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The Noodle 100 · make it at home

Singapore Hokkien mee: prawns and squid, wet and smoky

1 hr (40 min for the stock) · 2

Singapore's fried Hokkien mee is wet, not dry: yellow and rice noodles fried hard, then braised in a prawn stock until they soak it all up. Lime and sambal belacan finish it.

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The real one

You need

• For the stock: heads and shells of 300 g (10 oz) prawns, 300 g (10 oz) pork bones, 1 liter (4 cups) water
• The 300 g prawns (peeled), 1 small squid cleaned and sliced, 80 g (3 oz) pork belly boiled and sliced
• 150 g (5 oz) thick yellow noodles and 150 g (5 oz) thin rice vermicelli, soaked
• 3 tbsp lard or oil, 4 cloves garlic minced, 2 eggs
• To season: 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp light soy, white pepper
• A big handful bean sprouts, a handful garlic chives
• To serve: lime (calamansi if you can find it), sambal belacan, crisp lard bits

How to make it

1. Stock (40 min): Fry the prawn heads and shells in a little oil until red and fragrant, pressing on them, add the pork bones and water and simmer 30 minutes. Strain; you want about 500 ml.
2. Fry (4 min): Heat the lard in a wok until smoking, add the garlic, then crack in the eggs and scramble. Add both noodles and fry hard, tossing, 2 minutes so they char a little.
3. Braise (5 min): Add half the stock, the prawns, squid and pork, cover 1 minute, then toss. Add more stock bit by bit as the noodles drink it, until they are glossy and saucy. Season with fish sauce, soy and pepper.
4. Finish (1 min): Toss in sprouts and chives. Serve with lime and sambal.

Tips

• The prawn stock is the dish; don't use plain water.
• A charcoal stove gives Geylang's smokiness; a screaming wok is the home answer.

Chef Amazing's own home version, in our words; not any shop's recipe.