Jar jian mian

Ingredients
250g minced chicken (or minced pork)
2 Tbsps Chinese rice wine (hua tiao)
3 Tbsps minced taucheo (preserved soyabean paste)
2 stalks of spring onions (finely chopped)
3 Tbsps garlic (finely chopped)
1/2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cube of chicken stock (mixed with 1 cup of water)
1 packet (300g) egg noodles
3 litres boiling water (for noodles)
4 Tbsps cooking oil
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 Tbsp black soya sauce
1 Tbsp light soya sauce
1/2 Tbsp corn flour (mixed with 1/2 cup water)
1 cucumber (seeded, cut into fine strips)
1 carrot (cut into fine strips)
3 stalks of spring onions (cut into fine strips)
2 red chillies (finely chopped without seeds)
2 limes (optional)

Method
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan. Add 1/2 tablespoon of garlic to fry until brown, scoop out and put aside.

2. Cook noodles in boiling water in the pot. When the noodles are done, place them in a drainer and put them under running tap water for 2 minutes to cool.

3. Drain off excess water, put on a serving dish, add the fried garlic and oil to the noodle and mix well to prevent the noodles sticking to each other. Set aside.

4. Heat the remainder 3 tablespoons oil in a pan on high heat, add the minced chicken, stirring it quickly. Lower the heat if it gets too hot; continue to fry for 2 minutes, then add the 1 tablespoon of chopped garlic and all the chopped spring onions. Stir fry for 3 minutes or until they are slightly brown.

5. Add the taucheo paste to the mixture and continue to stir fry for 2 minutes, then add the 1 cup of chicken stock. Bring to boil, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add sugar, wine, black soya sauce and light soya sauce, simmer it for another two minutes. Pour the cornstarch in to thicken the sauce and remove from heat.

6. Place one serving of noodles in a deep dinner plate. Pour 2 tablespoons of meat sauce on the noodles, and mix well. Add cucumber, carrot and spring onion strips.

7. For those who love it spicy, add some chopped chillies and garlic, and some lime juice.

Tips:

1. One packet of egg noodles is for four to five servings.

2. Replace the meat with ground soya beans (the residue after making soya milk) or use dried bean curd (chopped into fine pieces) and add some mixed frozen vegetables.

3. You can use chopped ginger instead of garlic and Chinese parsley instead of spring onions.