Vermicelli (Sotanghon) With Chicken And Wood Ear Mushrooms - cooking recipe

Ingredients

120 g dry vermicelli
3/4 kg boneless chicken, thinly sliced
100 g green onions, leaves chopped
1 carrot, julienned
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 onions, diced
fresh ground pepper
1 bay leaf
1 cup dried wood ear mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes (dried oyster mushrooms are good substitute)
1/8 cup annatto seeds
2 -5 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons cooking oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
salt

Preparation

Heat a wide heavy skillet. Add cooking oil. When oil starts to smoke, add annato seeds. Saute until oil turns bright red. Remove annato seeds with a slotted spoon.
Saute garlic until golden brown. Add onions and cook until transparent. Add chicken, soy sauce and oyster sauce, season with salt and pepper and lightly brown. Add carrots and other vegetables if using stir-fry for 15 seconds. Remove and set aside.
Pour in 1 cup of stock and bring to a soft boil. Add vermicelli noodles, pressing them into the liquid. Lower heat, cover skillet and simmer for 5 minutes. When dry, add another cup of broth. Stir chicken meat and carrot mixture and wood ear mushrooms into the noodles.
Cover and simmer for another 5 minutes. Test noodles for doneness. Add more stock and simmer longer, if necessary. When sotanghon is tender and all the stock is absorbed, add green onion leaves and cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Stir for a few minutes until the green onion leaves are slightly wilted.
Serve hot.