Wat Tan Hor/Kong Foo Chow (Cantonese Fried Flat Noodles in Egg Gravy)

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Ahhh, hello my old sweet friend. *warm fuzzy feeling in my belly*

Whilst some weirdo types like Arivind just don't get my adoration of this comforting childhood favourite and insist the only "right" way to cook any noodle is dry ala char kuay teow, I believe some days nothing hits the spot quite like a huge pile of wok-fried hor fun peppered with delicious chunks of seafood and meat, smothered in a piping hot thick egg gravy. This classic hawker concoction goes by many names: wat tan hor (its most common moniker in Kuala Lumpur, translating to mean "smooth egg fried noodles"), kong foo chow (literally "Cantonese-fried"), char hor fun (as it is known in Penang where bewilderingly, sometimes eggs aren't added (!!) ) and if you use a mix of broad and thin rice noodles, yin yong hor (a reference I guess to the Yin and Yang of the two varieties). The Thai dish of Ratna is also similar, though again egg is absent and seasonings/toppings vary slightly. Whatever you choose to call it, it's good.

As with all fried hawker noodle dishes, use a large wok over high heat where possible and slice up all your ingredients before starting to cook so they can be tossed in quickly. The secret to getting the gravy right is to add the eggs at the very last minute before serving- by all means change it up to be thicker/thinner/eggier/egg-less if you see fit.

Wat Tan Hor/Kong Foo Chow (Cantonese Fried Flat Noodles in Egg Gravy)

*Makes 2 small portions

Fry together over high heat in a bit of oil until charred:

About 350g fresh hor fun/kuay teow (soak in hot water first to separate if clumped together, then drain thoroughly. If using dried noodles, use less as it expands and boil until white and soft before use)

1 tbsp dark soy sauce (more if it looks too light)

1 tbsp light soy sauce

Dish up onto two deep plates/shallow bowls and set aside.

• Making the Gravy:

Fry 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped until golden.

Add and fry briefly:

8-10 slices of pork/chicken (or beef if you like)

6-8 raw king prawns, peeled and deveined

6-8 slices of fishcake

6-8 slices of squid

Lower heat and add:

1½- 2 cups water (depending on how much gravy you want) *If you have good chicken stock around use that but I would avoid artificial chicken stock cubes/powder, tastes awful!

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp light soy sauce

Bit of sugar

Dash of white pepper

Dash of salt

Bring to a boil, then add 2 tsp cornstarch diluted in ¼ cup water (for thickening).

Simmer for a few mins until thickened. Slice 1 bunch of choy sum (flowering Chinese cabbage) or greens of your choice into 2” lengths and throw in.

Turn heat off and break in 2 eggs, stirring quickly to scramble. Have a quick taste and add more seasoning if required. Dish the gravy over the prepared hor fun and serve immediately (alongside a small dish of sliced pickled green chillies in light soy sauce if you're lucky enough to have it).

Get in with chopsticks and a Chinese spoon. Shovel into mouth.

Penang Char Kuay Teow (Stir-Fried Flat Rice Noodles)

I initially blogged a version of this sinful Malaysian favourite, most famously from the island of Penang, back in April 2009. Since then, after some extensive R&D (by that I mean making Arivind my taste test guinea pig until he gives it the thumbs up) we have decided that you should ignore the old one and use This Perfected Recipe instead!

Truthfully the only change is that the seasoning has been tweaked to contain both dark and light soy sauce in 3:1 proportions, as well as a touch of sugar. The literal meaning of "char" in Chinese is to stir-fry briskly over high heat (in this case until it is actually "charred" as it means in English), so the crucial key to success still lies in a super hot smoking wok, a large open flame and a very quick hand. Sorry but it has to be a wok and it has to be a flame; an electric stove and a normal Tefal or any other frying pan just won't provide the essential smoky "wok hei" (the fragrance imparted by a hot wok)- trust me, I've tried. You must also:

a)Make sure all the individual ingredients are already sliced/ washed/ chopped/ prepped before you start any cooking, ready to be tossed in fast-and-furious style. Too slow and stuff will burn!

b)Ventilate- put your cooker hood on at full blast, open all your windows etc to avoid setting off your smoke alarm (which I've done several times).

c)Use fresh hor fun/kuay teow where possible. As they usually come quite stiff and stuck together, make sure to soak in boiling water first to loosen the strands (don't just try to pry them apart as they will break). If you only have dried noodles, use less as it expands once boiled and cook according to the packet instructions first.

d)Make sure to drain the soaked hor fun/kuay teow thoroughly. Wet noodles beget soggy char kuay teow that won't char!

e)Fry single portions at a time to get the right texture and ratio of noodles to the other ingredients.

f)Put aside any concerns about healthy eating- if you're on a diet, char kuay teow and it's tasty lardy deliciousness are NOT for you :)

g)Be prepared for your entire house to smell like a hawker centre. I'd recommend closing off your bedrooms/any other areas you'd like to protect.

