Crispy Bee Hoon with thickened gravy (香底米粉)
Tasted something like this in Malaysia so attempt to imitate. The one in Malaysia that I tasted comes with pork lard, but I felt that its not too healthy so I omitted it.
Ingredient 1. Bee Hoon - 3pcs ( small square type. 1pc per person) 2. Hongkong kailan - 7 stalks (can be replace with any veggie of your preference) 3. Chicken breast meat - 150g (sliced and marinate) 4. Fishcake of any type - 1 pc (sliced) 5. Garlic - 2 cloves (minced) 6. Stock - 300ml 7. Prawns - 4pcs (de-shell, cooked and half it) 8. Optional* Fermented soya beans (black type aka 豆豉) - 1 tbsp (lightly chopped) 9. Corn flour - 3 tsp
Preparation 1. Heat up wok and add generous amount of oil. (Enough to cover a piece of squared Bee Hoon. Recommended high heat)
2. Once you see that the oil is smoking hot, quickly place in a piece of bee Hoon and it should immediately puff up. Once puff up, immediately turn the bee Hoon to the other side to allow it to puff. Overall should not use more than 3 secs or the Bee Hoon will be burnt. (Repeat the same process for the rest of the Bee Hoon)
3. Place the fried crispy Bee Hoon onto a piece of kitchen towel to soak up any excess oil and set aside.
This method is for homecook. In restaurants, they soak the bee Hoon to lightly soften it and spread it onto small bamboo mould and hang it dry. When during frying, some will fry it together with the bamboo mould so that they can achieve the shape and size that they want.
The Dish 1. Remove excess oil from the wok leaving behind approx. 2tbsp of oil. Heat it up using medium heat and add the lightly chopped fermented soyabeans and stir fry for a while and add in the minced garlic.
2. Add in the sliced fishcake and meat to carry on stir fry. Once the meat is 50% cooked, add in the 300ml of stock together with 500ml of water. Turn up the heat and allow it to come to boil.
3. While awaiting for it to boil, add in 0.5 tbsp of oyster sauce and 1/4 tsp of salt.
4. Upon boiling, add in the veggies and stir it for a while. Add in the prawns and allow it to boil till the prawns turns red n scoop them up.
5. Taste the gravy and add more salt if needed. I added 1 tsp of sugar but not everyone will like it.
6. Using the 3tsp of corn flour, add approx. 5tsp of water, stir well and pour them evenly into the boiling gravy and quickly stir the gravy and it should thicken slightly. Once thickened, off the heat. You may stir in an egg if you wanted to.
7. By now the prawns should have cool down and it will be easy to half it.
8. Place a piece of the crispy Bee Hoon and place onto a serving bowl/plate. Pour the desired amount of gravy over it and garnish it with the prawns and some fried shallots if available.
Mistake made 1. I added 6 tsp of cornflour as I felt that the gravy wasn't thick enough which I was wrong. I have modified my trial recipe in accordance to the lesson learnt. Slightly thickened gravy taste much better than the thickened gravy as the thickened one might be just too gluey.
2. Oil wasn't hot enough and I place in a piece of been Hoon resulting in bee Hoon turn brown without puffing up (throw away)
Hope this trial recipe will give more ideas to homecooks out there.
Happy cooking and Bon Appetit!
