Vietnamese Crispy Noodles (Mi Xao Don)

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless chicken
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 quart canola oil
4 tablespoons tapioca starch
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 yellow onion, cut into thin wedges
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons black bean garlic sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
2 (14 ounce) can chicken broth, more as needed
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into small pieces
1 cup brocoli florets, pre-cooked
1 cup straw mushrooms, helved lengthwise
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)

Directions:

For the crispy noodles:

On a large platter, untangle and separate the noodles, forming little nests. In a wok, heat the oil. When the oil is hot and bubbly, place about 2 o 3 nests at a time and fry the noodles until crispy and golden. Remove the noodles using a flat strainer and transfer to a platter lined with paper towels to absorb the oil. Repeat until all the noodles are deep fried. Set aside.

For the chicken:

Pound the chicken breast using a meat tenderizer mallet. Cut into thin strips. Place the chicken in a bowl. Add red chili powder and let it sit for at least 15 minutes.

Pat dry with paper towel. Spread the chicken on a platter. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with 2 teaspoons tapioca starch. Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a wok. Place the pieces of chicken in the wok. Make sure that the pieces aren't overlapping so they'll become a nice golden color. Saute them over high heat. Add 2 green onions. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer to a serving plate. Set aside.

For the vegetables:

Add a tablespoon of oil in the same wok. When the oil is hot, add halt the amount of the onions. As the onions become golden, add the carrots. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes. When the color is translucent, season with salt. Add about 1 1/2 cups of water and cook until the liquid evaporates. Add the remaining onion wedges and cook for another minute. Transfer to a plate. Set aside.

Repeat the same procedure for the bell pepper (add oil if necessary; cook for about 2 minutes). Transfer to a plate. Repeat the same procedure for straw mushrooms and broccoli. Don't overcook the vegetables as they will continue cooking in the sauce later. Set the plate aside.

Assembly time:

In a bowl, dissolve the rest of the tapioca starch in 1 cup of chicken broth. Add soy sauce, rie vinegar, chili garlic and black bean sauces. Set aside.

In the same wok, add another tablespoon of oil. Add the black bean and chili garlic sauce, sugar and soy sauce. Stir-fry until fragrant. Add 1 can of chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Mix in the tapioca misture one more time to prevent the starch from sticking to the bottom of the wok. Add the tapioca liquid to the boiling broth. Continuously stir the broth as it will thicken very quickly. Add the rest of the broth.

Add the vegetables and chicken. Check the texture of the sauce, it should be thick and syrupy. If you find the sauce to be too thick, add up 4 tablespoons of water (or more chicken broth). Cook for about 2 minutes. Add the remaining sliced green onions.

Sprinkle black pepper. Drizzle with sesame oil.

Serve immediately

Recipe by Jacqueline Pham