Yen Can Cook ~ Hokkien Mee

My all time favourite supper -> Hokkien Mee, is an unique type of stir fry noodle dish that available in Malaysia, especially at the central region (Klang Valley). However, if you are around Penang, it is unglamorously called “Tai Lok” mee and their Hokkien Mee on the other hand is Prawn Noodle aka Har Mee (refer to my previous product review post).

Hokkien Mee, the braised thick yellow noodles in dark aromatic soy sauce with a medley of pork strips, fish cake, vegetable and sometimes pork liver, topped off with the essential cubes of crispy deep-fried pork lard. What makes a simple dish of fried noodles so special that it has the local treat it as one of their favourite comfort food? The secret lies in the ‘Wok Hei’ (breath of the wok), a certain kind of char that is imparted by the hot wok during stir frying. For an even deeper charred flavour in the noodles, the dish has to be cooked over a charcoal-fuelled fire – the traditional way. ‘Wok Hei” can only be achieved under conditions of intense heat, so it’s not easy to achieve at home without a commercial cooking range.

Ingredients (Serve: 3-4)

500g thick yellow noodles

100g pork fat, diced

Note: Try your best to cut into similar size as much as possible so they will cook at approximately the same time

300g sliced pork, or mixture of sliced pork + prawns

1 fish cake, sliced

250g vegetables (cabbage/Choy Sum/Napa Cabbage), shredded or cut into lengthwise

5 cloves garlic, minced

Soy Sauce Mixture

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 teaspoon flounder fish powder

200ml water/stock

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Step 1: Heat the wok and put in the pork fat cubes and cook until the lard begins to render. Turn the heat down and simmer on low for 15 minutes, stirring the pork fat occasionally, until the cubes are golden brown and crisp. 

Pork lard + crispy fried pork lard cubes

Step 2: Remove the pork lard cubes into an absorbent paper towel, let cool before storing in container. Filter the lard into a clean glass jar and let it cool down before covering the lid.

Step 3: Combine all the ingredients of the soy sauce mixture in a bowl. Set side. 

Step 4: Heat the wok again and add 2 tablespoons of pork lard, add in the sliced pork, stir fry until the meat change colour. Add in prawn now (if any) and fish cake slices, toss for 30-45 seconds, just until it turns pink. Remove from the wok and set aside.

Step 5: In the same wok, sauté the minced garlic until fragrant then add in the vegetables and stir fry for about 1 minutes. Next, add the noodles and give everything a quick toss, and pour in the soy sauce mixture (Step 3). Stir-fry to combine, and let the sauce and noodles come up to a simmer, continue to cook for another minute or two until the sauce has reduced slightly. Stir occasionally as it simmers. 

Step 6: Add the pork and the prawns (Step 4) back into the wok. Stir until combined and continue to simmer until the sauce has thicken to your desired consistency. 

Step 7: Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the crispy pork cubes on top, and serve.

HAPPY COOKING!   

#dudukrumah #stayathomeagain #stayhealthy

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