Happy cooking!

Penang Char Kuay Teow (Stir-Fried Flat Rice Noodles)

*Makes 2 medium servings*

• Pre-preparation

Soak 300g fresh hor fun/kuay teow in boiling water until noodles are softened and separated (if using dried noodles, cook according to the packet instructions first). Drain until as dry as possible using a colander or sieve.

Stir together 3 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp light soy sauce and 1/2 tbsp sugar in a small bowl to form the seasoning sauce and set aside.

Finely chop 2 cloves of garlic.

Peel, devein and wash 8-10 medium prawns.

Thinly slice about 75g fishcake and 1/2 a stick of lap cheong (Chinese sweet dried sausages) into 8-10 pieces each. Some people use char siew (barbecued pork) or shredded crab meat too- do whatever you fancy.

Slice the green part of 2 stalks of ku chye (Chinese chives) into short lengths (roughly 3cm). Or if you don't have any, use spring onions instead like I did.

Rinse 2 small handfuls of beansprouts. (Tip: once you've opened a pack of beansprouts, store them soaked in cold water in the fridge. For some reason they'll last a few days longer that way!)

Place 2 eggs, your white pepper, your salt and your jar of chilli oil with shrimp within easy reach.

I'm not a fan at all but if you're really hardcore/can even find them, scrub a handful of si hum (blood cockles) until clean, blanch them quickly in boiling water to open then deshell them.

You are now ready to "char"!

• Frying the Char Kuay Teow

Heat 2 tbsp of oil (or lard for a more authentic albeit more detrimental version) in a large wok over high heat until smoking.

Throw in the rest of the ingredients in the following order and fry briskly:

Half the pre-chopped garlic (1 clove)

4-5 prawns

4-5 slices each of the fishcake, lap cheong or char siew

1 heaped tbsp chilli oil with shrimps- get lots of bits not just the oil, and be prepared to start coughing as everything smokes up! Most people use normal chilli paste/sambal but I really favour the added kick and depth of shrimpy chilli oil.

Half the drained hor fun/kuay teow (should be about a large handful)

2 tbsp of prepared soy sauce-sugar seasoning

Dash of white pepper

Dash of salt

Push the noodles to the sides of the wok and break 1 egg into the middle. Scramble quickly and toss to mix.

Chuck in a small handful of fresh beansprouts.

Throw in half the sliced Chinese chive/spring onion strips.

Give everything a good last few tosses, then dish out onto a plate. Repeat the entire process with the remaining ingredients.

Serve immediately.

Tagliatelle alla Carbonara

Dieters look away! With its full-fat, calorie-laden combination of white carbs tossed with bacon fried in butter swirled with a creamy cheesy sauce, carbonara is the dish to expand waistlines if ever there was one.

For the rest of us who choose not to care however, it is a devilishly easy-to-make, uncomplicated plate of luscious goodness that epitomises the gorgeous simplicity and flavour of Italian cuisine. Did you know that truly authentic carbonara made the proper way actually contains no cream, but achieves its richness from beaten eggs and melted parmesan? No complex sauce made separately either- the raw eggs and cheese are simply tossed with freshly cooked hot pasta to cook in its residual heat.

Traditionally only egg yolks are used, but my dislike for wastage means that the recipe below includes the whites as well. Thick long varieties such as tagliatelle, fettucine, linguine or spaghetti are particularly well-suited for this sinfully luscious dish, but feel free to use whatever pasta you desire.

For convenience' sake, the quantities listed are for one relatively hungry person- increase and multiply as needed.

Tagliatelle alla Carbonara

Serves 1

In a small bowl, whisk together 1 egg with about ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano/ Pecorino Romano (parmesan). Set aside.

Boil 100g tagliatelle/fettucine/spaghetti (I used dried- if using fresh cook for a shorter time) in salted water for 10-15 mins or until al dente.

Meanwhile, fry 50g chopped pancetta/bacon in 1 tsp butter and some extra virgin olive oil until browned.

