Charles Phan's Rice Noodles with Chicken

I'm back from a week in the mountains - communing with nature, sleeping under the stars - and have concluded that the Rockies are indeed breathtaking (literally, in some cases). Some of the Wild West lived up to my expectations, some of it still surprised me (the lack of black people, for one). We had a great time visiting friends and discovering spectacular vistas. From lakes mirroring the Continental Divide to dusty, abandoned mining towns to fields of wildflowers framed by snowcapped mountains, I saw a whole new part of the United States. But one of the best sights I had was flying parallel to the island of Manhattan at midnight on our way home, lights a-glitter. There's no place like home...

Before we left, I scrambled together a quick meal to tide us over. As much as I adore all Asian food (I have Fuchsia Dunlop's book practically committed to memory), I rarely make it at home - figuring I'm not nearly well-versed enough in the art of combining all those sauces and powders and finely chopped vegetables and meats into something worth eating. In New York City, isn't it easier just going out for dinner? (No place like home!) But the New York Times profiled Charles Phan of San Francisco's Slanted Door a few years ago, and the two recipes excerpted seemed so easy, so perfect for the home cook that I could not resist.

I chose to make a dish of sauteed chicken with rice noodles, and Ben helped me in prepping the ingredients (I'm still working on being a better co-chef, rather than barking at him to chop faster - can't he see that the oil is practically smoking?). He diced the chicken into beautiful little dice, far prettier than what I would have done. I sauteed the chicken briefly, then added sliced vegetables and an amalgamation of sauces and wine. After that, I added an egg to the pan to scramble, a pile of soaked rice noodles and the reserved chicken and vegetables. Then I tossed this all together like a woman possessed.

The resulting tangle was highly flavored...almost too much so. The dish tasted very gamey. I couldn't eat more than a bowl of it, and Ben conceded that the fish sauce overpowered it for him (this is a man who thinks anchovies are the incarnation of the anti-Christ). I love love love fish sauce, but perhaps it was the combination with the chicken here that turned this dish into something I was looking forward to eating into something I'm not sure I'll make again.

But that's okay - after a week of mountain food (Denver scrambles, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and more granola bars than you can shake a stick at), I'm perfectly content to let the experts at my favorite Asian places feed me. Thank goodness for them all. There's no place like home.

Rice Noodles with Chicken
Serves 2 (amply) or 4 (less so)

1/3 pound rice noodles
1/4 cup canola or corn oil
1/3 pound boneless chicken, shredded or diced small
1/2 to 1 cup bean sprouts
1/2 cup snow peas, slivered
1/2 cup shiitake mushroom caps, sliced
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine or white wine
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 or 4 scallions, trimmed and slivered, for garnish

1. Cover noodles in hot water while preparing the other ingredients. Heat a pot of water until steam rises.

2. Put all but a tablespoon of the oil in a wok or large skillet, and turn heat to high. When it smokes, add the chicken, and stir until it loses its color; it doesn't cook through. Remove with slotted spoon.

3. Add bean sprouts, peas and shiitakes. Sitr until wilted and beginning to brown. Add sauces and wine. Remove from the pan.

4. Drain noodles and dip them in the boiling water with tongs or in a strainer for about 5 seconds. Drain. Add remaining oil and the egg to pan, still over high heat. Stir to scramble. Add drained noodles and cooked ingredients, and toss, lifting (scrape, if necessary) repeatedly, until all are mixed together and hot. Garnish with scallions and serve.

Comments

[Molly]

Welcome home, ma cherie! So glad to hear that the Rockies did not disappoint! I spent many summers in CO as a kid (on the horse show circuit) and still feel nostalgic for that mountain air. Although I also know what you mean about Manhattan - for as much as I love living in Seattle with Brandon, I'm awfully excited about our upcoming Thanksgiving in NY. Whooop!

Oh, and as for this so-so noodle dish, I think I know what you mean about fish sauce and chicken - I've noticed that gaminess too. Weird, huh?

[pam]

i just bought a bottle of fish sauce, and now i can't remember why. i guess i won't use it for this recipe. any suggestions?

[ZarahMaria]

Yay, she's back again! I too love the Asian kitchen, but am hopelessly intimidated by it, for some reason. I guess I just have to brace myself and go ahead and do it - no place to go and get it here, you know? I want to go back to New York! (and what a great excuse to do so, don't you think? Honey, we have to go eat Asian with Luisa in New York - gotta go, I'm tellin' ya!:-))

[Mita]

Try squeezing some lemon juice or calamansi over the cooked noodles just before eating. The citrus flavor will tone everything down nicely.

[lindy]

Lime juice does it for me...with fish sauce I always seem to want to add it. This sounds right up my alley-I think I need to try it.

[ann]

I concur with Mita and Lindy, lime juice does wonders for that weird uber-ummami-ness that fish sauce can add to a dish

welcome back!

[Julie]

I agree about adding the lime juice. This dish sounds like I would love it if I toned down the sauces a bit. Maybe a little less fish sauce and chicken stock instead of wine?

[Luisa]

Molly - when we left the Rockies for Denver, I felt something akin to homesickness. I didn't want to leave them behind! But New York is awfully purty, too. Can't wait for your NYC visit!

Pam - I find fish sauce in any Vietnamese dish to be absolutely and utterly delicious.

Zarah Maria - I think coming to NYC to join me for some Malaysian or Sichuanese or Vietnamese or Thai food is totally justified! Come on back ;)

Mita, Lindy, Ann and Julie - thanks for the lime juice tip, I'll keep that in mind the next time I try out something with fish sauce. It does make sense, after all, that some sprightly citrus would even everything out....

[yoony]

this looks so delicious! i've been on a noodle binge lately it seems. upon reading your results, i will try cutting down on the fish sauce by 1/2 and see how it comes out. and maybe try chicken thigh and some cilantro. thanks for the recipe!

[Ruby]

This is posted under "penn with spinach sauce" in the recipe section....

[vanillamamaa]

I think the gamey taste comes from the shiitake mushroom and not from the chicken, please try this recipe again with regular white mushroom and you will see. I cook chicken with fish sauce all the time, and it has never tasted gamey. Shiitake mushroom goes very well with soy sauce, but you'd need to develop a taste for it if you cook it with fish sauce.