Originated from the Fujian province of China, Penang hawkers have perfected the art of prawn noodles, or known locally in Penang as 'Hokkien mee'. Penang Hokkien mee is not to be confused with its cousin -- stir-fried yellow noodles in a dark sauce; it's a noodle soup steeped in a rich and flavourful prawn stock.
Making prawn noodles is no simple feat. The cooking process takes hours and the laundry list of ingredients may be intimidating, but nothing beats homemade Penang Hokkien mee. The end result is simply divine and satisfying
Ingredients:
600g yellow noodles
1 pack vermicelli
A bunch kangkong
Some bean sprouts
Toppings:
150g cooked meat (sliced thinly)
150g cooked prawns
5 hard-boiled eggs (shelled and cut into quarters)
Some fried shallot crisps (store-bought)
Chilli oil:
8 dried chillies (soaked and seeded)
8 cloves garlic (peeled)
10 shallots (peeled)
Prawn stock ingredients:
600g prawns (do not remove shell)
2kg chicken bones or pork ribs (cut into pieces)
2 flower crabs (shelled and cut into halves)
20 cups water
2 pieces rock sugar or to taste
Salt to taste
Method:
Chilli paste:
1. Blend the chilli paste ingredients with a mini food processor until finely ground.
2. Heat up a wok and add in 5 tablespoons of cooking oil, stir-fry the chilli paste until aromatic. Transfer 3-5 tablespoons of chilli paste into the main stock and simmer over low heat until ready for serving.
Stock preparation:
1. Shell the prawn and keep the heads and shells. Save the prawn in the fridge for future use.
2. Add 20 cups of water into a soup pot and bring it to a boil. Add in chicken bones, pork ribs and continue to boil until the pork ribs are thoroughly cooked (about 2 hours or more on low heat).
3. Add the prawn heads, shells, and flower crabs and boil in 8 cups of water. Simmer on low heat until the stock becomes is fully flavoured with the prawns.
4. Strain the stock through a sieve and transfer the stock into the meat stock. Discard the shells.
5. Add in rock sugar and salt to taste to the stock.
Chilli oil
1. Heat up a wok, add in ½ cup cooking oil. Add in 2 tablespoons fresh chilli paste and stir-fry until aromatic. Add a dash of salt. Set aside.
2. To serve, scald required amounts of yellow noodles, rice vermicelli, bean sprouts and kangkong in a bowl. Ladle over hot stock. Add a few pieces of pork ribs. Add the toppings of pork, cooked prawns, and hard-boiled egg quarters. Sprinkle some fried shallot. Serve with chilli paste and a dash of chilli oil.
Butter prawns with toasted coconut
Buttered shrimps tossed with toasted coconut is
Ingredients:
Large prawns (shrimps) 500 g (1 lb 11/2 oz), feelers trimmed
Salt 1 tsp
Pepper 1/2 tsp
Oil for deep-frying
Butter 90 g (3 oz)
Pan-toasted grated coconut 60 g (2 oz), blended in electric blender
Sugar 2 tsp
Bird’s eye chillies 10, finely sliced
Chopped spring onion (scallion) and coriander (cilantro) leaves
Small lime 1, juice extracted
Omelette:
Eggs 2, beaten
Light soy sauce 1 tsp
Salt 1/4 tsp
Pepper 1/2 tsp
Method
1. Season prawns with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper for 30 minutes.
2. Make a thin omelette with omelette ingredients and when it has cooled, chop finely. Set aside.
3. Heat oil for deep-frying and fry seasoned prawns until just cooked. Drain from oil.
4. Heat butter over low heat and put in toasted coconut, sugar, 1/2 tsp salt and bird’s eye chillies. Toss well until fragrant and add finely chopped omelette, spring onion, coriander leaves and lime juice.
Chilli oyster crabs recipe
Delicious chilli crabs given a twist with oyster sauce and Chinese wine.
Ingredients:
Crabs 3 kg (6 lb 9 oz)
Cooking oil 250 ml
Ginger 60 g, peeled and cut into strips
Garlic 7 cloves, peeled and sliced
Shallots 7, peeled and sliced
Red chillies 10, seeded, machine blended with 125 ml (1/2 cup) water
Eggs 5, beaten lightly
Spring onions (scallions) 6, cut into 5-cm (2-in) lengths
Coriander (cilantro) leaves 2 sprigs, cut into 5-cm (2-in)lengths
Sauce ingredients:
Chinese rice wine 3 Tbsp
Chilli sauce 3 Tbsp
Oyster sauce 4 Tbsp
Sugar 4 dsp
Sesame oil 1 tsp
Pepper 1/4 tsp
Method
1. Clean crabs, remove and crack pincers with a crab cracker. Trim legs and cut into 4 pieces.
2. Heat oil in a large wok and stir-fry ginger, garlic and shallots until fragrant. Put in chillies and fry for 2 minutes.
3. Add crabs and stir briskly. Cover wok for approximately 4–5 minutes. Uncover and stir briskly once again, then add sauce ingredients. When crabs are bright red and nearly cooked, pour in beaten eggs. Add spring onions, stirring to mix with sauce.
4. Dish out, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or toasted bread.
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