Drain the pasta. Chuck it in a large pot/bowl and toss immediately whilst hot with the egg cheese mix and cooked bacon (along with some of its buttery oily juices!). Season well with a touch of salt (not too much as the bacon is already salty) and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and leave to sit for 5-10 mins to cook in its own residual heat.

Garnish with chopped parsley or a sprinkle of grated Parmesan if desired and serve.

Dry Malaysian Mee Siam (Spicy Tangy Fried Vermicelli)

*If this post sounds familiar, it's because it's an update of one of my first blog entries last year entitled Tangy Nyonya Fried Meehoon, which was essentially a (less authentic) shortcut version using shrimpy chilli oil rather than the fresh blended spice paste below. Finally got to make the proper full-blown thing, and during daylight hours so good photos could be taken, so here you go! :)

Up until the point a friend who was moving back to KL decided to leave me all her leftover jars of sauces, I had never used fermented/salted/preserved soybeans (tau cheo) as an ingredient before. I think it will be a staple in my fridge from now on because I cannot BELIEVE what an amazing flavour it lends to this quintessential Nyonya-style noodle dish.

Stir-fried and therefore not to be confused with its wet Singaporean counterpart served with gravy, dry Malaysian Mee Siam is characterised by a deliciously robust combination of sweet, sour and spicy flavours, stemming from the many different bits that go into the spice paste. To make it easier for yourself, blend/slice/soak everything you need before starting to cook so it's all ready to be tossed in quickly.

Dry Malaysian Mee Siam (Spicy Tangy Fried Vermicelli)

Serves 2-3

• Pre-preparation

Pound or blitz together to a thick paste and set aside:

2 cloves garlic

2 small Asian red shallots

6 dried chillies, soaked in hot water and deseeded

1 stalk lemongrass (white part only)

1 tsp dried shrimp paste (belacan)

1 heaped tbsp dried shrimps (heh bee)

2 tbsp fermented/preserved/salted soybeans (tau cheo)

A few candlenuts (optional)

200g dried vermicelli- submerged in hot water for a few mins, then drain and set aside.

2 eggs- either boil for 15 mins until hard-boiled then slice thinly, or whisk with a touch of salt, fry as a large omelette then shred into thin strips. Set aside as garnish later.

2 tsp tamarind juice (assam jawa)- soak some tamarind pulp in hot water and set aside to be strained into the noodles later.

• To Cook

In a large wok, fry the prepared spice paste in a bit of oil over medium-high heat until fragrant.

Add the following in order and fry briskly:

200g peeled and deveined prawns

Some sliced fishcake/chicken/pork (if desired)

1 large cube fried beancurd (tau kwa), cut into small squares

Add the following and toss with a pair of chopsticks to combine well:

Prepared vermicelli (add a little bit of water if it sticks together)

A small handful of Chinese chives (ku chye), sliced into short lengths (I didn't have any this time so I replaced it with regular English chives)

Handful of beansprouts

1 tsp sugar

Dash of white pepper

Dash of fish sauce

Prepared assam jawa- push soaked tamarind pulp through a sieve into noodles, and discard the residual pulp

A few kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced (optional- this is my own little touch)

*I omit salt as belacan and taucheo are already salty- feel free to have a taste and season further if you think it's required.

Dish up and garnish with the prepared eggs, some thinly cut red chillies for colour, some sliced spring onions/Chinese chives/coriander (for a splash of green) and half a calamansi lime (or if it's unavailable like where I live, a wedge of normal lime makes a tolerable if inferior substitute).

Serve immediately, alongside some sambal if desired.

Version 2- With the shredded omelette garnish

Spaghetti Alla Olio with Basil, Mushrooms and Peppers

Quick and tasty vegetarian pasta dish- use lots of chopped garlic, onion and herbs and season well for full flavour. Add chopped fresh chilli or more dried ones for a spicier kick, and for meat eaters, bacon bits or chunks of sausage are fantastic additions.

Serves 3-4

Boil 400g of dried spaghetti in lots of water for 10-15 mins until al dente. Drain and steep in cold water to keep from sticking together. Set aside.

Saute in olive oil over high heat until fragrant:

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 large onion, finely chopped

Handful fresh basil leaves, shredded

2 dried chillies, crushed

Add and fry:

1 red pepper, cut into cubes

400g mushrooms, sliced

Lower the heat and add cooked spaghetti. Generously drizzle over extra virgin olive oil and season with lots of salt, black pepper and dried mixed herbs of choice. Toss well to combine.

Sprinkle with grated Parmesan if desired and serve hot.

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).