Chicken Chow Mein

I live with 3 people who do not like Chinese food.  (A travesty, isn't it?)  The way I look at it, there are two ways for me to handle my situation:
A.  Appreciate the fact that I get all of the Chinese food to myself and I don't have to worry about my family stealing my leftovers for lunch.
B.  Try and convert my non Chinese-food eating family into Chinese food lovers.

I have tried enjoying the fact that I am the sole Chinese food lover of the family but to be quite honest - I am eating way too much Chinese food because I have no one to share it with.

So what is a girl to do?  Is it even possible to convert someone into a Chinese food lover?  If any recipe could create a chow mein lover out of a chow mein hater, it would be a Cook's Illustrated recipe.  It was really my best chance of getting someone in my family to share my love of Chinese food. 

Chicken Chow Mein
6 ounce package fresh chow mein noodles
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 Tablespoons dry sherry
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
3 Tablespoon oyster sauce
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 Tablespoon vegetable oil
6 ounces fresh shitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced thin
1 carrot, shredded
2 celery ribs, sliced thin
4 scallions, sliced thin
3 garlic cloves
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
4 ounces bean sprouts

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil.  Add noodles and cook 3 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold water.

 Drain again.  Toss with sesame oil.

Dissolve baking soda in 1/2 cup cold water.  Add chicken and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.










Drain and rinse chicken in cold water.  Pat dry.  Slice chicken into thin strips.
Combine 1 T. sherry, 2 teaspoons cornstarch and chicken strips. 

















Whisk together broth, oyster sauce, pepper, 2 T. sherry and 1 teaspoon cornstarch.










Heat oil in skillet.  Add chicken and cook until opaque.

Add mushrooms and carrots and cook 2 minutes.

Add celery and cook 1 minute longer.

 
Add scallions, garlic and ginger.

Pour in broth mixture and cook until chicken is cooked through.

Add bean sprouts and noodles.

Pour into a serving bowl and enjoy.

 Chop sticks optional.

Everyone ate the chicken chow mien and I was totally surprised.  The kids picked out the chicken and the noodles (that was to be expected) but Ben and I ate all of it.  It was delicious!  Ben even asked if he could take the leftovers to work for lunch!

Ciao!