16 ounces (1 package) fresh Shanghai noodles
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 ounces beef sirloin, thinly sliced
1 cup green cabbage, shredded
1 shallot, sliced
3 scallions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar

1. Heat wok on high and add the oil. Quickly brown the beef, then add the cabbage, shallot, scallions and garlic.
2. Stirfry for a minute, then add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and noodles.
3. Turn off heat and fry until noodles are warmed. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Fresh of the coat tails of my dinner at Tokyo Icheban yesterday, I was browsing the supermarket and came across some fresh Shanghai noodles. The little package was cheap and I thought I could make something tasty out of it, so I picked them up. I basically followed the recipe they recommended on the back of the package, with a few variations, and came up with really good Shanghai Noodles. After further inspection, they even look like pictures of other people's Shanghai noodles, so I'm quite impressed. Nothing is more satisfying than following a recipe for something you've never eaten, let alone prepared, and having it turn out exactly right.

Furthermore, this was my first attempt at making something like this without the aid of a wok, which was incredibly difficult. There was splashing and chunks of things flying onto the stove top and all of that would have been contained in the high sides of a wok if one were still in my possession. Regardless, things still turned out quite well. Shannon had second helpings! And there were a lot of helpings to be had. The actual package of noodles blossomed into numerous servings, far larger than the packaging implied. Vacuuming packaging does wonders nowadays!

Through the translucent backing the noodles looked squished and sort of pasty. Since they were pre-cooked, I assumed they would have an off texture and be sort of slimy. I've never had Shanghai noodles, but I'd say they were basically perfect, like any similar noodle I've ever had at a restaurant. Perhaps this is all known to people already, but this being my first experience with "fresh" packaged noodles, I figured that it's important to state that making homemade Asian stirfrys is actually really cheap. As far as replicating what you eat in restaurants, the most basic dishes are so easy that even I can duplicate them and, if you haven't read so already, I'm terrible at making Asian dishes.