Grandma Lee’s Crispy Egg Noodles (Chow Mein)

Egg noodles fried to a crisp topped with a seafood, meat and vegetables

INGREDIENTS:

• 500 g dried or fresh egg noodles
• ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda, optional
• 500 g spinach or flowering cabbage (choy sum)
• 500 g medium-sized prawns (shrimps)
• 200 g pork
• 100 g pork liver
• 9 tbsp oil

Marinade:

• 50 g ginger (halia)
• 2 tsp Chinese cooking wine or sherry
• 2 tsp light soy sauce
• 2 tsp corn flour (cornstarch)
• a dash of pepper

Sauce:

• 100 g ginger (halia) or 1 tsp ginger powder
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine or sherry
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 450 ml water
• 1 tbsp sugar, or to taste
• ½ salt, or taste
• a dash of pepper

Corn Flour Mixture:

• 3 Tbsp corn flour (cornstarch)
• 10 Tbsp water

Condiment:

• Cilicuka (Original, Extra Hot or Super Hot), a red chilli & garlic sauce

PREPARATION:

1. Blanch the noodles in boiling water. Remove and shake off any excess water then thoroughly drain.
2. Bring some water to the boil then add the bicarbonate of soda before blanching the spinach or flowering cabbage. (The bicarbonate of soda will help the vegetables retain their colour.)
3. Peel then devein the prawns. (Freeze the shells for use in other recipes.)
4. Finely slice the pork and liver.
5. Peel then pound/grind the ginger for the marinade and sauce. Squeeze over a sieve or using a muslin bag to extract 1 tsp juice for the marinade and 2 tsp for sauce.
6. In a bowl, mix the ingredients for the marinade together. Add the slices of pork then mix well together.
7. In a bowl, mix the ingredients for the sauce together. Set aside.
8. Mix the corn flour and water. Set aside.

METHOD:

1. Heat a wok over a high flame until it smokes. Add about 6 Tbsp oil.
2. Fry the noodles for about 3 min on each side. Be careful when flipping it over not to break the noodles. Remove and drain well then place it on a serving plate.
3. Reheat the wok over a high flame. Add the remaining 3 Tbsp oil.
4. Stir-fry the marinated pork with the marinade then add the sauce.
5. Stir the corn flour mixture then pour half in. Bring to the boil.
6. Add the prawns and liver. Cook for 2 min.
7. Spread the cooked meat and blanched vegetables over the noodles.
8. Add the rest of the corn flour mixture to the remaining sauce. Bring to the boil.
9. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables.
10. Serve immediately while the noodles are still crisp with Cilicuka in a side dish.