Crispy noodle nests with chicken and vegetables

Ingredients:

• 5 medium or 7 small dried shiitake mushrooms
• 450 g of stir-fry noodles or chow mein noodles
• 450 g (4–5 pcs.) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 3 and 1/4 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tbsp + 1 1/4 tsp cornstarch
• 2 and 1/4 teaspoons light soy sauce, divided
• 1 tbsp + 1 1/4 tsp Shaoxing wine
• Neutral vegetable oil
• 2 small carrots (about 350 g), peeled and thinly sliced ​​diagonally
• 450 g bok choy (about 4-5 pcs.), stems and leaves separated
• 2 green onions
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 0.5 tsp dark soy sauce
• Special equipment: wok with a diameter of 35 cm; deep-frying thermometer

Preparation:

1. Prepare the mushrooms:
   
   In a medium bowl, pour the dried mushrooms and 2 cups of cool water over them. Cover and soak at room temperature for 4 hours.
2. Get busy with noodles:
   
   In a wok, bring 6 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Cook the noodles according to package directions until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Drain and divide the noodles into two bowls. Use chopsticks to stir the noodles up and down to cool, and form 20cm (8-inch) nests on each bowl. Let them cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, slice the chicken thighs into 1-cm-thick strips. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken with 3/4 teaspoon each of salt, sugar, cornstarch, light soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine and toss to coat. Add 1/2 teaspoon of neutral oil and toss. Cover and refrigerate.
4. Once the mushrooms are almost completely softened, bring 6 cups of water to a boil in the same wok. Blanch the carrots until slightly softened, about 1 minute. Remove the carrots from the water with a spatula or slotted spoon and set them on a plate to cool slightly. Return the water to a boil, add the bok choy, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the cabbage to the carrots. Set aside.
5. Prepare the green onions by cutting them into 5 cm pieces, then thinly slice them lengthwise. Chop the garlic until everything is ready for frying.
6. Oyster sauce:
   
   Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the oyster sauce, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, 1 teaspoon light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce until smooth. Set aside.
7. Dissolve the starch:
   
   In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 5 tablespoons cold water until smooth. Set aside.
8. Cut the mushrooms:
   
   Remove the mushrooms from the water with a slotted spoon (do not discard the water). Squeeze the water out of the mushrooms, cut off and discard the stems, then thinly slice the caps. In a small bowl, combine the sliced ​​mushrooms with 0.5 teaspoon each of salt, sugar, cornstarch, light soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine. Add 0.5 teaspoon of neutral oil and stir. Mix the mushroom liquid with the oyster sauce mixture until smooth.
9. Pour 2 inches (5 cm) of neutral oil into the wok (about 5 cups for a 14-inch wok), but no higher than halfway up the wok (see Note). Heat the oil over high heat to 350°F (175°C).
10. Fry the noodles:
    
    Once the oil is hot, fluff the noodles again with chopsticks before frying. Transfer one cooled nest to a large slotted spoon and slowly and carefully lower it into the hot oil (move away from the wok, as oil may splatter for the first few seconds). Fry for 5 minutes. Fry the noodles with a slotted spoon and chopsticks, being careful to maintain their shape, and fry until the edges of the nest are crispy, 5–7 minutes. Transfer the crispy noodles to a plate lined with paper towels. Wipe off as much oil as possible; the nest will become even crispier as it cools.
11. Repeat with the remaining noodle nest, adding more oil to the wok if necessary to ensure the noodles are completely submerged. Transfer to another plate lined with paper towels. Carefully drain the oil.
12. Fry the chicken:
    
    Heat a wok over high heat until smoking. Add 1 tablespoon neutral oil and swirl the wok to coat. Add the chicken in an even layer and cook, without stirring, until browned, about 2 minutes. Stir-fry and stir-fry until no longer pink, about 1 minute. Add the shiitake mushrooms and minced garlic; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine down the sides of the wok and cook, stirring, until the wok comes out dry again, about 30 seconds.
13. Fry the vegetables:
    
    Add the oyster sauce mixture, carrots, bok choy, and green onions. Bring to a boil, slowly pour in half of the cornstarch slurry, and stir until thickened, about 30 seconds. Add more if necessary.
14. Transfer the noodle nests to plates and spoon the sauce into the center. Serve hot.
    
    Note
    
    Make sure the oil is at least 5 cm deep, but don't fill the wok more than halfway; the oil will bubble up when you add the noodles, so it's important not to let it overflow. If your wok is smaller than 35 cm in diameter, divide the noodles into 3-4 smaller portions.