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The Fire 50 · cook it at home

Clay pot glass noodles with pork belly and crab

40 min · 2 people

Kiln's best-known dish: glass noodles steamed in a clay pot over the coals, soaking up the pork fat and soy as they cook, with crab folded in. A clay pot or a small Dutch oven on the stove gets very close.

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The real one

You need

• 100 g (3 1/2 oz) mung bean glass noodles, soaked in warm water 10 minutes and drained
• 150 g (5 oz) pork belly, thinly sliced
• 100 g (3 1/2 oz) white or brown crab meat
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 thumb ginger, sliced
• 1 tsp black peppercorns, cracked
• 2 cilantro roots or stems
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) chicken stock
• To serve: cilantro leaves, a squeeze of lime, chili sauce

How to make it

1. Make the sauce (3 min): Stir the oyster sauce, both soys, sugar, sesame oil and stock together. Toss the drained noodles in it.
2. Layer the pot (5 min): Lay the pork belly over the bottom of a clay pot or small heavy pot. Scatter the garlic, ginger, peppercorns and cilantro roots on top, then pile on the noodles and pour over any leftover sauce.
3. Cook (15 to 18 min): Cover and set over medium heat (use a heat diffuser under a clay pot). Cook until the pork sizzles and browns and the noodles have absorbed the liquid, 15 to 18 minutes. Do not stir; listen for the sizzle.
4. Add the crab and serve (3 min): Fold in the crab meat, cover for 2 minutes to warm it through, then toss everything together at the table so the crisp bits from the bottom mix in. Top with cilantro and lime.

Tips

• A soaked clay pot heats up slowly; never put a cold one on high heat.
• Brown crab meat makes it richer.
• Add a few shrimp if you can't find crab.

Chef Amazing's own home version of clay pot glass noodles, in our words; not any restaurant's recipe.