This Yunnan dish is the perfect dish for the busy executive because it requires only planning and organisations for the perfect quick supper.  The possibilities are endless and if you don’t have all the ingredients listed below, simply use what you’ve got. Should there be a Chinese deli where you live, do yourself a huge favour and pay it a visit because there are dozens of ingredients that can be kept in a store cupboard so that you can whip a quick meal.  The great thing about this is that you can put everything on the table and everyone can help themselves, the not so great thing is that you need a lot of bowls.

Ingredients

• 200 g rice noodles, scalded
• 1000 ml bubbling, good homemade chicken consommé
• 20g chicken breast strips
• 20 g sea food soaked in oil (you could even use ordinary tuna here)
• 20 g crispy bacon strips, sliced finely
• 20 g pork, cut into strips
• 20 g spring onions, finely chopped
• 20 g coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 20 g smoked ham
• 50 g petit pois
• 50 g Chinese chives
• 50 g mung bean sprouts
• 50 shitake mushrooms
• 50 Cabbage hearts
• 50 g tofu
• 50 roasted, peeled, crushed peanuts
• a little bowl of chilli oil

Method

• Cut all the meat into thin slices, all the vegetables into julienne strips as far as possible and the tofu into thicker slices putting everything neatly  and separately onto a large plate from which to work.
• Stir-fry all the meat very quickly, a few minutes at a time and the tofu until it’s just golden – you can do all this before your guests arrive or even in the kitchen while they are there.
• Make surge that the chicken consommé is simmering on one side.
• Scald the vegetables for a minute and set aside to drain – then place on a plate.
• Scald the rice noodles in some boiling water and set aside.
• Place the coriander, the spring onions, some chilli oil, the crushed peanuts  and the scalded rice noodles in large bowls and put them on the table.
• Now you have the table full of bowls containing a variety of ingredients.
• Add the chicken strips to the bowls and pour on boiling consommé, add the seasonings and take them to the table.
• Allow everyone to help themselves to noodles, add meat and vegetables, garnish with fresh coriander and enjoy.
• This is enough for two hungry and four medium eaters.