Soy Sauce Rice Noodles (Lo Mai Fun)

~Lo mai fun is my all time favorite comfort food.  Whenever my mother asked what I wanted on weekends or for snacks, I always requested this dish. Since I was not a big meat eater, she would invariably try and sneak slivers of pork or chicken into my food.  To her consternation, I would take the time to pick up every single trace of meat from my food, before noisily slurping up the entire contents of my bowl. Then ask for seconds, but this time to make sure there is no meat. This version is a more on the soupier side, but I have always loved having a bit of broth with it. My mother may have also deliberately added more chicken broth, since she couldn't get me to eat meat. Lo mai fun is a flavorful dish with just a few ingredients, made fragrant with the addition of hot oil. Some people prefer egg noodles (lo mein).  I have always loved mai fun. But not just any kind. There are many varieties of rice noodles. Having eaten this dish for nearly 30 years, the slight differences in texture make all the difference. I've sampled other varieties, but my heart will always be loyal to Dong Guan Mai Fun.

Ingredients:

4 squares of Dong Guan Mai Fun noodles

14.5oz can of chicken broth

7 oz water

2 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tsp oyster sauce

¼ tsp fine sea salt

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Directions:

1. In a large pot of boiling water, submerge mai fun and reduce heat to medium.
2. After a few minutes, use chopsticks to shake noodles apart.  Keep rigorously shifting the noodles until all strands have separated.
3. Drain mai fun in colander and shake off as much of excess water as possible. Do not rinse in cold water.
4. Portion mai fun out into 2 large serving bowls. Set aside.
5. Rinse pot and warm on high heat.
6. Add chicken broth, soy sauce, salt, and oyster sauce. Once broth comes to boil, stir a little bit, then set aside to cool.
7. Warm a small pan on high heat. Add vegetable oil. Swirl occasionally and let oil heat for 3min or until smoking point.
8. Pour approximately half of hot oil directly into broth. Careful to step back as it will splatter.
9. Divide broth evenly amongst noodles bowls. Serve. Garnish with blanched vegetables if desired.