto – normally reserved for an antipasti board – which added an extra hint of saltiness unlike what you’d get from the soy sauce.

What’s also great about chow mein is that all you need is one pan – or a wok – nothing else.

Within half an hour of prep and , you have a hearty, warming dish to accompany your Lunar New Year meal.

Of course, this wasn’t the only thing we tucked into.

Mum and I rustled up homemade crispy chicken sweet and sour, Szechuan-style prawns, homemade pork and prawn dumplings, and of course, some prawn crackers on the side.

While this might not be fully ‘traditional’, it’s a British-Chinese banquet which hits the spot to ring in the Lunar New Year. Or the perfect menu for your next Friday fakeaway night.

The chow mein was undeniably the star of the show. Like I said, it was so good, we had to make it twice.

I followed the simple , this is what you’ll need to recreate the Chinese takeaway classic at home.

Chow mein

Ingredients

• 225g dried or fresh egg noodles
• 1 tbsp sesame oil, plus 1 tsp
• 100g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into fine shreds
• 2½ tbsp groundnut oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 50g mangetout, finely shredded
• 50g prosciutto or cooked ham, finely shredded
• 2 tsp light soy sauce
• 2 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry
• ½ tsp freshly ground white pepper
• ½ tsp golden caster sugar
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped

For the marinade

• 2 tsp light soy sauce
• 2 tsp Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• ½ tsp freshly ground white pepper

Method

Cook the egg noodles in a large pan of boiling water for three to five minutes, then drain and put them in cold water. Drain thoroughly, toss them with one tablespoon of sesame oil and set aside.

Combine the chicken breasts, cut into fine shreds, with two teaspoons of light soy sauce, two teaspoons of Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry, one teaspoon of sesame oil, half a teaspoon of white pepper and the teaspoon of salt for the marinade, mix well and then leave to marinate for about ten minutes.

Heat a wok over a high heat. Add one tablespoon of groundnut oil and, when it is very hot and slightly smoking, add the chicken shreds.

Stir-fry for about two minutes and then transfer to a plate. Wipe the wok clean, reheat until it is very hot then add one and half tablespoons of groundnut oil.

When the oil is slightly smoking, add the two finely chopped garlic cloves and stir-fry for ten seconds.

Add the finely shredded mangetout and the finely shredded prosciutto, and stir-fry for about one minute.

Add the noodles, two teaspoons of light soy sauce, two teaspoons dark soy sauce, one tablespoon of Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry, half teaspoon of white pepper, half teaspoon of golden caster sugar, two finely chopped spring onions and teaspoon of salt.

Stir-fry for two minutes. Return the chicken and any juices to the noodle mixture. Stir-fry for about three to four minutes or until the chicken is cooked.

Add one teaspoon sesame oil and give the mixture a few final stirs. Put on a warm platter and serve immediately.