Lor Mee

By pfwombat

Ingredients

• Thickening:
• 500 g thick yellow/hokkien noodles
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 2 cups prawn shells/heads
• 1/2 onion, cut into wedges
• 400 g pork belly
• 1/2 tbsp Cheong Chan thick caramel
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 7 cups water or pork/chicken stock
• 1/2 tsp five-spice powder
• 3-4 tbsp Cheong Chan thick caramel (depending on how dark you like the gravy to be)
• 3-4 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tsp chicken stock powder
• 1 tsp salt (or more to taste)
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 4 hard-boiled eggs
• 5-6 tbsp tapioca starch + 1/2 cup water (use more starch if you like it thicker)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten with 2 tbsp water
• Garnish and condiments:
• 1 cup sliced fish cakes
• Chinkiang Black Vinegar
• White pepper
• Chopped coriander leaves
• Sliced red chillies
• Sambal (garlic chilli paste) - you can try Glory Nyonya Sambal Chilli
• Minced garlic (6-8 cloves, finely chopped in a blender with a little salt, sugar, hot water and white vinegar)

Details

Adapted from tofoodwithlove.com

Preparation

Step 1

Prepare the pork belly by boiling it in salted water for 5 minutes to remove impurities which will surface as scum. Discard the water and rinse the pork, then dry with a paper towel. Rub 1/2 tbsp Cheong Chan thick caramel over the meat. Heat up 1 tbsp oil with 1 tbsp sugar in a medium-large pot. When the sugar caramelizes to a brown colour, remove the pot from the heat. Carefully place the pork belly into the pot and quickly cover with the lid to prevent the oil from splattering. Then place it back on the heat and add the garlic cloves. Sear the meat on all sides until browned. Add 4 cups water, five-spice, thick caramel and light soy sauce and simmer for 1-2 hours until tender. Add hard-boiled eggs during the last 15 minutes of cooking.

While the pork is simmering, heat up 1 tbsp oil in a wok and fry the prawn shells until they turn red. Add the onion and 3 cups water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes, then strain the stock.

Once the pork is tender, remove the pork and cut into thin slices, and put aside. Remove the hard-boiled eggs and cut in half. Then, add the prawn stock to the pork stock, together with the chicken stock powder, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes. Then gradually stir in the tapioca starch solution and mix well until it comes to a simmer. Stir in the beaten egg mixture and mix through quickly. Turn off the heat.

When ready to serve, cook the noodles and bean sprouts (separately) in boiling water until cooked to your liking. Drain and divide into 4 serving bowls. Ladle the gravy over the noodles. Top with sliced pork, fish cake, hard-boiled egg and some minced garlic. Don't forget to add a splash of black vinegar and some white pepper, and garnish with sliced red chillies and coriander leaves. Serve hot with sambal chilli!