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1
Set a wok over the highest available flame and heat until a drop of water vaporises on contact — the metal must reach approximately 250 °C before any ingredient enters, so the noodles will char rather than steam when they hit the surface. The wok is ready when the first wisp of smoke rises from the dry surface.
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2
Add the oil — one tablespoon only — then add the sliced chicken and stir-fry, keeping it in contact with the metal, until the flesh has just turned opaque throughout. It must not colour heavily at this stage, so the chicken does not overcook and toughen during the longer time the noodles will need against the wok.
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3
Add the fresh rice noodles in a single layer over the chicken, then press them firmly and evenly against the wok surface with a spatula and leave them undisturbed for 20–30 seconds, so the direct metal contact scorches a caramelised char onto the noodles — the dish's defining flavour that no amount of tossing can replicate. This is where the dish lives or dies: insufficient heat or premature movement produces limp, pale noodles with no wok character; when the underside has coloured to a pale golden-brown and a dry, slightly smoky smell rises, break the mass apart and toss briefly.
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4
Push the noodle-and-chicken mixture to the side of the wok, clearing a section of bare metal, then crack the eggs into this cleared section so they cook against scorching iron rather than steaming inside the noodle mass. As the whites begin to set at the edges — visible within seconds at high heat — fold the semi-set egg through the noodles so it coats and binds rather than forming a separate mass; the egg should be just set, not hardened.
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5
Add the oyster sauce and white pepper, then toss the entire contents of the wok once or twice to distribute the seasoning. The finished dish should be dry, each noodle strand lightly glossed but not wet, with visible char marks and no pooling liquid.