San Francisco garlic noodles

Pull the precooked noodles apart slowly without breaking them. Do not dip them in boiling water: even a two- or three-second blanch makes them less chewy.

Rinse the noodles under cold water to remove the packing oil, then move them out of the colander so trapped water does not make them soggy in the wok.

Smash and peel the garlic, then pound it in a mortar and pestle to a rough paste with no large pieces; mincing also works.

Mix the sauce: oyster sauce, fish sauce and Golden Mountain sauce. No sugar.

Finely grate the parmesan with a microplane so it distributes evenly.

Put butter and a little olive oil in the wok over low heat; the oil keeps the noodles supple as they cool, where butter alone turns gloppy.

Add the garlic and cook on low heat three to four minutes so it softens and infuses the butter without browning.

Add the noodles, turn the heat to maximum, add the sauce and toss with tongs until the sauce is distributed and the noodles are hot.

Variation: For a barbecue, cook the garlic into the sauce ahead and store it; on the day, heat the wok, add the sauce and the noodles.

Turn off the heat, add the parmesan and toss so it melts without sizzling or sticking.

Taste; add a little more sauce or salt if needed.

Top with black pepper and green onions; serve lemon wedges on the side for a squeeze.