Pound and flatten the chicken with a meat mallet
Slice into strips and marinate for at least 1 hour
Julienne the carrots and set in a bowl of boiled water to soften (aka. par boil)
Separate the green leaf from the Wombok stem and slice the stem

Combine the soy sauce, oyster sauce, grated ginger, crushed garlic and vinegar

Drain the canned vegetables and reserve this liquid as the stock for later
Halve the baby corn, halve the water chestnuts, and julienne the bamboo shoots

Soak the noodles in hot tap water to invigorate and separate

In 3 Tbs of peanut oil stir fry 1/2 the onion and wombok stems for 1 minute
Add the carrot, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, baby sweet corn and stir fry for 2 minutes more
Make a well in the wok and add the chicken and remaining onions and fry 2 minutes
Add stock, mushrooms, wombok leaves and Umami and cook 2 minutes
Add the sauce mixture and then 1 Tbs cornflour dissolved in a little water
Stir fry for 30 seconds and set aside

Drain the noodles. Make sure wok is not too hot. Add 3 Tbs of peanut oil
Add the noodles and stir fry for 2 minutes
Add the oyster sauce and soy sauce with a touch of sesame oil, stir fry 30 seconds
Add 1 tsp umami and extra oyster sauce to taste. Stir Fry 30 seconds
Plate the noodles with a well in the middle and add in the vegetables
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This recipe has a wonderful flavour and texture. Being a chow mein means that once you have the basic recipe you can use almost any combination of ingredients. Beef, prawn and pork are all good. Lots of different mushrooms, mung beans, bok choy, peppers and cabbage. Celery is a common ingredient. But, there is just a few things that I won't eat and celery is at the top of the list. Weed, evil weed with a horrible taste and texture. Just watching people eat it turns my stomach. But thats just me.

300g Chicken (thigh meat)

Marinade::
4 Tbs Shoaxing Rice Wine
3 Tbs Soy sauce
1 Tbs cornflour
1/2 tsp Bicarb
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp grated ginger (optional)

Sauce::
2 cloves garlic,
1 tsp ginger,
2 Tbs Soy sauce
3 Tbs Oyster sauce,
2 Tbs Vinegar

3 Tbs peanut oil
1 onion sliced,
1 carrot
6 Large Wombok Leaves
Baby sweet corn, Bamboo shoots, Water chestnuts Abalone Mushrooms
1 Cup stock, (juice from above cans)
1/2 tsp umami (msg)
1 Tbs cornflour (in a little water)
Additional Oyster sauce to taste

200g Noodles (refrigerated fresh)
3 Tbs Peanut Oil
3 Tbs Oyster Sauce, 2 Tbs Soy Sauce
1/2 tsp Sesame oil, 1 tsp Umami  

For 30 years from time to time I would attempt a Chow mein. Done right it really is a great dish. Landmark, one of the worlds great Chinese restaurants in Sunnybank, make a stunning version that's hard to top. Supposedly a chow mein is a stir fry served on top of stir fried noodles. Sounds all too simple. And it is, unless you follow the recipe books, in which case it will be dry, chewy and tasteless.

The secret is as simple as break down the meat using a bicarb marinade and use Umami (MSG). Without these two steps you are never going to get that authentic Chinese taste and texture. And it is authentic. In China visit a supermarket and the pure MSG in packets takes up a third of an aisle. As much or more than all sugar products take up in Woolworths. The Chinese use a staggering amount of MSG. Seemingly with little or no side effect. Regardless of how many times you have been told the local chinese takeaway doesn't use MSG be sure they are. There just isn't any other way of acheiving the authentic taste. My version uses less than half the MSG found in most takeways and no added salt. Sure is tasty though.