I think it is in my growing years which I developed a love for food. My dad is a great influence to my well-trained palate. One of our favourite local dish is Fried Hokkien Mee. I remember my dad would buy home packets of banana-husk wrapped Fried Hokkien mee home after his night shifts. The aroma of lard and prawns and the wok-hei punch which is hard to get nowadays as the skills seems to lack in our current hawkers. I think kind of impossible to get the wok-hei taste in home kitchen as our fire is too small and weak. But I am sure home cooks can still create a lip smacking plate of Singapore Fried Hokkien Mee.
I like to cook on Sunday lunch and share with my family and part-time helper. During this time, I would also like to explore new recipes and try out traditional dishes.
Recipe for 4 servings
300g Medium sized Prawns with heads and shells intact
2 Medium sized Squids, cleaned
300g Belly Pork, a slab
6 cloves of Garlic, chopped 4 cloves of garlic
4 stalks of Chinese Chives, cut into 1 inch long
3 eggs, beaten
1 Red Chilli, sliced
4 limes, halved
300g Fresh Egg Noodles
150g Dried Bee hoon, soak in warm water for 15 min and drain
2 litres of Water
Cooking oil
1 tbsp Fish sauce
1 tsp Soya sauce
Salt and White pepper
Steps:
Stock
In a pot, boil the water. When the water starts to boil, add in prawns and squids. After 5 mins or they are cooked, remove them with a slotted scoop and set aside.
Lower to low fire, add in the pork belly and 2 cloves of garlic. Remove the heads from the prawns and return the heads into pot to simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove the pork belly.
To prepare the ingredients, deshell prawns, slice the squids and pork belly.
Frying of noodles
In a heated wok over high heat, add 3-4 tablespoons of cooking oil. Add in the beaten egg and fry it quickly.
Add in egg noodles and bee hoon. Stir well and add in 1 cup of stock. Stir well.
Push the noodles to one side of the wok. Add 1 tbsp of cooking oil to other side and add in the chopped garlic. Fry fthe garlic or half a minute and mix it together with the noodles.
Add 2 cups of stock, seasoning and cover to simmer over medium heat for 1 minute.
When the stock is about to dry, add the prawns, sliced squid, pork belly and chives. Mix well and remove from heat.
Serve with cut chilli and lime.