Serves 4

Ingredients Prepared:

1 pound Chinese egg noodles or spaghetti
6 dried black Chinese mushrooms
1/2 pound beef

Marinade:

1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Sauce:

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1/4 cup water or mushroom soaking liquid
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon chile paste

Other:

1 8-ounce can baby corn
8 water chestnuts, fresh or canned
2 green onions
2 cloves garlic
4 tablespoons oil for stir-frying, or as needed
2 tablespoons bean sauce
1 cup shredded cabbage or other green vegetable
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, or to taste

How to Cook:

Cooking Noodles

Fill a large saucepan with 4 quarts water, add 2 teaspoons salt and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until they are al dente (tender but still chewy in the middle), using chopsticks or a wooden spoon to separate the noodles during cooking. Drain thoroughly.

Cooking Mushroom and Prepare Beef

Soften the dried mushrooms by soaking in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes. Squeeze out any excess water. Thinly slice. Then combine the beef with the rice wine and cornstarch, using your fingers to mix together. Marinate for 20 minutes.

Chop Baby Corn and Garlic

Rinse the baby corn under warm running water to remove any "tinny" taste. Drain thoroughly. If using canned water chestnuts, do the same. If using fresh, peel. Finely chop the water chestnuts. Cut the green onion on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces. Peel and finely chop the garlic.

Cook Beef

Heat the wok over medium-high to high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the beef. Stir-fry until it loses its pink color and is nearly cooked through. Remove from the wok.

Prepare Sauce

Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the bean sauce and garlic. Cook briefly, then add the water chestnuts, followed by the baby corn and the cabbage. Stir-fry all the vegetables, seasoning the cabbage with soy sauce or salt during stir-frying if desired.

Push the vegetables up to the side of the wok. Add the sauce in the middle and bring to a boil. Add the meat back into the pan. Cook for a few more minutes. Stir in the sesame oil.

To serve, place the noodles on a large serving platter or in individual serving bowls. Pour the sauce over top.