Wednesday's Simple Meal - Black Hokkien Mee

The weeks just fly by so quickly and once again, it is my simple meal day!

We have cooked this dish before but at that point I was using the regular Dark Soya Sauce and the taste & colour was not up to my expectation. I find it hard to get good quality thick dark soya sauce in our local NTUC and after searching the shelves for like 15 mins, I decided to purchase this bottle of Dark Soya Sauce. It looks really thick but the only concern I had then while reading the label was "Red Date Dark Soya Sauce". However, my doubts were unfounded as this soya sauce Rocks!!

I used it for my Black Hokkien Mee and the end results are excellent. It was as dark as I like my Black Hokkien Mee to be and the taste is better than what I've tasted at a well known food court that supposed to have great Black Hokkien Mee :P

Here is the recipe and do give it a try :)

Black Hokkien Mee

Serves 3

Ingredients

500g Fat Yellow Hokkien
200g Meat (pork or chicken) - cut into thin slices
20 Prawns, shell and devein
2 medium Squid - cut into bite size
100g Bok Choy, wash and cut into 1 inch pieces
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
2 cups Stock/water

Seasoning
2 tsps Light Soy Sauce
3 Tbps Dark Soy Sauce(add more if not dark enough)
2 Tbsps Oyster Sauce
2 Tsps Sugar
Salt to taste
½ tsp Pepper

Preparing the Noddles.

• Soak noodles in cold water for 30 mins to get rid of some of the potassium carbonate & sodium bi-carbonate solution used to make these noodles.
• Next, place noodles in a heatproof bowl and pour boiling water over the noodles. Let them stand for 1 to 2 minutes and drain.

Methods

1. Season the prawns and squid with a dash of salt, sugar and pepper.
   
2. Heat 2 tsps oil and saute the squid and prawns. Dish out and leave aside.
   
3. Add in another tsps oil and fry garlic till fragrant but not brown.
   
4. Place meat into the pan for browning, sprinkle in a pinch of salt and pepper to the meat before turning over to brown the other side.
   
5. Add in stock/water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes before adding in
   the choy sum.
   
6. Then add in the noodles and the seasoning, mix well, cover wok with lid or if using Happycall, close the pan and simmer until noodles is tender.
   
7. Add more dark soy sauce if the color is not black enough and simmer noodles till gravy is thick.
   
8. Add in the cooked prawns and squid.
   
9. Turn the heat to high again and give noodles a quick stir
   
10. Serve with sambal belacan