Lobster with Crisp Noodles

Ingredients

• 1 pound Cooked lobster meat (or canned lobster) (Divided into two equal halves of 8 oz each. Canned lobster works equally well — drain thoroughly if using canned.)
• 2 whole eggs Eggs (Hard-boiled; only the yolks are used for garnish.)
• 0.5 pound Noodles (Chinese egg noodles or thin wheat noodles work best. Can be fresh or dried.)
• 3 stalks Celery stalks (Sliced diagonally into thin pieces for even cooking. Note: celery appears in the ingredient list but is not explicitly used in the original instructions — slice and add alongside the onion, mushrooms, and water chestnuts.)
• 1 can Bamboo shoots (Drain and rinse the canned bamboo shoots well before using.)
• 1 medium onion Onion (Peeled and thinly sliced.)
• 0.25 pound Mushrooms (Thinly sliced. Button, cremini, or shiitake all work well.)
• 1 tablespoon Sweet lard (Sweet lard is a rendered, neutral-flavoured pork fat. If unavailable, use a mild, flavourless cooking fat as a substitute. Used in the stir-fry step.)
• 1 quart Peanut oil (Used for deep-frying the noodles. Peanut oil has a high smoke point, making it ideal for this purpose.)
• 3 whole water chestnuts Water chestnuts (Peeled and thinly sliced. Canned water chestnuts may be used — drain and rinse well.)

Instructions

1. 1Place the 2 eggs in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the eggs and place them in a bowl of cold water to cool completely (about 5 minutes). Once cool, peel the eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. Finely shred or grate the yolks using a fork or fine grater and set aside for garnish. The whites are not used in this recipe.
2. 2While the eggs are cooking, prepare the remaining ingredients. Thinly slice the onion, mushrooms, celery, and water chestnuts. Drain and rinse the canned bamboo shoots. If using canned lobster, drain it thoroughly. Divide the lobster meat into two equal portions of roughly 8 oz each and set both aside separately.
3. 3Pour the full quart of peanut oil into a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pot or wok. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches approximately 180°C (350°F) — you can test this by dropping a single noodle into the oil; if it sizzles and puffs up immediately, the oil is ready. Carefully add the noodles in batches, lowering them gently into the oil. Fry each batch for 1–2 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Use a slotted spoon or wire skimmer to remove the noodles and transfer them to a plate or tray lined with paper towels to drain. Set aside in a warm place.
4. 4While the fried noodles are draining, place a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the 1 tablespoon of sweet lard. Allow it to melt and heat until it begins to shimmer — this should take about 1 minute. Add the first half of the lobster meat (roughly 8 oz) to the pan. Spread it out evenly and cook, stirring gently, for 2–3 minutes until heated through and lightly coloured.
5. 5Add the sliced onion, mushrooms, celery, and water chestnuts to the pan with the lobster. Stir everything together well. Continue to stir-fry over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften slightly but still retain some texture.
6. 6Add the drained bamboo shoots to the pan. Stir to combine all ingredients evenly. Continue to stir-fry over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent sticking and to ensure everything cooks through evenly. The mixture should be fragrant and the vegetables tender by the end.
7. 7Warm a large serving platter if possible (you can place it in a low oven at 80°C / 175°F for a few minutes). Spread the crispy fried noodles in an even layer across the bottom of the platter. Spoon the stir-fried lobster and vegetable mixture evenly over the top of the noodles.
8. 8Arrange the reserved second half of the lobster meat (roughly 8 oz) in an even layer on top of the stir-fried vegetable mixture. Finally, scatter the finely shredded hard-boiled egg yolks over the entire dish as a garnish. Serve immediately while the noodles are still crisp.