Trim the lemongrass, removing the dry outer layers. Trim the top and bottom, leaving only the soft inner core. Slice this thinly and toss into your cooking pot.

Crush the garlic cloves to peel them. Leave whole or slice, if you wish. I leave them whole. Add to pan.

Measure the fish sauce, soy sauce, rice wine, and oyster sauce into the pan. Add the white pepper.

Set the oven burner to medium low and stir the sauce. Allow it to heat gently so ingredients blend, 3-4 minutes.

While the sauce heats, trim any unwanted bits from the chicken. If necessary, slice the pieces in half to better fit the pan.

Once the sauce components have blended, add the chicken pieces to the pan.

Add just enough water to cover the chicken (see photo in post, above, for example.).

Bring pot to gentle simmer–not a rolling boil-and cover. Cook for 10 minutes. Check, being mindful of the heat (my pots are not heatproof), adjusting the burner or adding water if necessary (you may not need to do either). The chicken will likely need 7-10 more minutes cooking time.

Chicken is done when the flesh yields easily to a knife, revealing a uniformly beige interior throughout, with no signs of pinkness or rawness.

When the chicken is done, remove it to a platter or bowl. Moisten it with a few spoonfuls of the sauce and keep it warm with foil or in a low oven.

Make the noodles:

To make the noodles, just add them to the sauce pan. This time, add enough water to cover. Cooking time depends the type of noodles you have; the udon noodles I buy need only heating.

Serve the chicken and noodles on a large platter, or separately, in deep bowls, with the sauce spooned over.

Chicken and udon noodles keep, refrigerated in a covered container, up to four days.

The chicken and sauce may be frozen in a freezer safe container up to three months. It is not advisable to freeze the noodles.

Notes:

Poached Chicken with udon noodles may be prepared with boneless chicken thighs, firm tofu, firm white fish filets, boneless pork chops, or lean cuts of beef.

If lemongrass is hard to find, substitute lime juice to taste. If you can find Makrut limes, they make an excellent substitute. Only the peel is used. Don’t be afraid to buy a few: they freeze beautifully.

If rice wine eludes you, dry sherry will work. So will dry white wine.

I have said this before and will repeat myself: don’t waste money on cheap oyster sauce. Buy the good stuff and use less of it.

Any thick, chewy Asian noodle will work in this recipe.

To stir-fry the chicken and noodles:

Measure the fish sauce, rice wine, soy sauce, and oyster sauce into a small bowl. Whisk to blend with a fork.

Smash the garlic to remove the peel, then slice thinly. Set aside.

Trim the lemongrass of outer leaves and trim until only soft white interior remains. Mince. Set aside with garlic.

Cut chicken into pieces easily managed with chopsticks or fork. Put into medium bowl and set aside.

Have noodles ready to cook; I cut the plastic vaccuum packs open so they’re easily poured into the wok.

Heat a 14-inch/35 cm wok or comparable wide saute pan on high heat. Add a generous 2-3 tablespoons peanut or other high heat stable oil to the pan.

Add garlic and lemongrass to wok. Turn heat down to medium high. Cook, stiring with wok spatula, allowing aromatics brown but not burn; if they’re sizzling to a crisp turn the heat down.

After two minutes or so, turn heat to medium. Add sauce to wok. Allow it to heat gently. It should simmer but not boil madly.

Add chicken and cook. Heat should be at medium simmer. If liquid level appears low, carefully add more rice wine down side of wok.

You don’t have to move the chicken nonstop, but don’t leave town, either. The chicken will take 5-8 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces, the heat of the pan, and the size of the wok.

Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it to a platter or bowl. Keep it warm in a low oven if possible.

To cook the noodles: there is no need to wash the wok. Add noodles to wok, then add water: they’ll need about 1/2 cup/118 ml per 1 pound/454 grams noodles. This is a rough approximation; use your senses–or the instructions on the noodle package!

Serve noodles and chicken together on a deep platter or separately, in bowls.