Torn Handmade Noodles
– MEE HOON KUEH / PAN MEE –
SINGAPORE / MALAYSIA
Mee hoon kueh was one of the few things I was allowed to help make as a kid. These are handmade noodles, done without any of the faff of a pasta machine or even a rolling pin. They aren’t even in the usual long thread/ribbon shapes. To make them, you simply tear off a piece of dough, crudely flatten it between floury palms, and toss it into the boiling pot. Unlike the uniform squares you get at hawker stalls, these homemade ones are ragged things, though I remember my sister and me often trying to form them into more avant-garde shapes. The formula is simple, with no egg in it, unlike pasta dough, and I‘m sometimes still amazed at the simple miracles flour, water and a bit of bicep work can create. These may not be the prettiest of noodles, with their messy torn edges, but I love mee hoon kueh precisely for its rustic simplicity, down to that egg poached unfussily straight in the broth. The crispy saltiness from the anchovies and fragrant sweetness from the fried shallots are a good combination, but you could do this with any topping/extras you like really, meatballs (see khao tom, here) being one of the other popular options.
- 90g plain flour
- a big pinch of sea salt
- a handful of dried anchovies (ikan bilis)
- 2–3 cups of homemade pork/chicken stock (see here)
- sea salt and white pepper
- 1 fresh free-range egg (optional, kind of)
- a small bunch of pak choi (or your choice of leafy greens)
- 1 teaspoon fried shallot oil (see here)
- fried shallots (see here)
- chopped spring onions
- Mix the flour and salt together, and gradually add enough water so that it just comes together to form a dough. Knead until the dough becomes soft and bouncy, about 10 minutes, then cover and set aside to rest for at least an hour.
- Meanwhile, roast the dried anchovies by tossing them with a bit of oil, spreading them out on a baking tray and placing them in a 200°C/gas 6 oven for 15 minutes, until crisp and fragrant.
- To form the noodles, tear pieces from the dough and flatten them between your palms, placing them on a lightly floured plate while you finish forming the rest. To cook them, bring the stock to the boil in a pot and season to taste with salt and white pepper. Add the noodles straight to the boiling stock, then lower the heat to medium so it simmers steadily. The noodles are done when they float to the top. Lower the heat to a simmer.
- Crack the egg, gently slip it into the pot, and let cook until the white is just set and yolk still creamy. Add the greens towards the end for a minute or so to wilt.
- Scoop the noodles into a bowl along with the broth, egg and greens. Drizzle the fried shallot oil over, and top with the roasted anchovies, fried shallots and spring onions.