Nonya Hokkien Noodles

Stir-fried Noodles in Gravy with Pork and Prawns (Shrimps)

It was customary for my family to serve this at the Chinese New Year’s Eve reunion dinner.
Today, my sister Nancy has taken over the specific responsibility of making this for our
reunion dinner.

The Nonya version differs from the fried Hokkien noodles you would see in hawker
centres. For a start, it has more gravy. This noodle dish is a staple in a Nonya feast.
It is also worth noting that when the dish is served at a wake or after a funeral, you are
supposed to use only preserved ingredients, meaning dried, not fresh, scallops and squid.

In this recipe, I have excluded squid. Most recipes would also instruct you to use kang
kong (water convolvulus) which my father agreed on. However, I have chosen to
use mustard greens which add a bit more crunch and are more refreshing.

makes 4 to 6 servings

noodles

110 g or 4 ounces belly pork strip
(sam chan bak)

110 g or 4 ounces prawns (shrimps)
4 cups water
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 shallots, peeled and sliced finely
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

110 g or 4 ounces mustard greens
(chai sim), sliced into 5 cm or
2 inch pieces

450 g or 1 pound yellow noodles

110 g or 4 ounces bean sprouts,
heads and tails trimmed

1 to 3 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon white pepper powder

garnish

2 eggs, beaten
3 red chillies, deseeded and sliced finely
8 shallots, sliced finely
1 bunch coriander leaves (cilantro)

86  Growing Up in a  Nonya Kitchen ~ Chinese New Year