Hong Kong-style chow mein with pork and green vegetables

Place the mushrooms in a small bowl and pour in enough boiling water to cover them. Leave to soak for 10 minutes. Line a sieve with muslin or kitchen paper and place it over a bowl, then pour the mushrooms and their soaking liquid into it. Measure the strained liquid and make it up to 100 ml (3 ½ fl oz) with chicken or vegetable stock if necessary, then set aside. Discard any tough stalks from the mushrooms, slice them and set aside.

While the mushrooms are soaking, place the noodles in a large mixing bowl and pour in enough boiling water to cover them generously. Leave to soak for 4 minutes, or according to the packet instructions, until tender. Drain well and set aside.

Heat a wok or large frying pan over a high heat. Add 1 tbsp of the sunflower oil and, when it is hot, stir in the garlic, ginger, chilli and five-spice powder. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, taking care not to let the flavourings burn.

Add the strips of pork and continue stir-frying for about 2 minutes or until they are cooked through. Use a draining spoon to remove the pork from the wok and set it aside.

Add the remaining oil to the wok and heat until it is almost smoking. Stir in the peppers, broccoli, celery and mushrooms, and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the mushroom liquid, soy sauce and rice wine or sherry, then return the pork to the wok. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute or until the pork is reheated.

Stir in the noodles, then the bean sprouts and toss together briefly, just long enough to heat the ingredients without softening the bean sprouts, as they should retain their crunch.

Stir in the chopped coriander and sprinkle with the sesame oil. Serve the chow mein immediately, garnished with coriander leaves.