Lunch: Shiitake and Black Bean Ho Fun with Crisp Pastrami

Ingredients

1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 ounces sliced pastrami, finely chopped
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 small bunch Chinese chives or 4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon grated fresh peeled ginger
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red Fresno chile, seeded and finely chopped
1 red Thai bird chile, seeded and finely chopped
1 tablespoon fermented (salted) black beans
2 tablespoons Shaoshing rice wine
6 to 8 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
3/4 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 pound fresh flat wide rice noodles
1 large handful fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Toss the pastrami with 1/2 teaspoon of the cornstarch and add into the wok with the chives. Stir-fry until the pastrami is crisp, and then transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon to drain. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the wok and stir-fry the ginger, garlic, Fresno chiles and bird chiles until softened, about 2 minutes.
Put the black beans in a small bowl, pour 1 tablespoon of the Shaoshing over. Mash the beans with a fork and then add into the wok along with the remaining Shaoshing and toss well. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry briefly until softened, about 1 minute, and then pour in the broth, dark soy sauce and light soy sauce and bring to a simmer. Whisk 1 tablespoon water with the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch and then pour the slurry into the wok and cook until thickened. Stir in the noodles and cook, tossing gently, until the sauce is thick and the noodles are hot.
Transfer to a serving platter and scatter the crisp pastrami and chives on top. Serve immediately.
Cook's Note: Dried flat rice noodles of any width will work well with this recipe as well. Simply boil them according to package instructions, rinse under cold water and add them to the stir fry at the same time you would add fresh noodles.

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