This is a fried noodle cake to use for chow mein dishes. It can be prepared in advance and reheated when mixed in the wok with the rest of the chow mein ingredients.

Bring 8 cup of water to a rolling boil. Place noodles in pot and stir around for 10 seconds. Drain noodles in a colander and rinse with cold water. Rinsing the noodles prevents them from cooking any further, and from sticking together. Set aside. Heat a 12-inch frying pan with oil, moving the pan around to distribute the oil. Add noodles to form a pancake. Fry noodles for 5 to 6 minutes.

Check every few minutes to see if noodles are turning brown. Flip and cook other side. Add a small amount of oil to the pan if the noodles stick to the bottom. Cook until bottom side is golden brown. Remove to platter. When the chow mein topping is finished, break up cooked noodles into quarters and place into wok to mix everything together.

From In the Chinese Kitchen With Shirley Fong-Torres (Pacific View