Stir-fried flat rice noodles with prawns and sausage (Char kway teow)

1. Soak or pre-cook the flat rice noodles as directed on the packet, drain and toss with a little oil. For the sauce, mix the soy sauces, oyster sauce, sugar and sambal.

2. Slice the Chinese sausage thinly on the diagonal; clean the prawns and shell the clams (drain if canned); cut the spring onions into 4 cm lengths.

3. Heat a wok until smoking, fry the crushed garlic and chilli in the oil for 30 seconds, then add the sausage and prawns and cook for 1-2 minutes.

4. Add the noodles and sauce and toss over high heat for 2 minutes so they char slightly – this is "wok hei", the smoky breath of the wok.

5. Push the noodles aside, crack the eggs into the centre, let them set slightly, then toss everything together; finally add the clams, bean sprouts and spring onions and stir-fry for another minute.

6. Serve immediately, piping hot.

Tip: The legendary street noodle of Penang and Singapore, fried over charcoal in huge woks at hawker stalls. At home, work in small batches (no more than 2 portions at a time) so the wok stays hot and the noodles fry rather than stew.