Mary Berry's chicken chow mein took me 10 minutes to make - and is cheaper than a takeaway

Ordering in a Chinese takeaway typically costs north of £20, and it's certainly not doing my figure any good. To save money and to also feel healthier, I thought I would give Mary Berry 's Chicken chow mein fake-away recipe a try. The iconic cook described the flavours as "gently spiced", and the recipe featured in her cookbook Mary's Foolproof Dinners.

Another bonus to making the meal at home is that any leftover ingredients count toward your home stock of goods, allowing you to recreate another dish later. While I can vouch that the recipe takes 10 to 15 minutes to make, making it even faster than a takeaway delivery, it unfortunately doesn't taste as good. That's not to say that it tastes bad; on the contrary, for a quick meal in the evening, it's pleasant enough.



If, however, you are craving a Chinese takeaway, your finances are in good shape, and you don't mind working it off (or not!), the real deal might be a better option. Nevertheless, here's how to recreate Mary Berry 's Chinese chow mein fake-away – although it must be noted, I added spinach to mine. Serves: four people Three nests of fine egg noodles Two tbsp sunflower oil Two chicken breasts, skinned and sliced into 2cm cubes One tbsp runny honey One small onion, finely chopped 15g piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated 175g chestnut button mushrooms, thickly sliced Two cloves garlic, finely grated For the sauce Two tbsp black bean sauce One tsp soy sauce One tbsp white wine vinegar Two spring onions, sliced 175g beansprouts Cook the noodles to pack instructions (in hot water for around four minutes).

Drain and set aside when done. Meanwhile, marinate the chopped chicken pieces in honey. Heat oil in a wok and fry the chicken until it's browned on all sides.

Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Add some more oil to the wok. Cook the onion for about two minutes (being careful not to burn it), then stir in the ginger, mushrooms, and garlic.

Cook for about three minutes. Mix the black bean sauce, white wine vinegar, and two tablespoons of water in a bowl. Add the drained noodles to the wok, add any vegetables you want to mix into the dish (such as spinach and green peppers), then add the sauce mixture.

Top with spring onions and the cooked chicken, mix it all together in the wok, and stir-fry for a few minutes. At the very end, for the last minute of cooking, add the bean sprouts for extra crunch. Season with black pepper then serve the Chinese chow mein fake-away.

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