Chinese lobster noodles

Method

• step 1

  Put the live lobster on a plate, cover and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes. Mix together the oyster sauce, rice wine, stock, sugar and soy in a bowl.

• step 2

  Using a sharp, pointed chef’s knife, carefully put the point of the knife on the cross on the lobster’s head between its eyes. Pointing the knife blade away from your other hand, pierce into the head and cut in half – this will immediately kill the lobster. Turn the lobster upside down. Under its tail is a small hole. To remove the waste from the lobster, stick a chopstick into the hole and push it all the way through the base of the body. Remove the claws by twisting each one off the body. Slice between the head and top of the body, then portion the lobster by cutting between each segment of the tail. Wash the lobster pieces under cold running water. Put the claws on a board and bash with the flat side of a cleaver or the back of your knife, or use a crab cracker. This will make the claws easier to eat later. Reserve the head.

• step 3

  Put all of the lobster tail segments and claws into a large bowl, scatter with the cornflour and season with a good pinch each of salt and pepper. Half fill a heavy pan or deep fryer with vegetable oil and heat to 180C – check it’s ready by putting the tip of a skewer or chopstick into the oil: if the wood starts to fizz after a second or so, the oil is ready to use. Carefully lower the lobster pieces into the oil using a slotted spoon and fry for 2-3 minutes – you may need to do this in batches. Drain the lobster pieces on kitchen paper and remove the oil from the heat.

• step 4

  Heat 2 tbsp of the used deep-frying oil in a wok over a high heat and stir-fry the noodles for 2-3 minutes until slightly crisp at the edges. Put the noodles on a serving platter and keep warm in a low oven, if you like.

• step 5

  Heat another 1-2 tbsp of the deep-frying oil in the same wok. Once smoking hot, stir-fry the ginger and chopped spring onions until the ginger starts to brown. Add the lobster head pieces and cook through for a further 2-3 minutes, folding the ginger and spring onions over the lobster so they don’t burn. Pour the sauce into the wok and bring to a vigorous boil, then add the fried lobster pieces and cover with a lid. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove the lid and thicken the sauce by adding the cornflour and water mixture, a little at a time, until you reach your desired thickness – it should be the consistency of single cream. Arrange the lobster pieces over the noodles, then pour over the sauce. Garnish with the finely sliced spring onions.