Black Hokkien Mee

You know a dish isn't for the health-conscious when its key ingredient is crispy fried lard. Oh well.

Prepare beforehand:

400g fresh fat yellow Hokkien noodles (hard to find overseas I've realised-use udon or Shanghai noodles as a substitute)- scald for 1 minute then steep in cold water and set aside.

100g pork fat, cubed to make “chu yau char”- Render cubes over low-medium heat for about 1 hour (cover partially if it splutters all over the place). Set aside crispy bits and use liquid lard for frying.

Cooking:

*make sure wok is smoking hot*

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped- stir fry until fragrant in liquid lard.

100g sliced pork/chicken- add and brown.

Add:

100g prawns/ 100g squid/sliced fishcake

Handful Chinese cabbage

Noodles

3 tbsp thick dark soy sauce (or more for darker colour. I use Cheong Chan “cooking caramel” which is very thick and dark but not too salty)

1 tbsp oyster sauce

Dash of white pepper and sugar

½ cup fresh chicken stock (or ½ tsp chicken stock granules and ½ cup water if unavailable)

Lower heat and simmer until thick, then turn up heat and stir briskly. Sprinkle liberally with “chu yau char” and serve immediately with a dollop of good sambal (chilli paste).