icon Fried Noodles Hong Kong Style
with shrimp

Noodles are historically a Chinese invention, having originated there 4,000 years ago. Noodles were brought to Thailand, Malaysia Singapore, and Indonesia by Chinese immigrants. Noodles also travelled with Chinese merchants via the "Silk Route" through Central Asia to Turkey and all the way to Italy.

Wok-fried noodles with meat, seafood or vegetables are a common dish across SE Asia. In Hong Kong, they are thin and crispy and are called "chow mein". Similar dishes exist in Thailand and elsewhere. There is a tremendous variety, using any meats and veggies one can imagine: shrimp, beef, pork, chicken, squid, baby corn, straw mushrooms, snow peas, baby bok choy, Chinese broccoli, etc. Hong-Kong style fried noodles are made using flour noodles that are pan-fried until crispy, and served together with vegetables, chicken or seafood.

This dish is generally similar to the Thai "Mee Krob", which uses crispy deep-fried rice noodles.

Here is a recipe for Hong-Hong style noodles using pork.

Ingredients:

  • 7 oz lean pork (thinly sliced)
  • 10 oz thin yellow noodles
  • 2 tbsp garlic (finely chopped)
  • 2 tbsp plum sugar (for cooking)
  • 1 tsp plum sugar (for mixing with soy sauce & coating the pork)
  • 2 tbsp mushroom soy sauce (for cooking - can also use regular soy sauce)
  • 1 tbsp black soy sauce (for mixing with plum sugar & coating the pork)
  • 2 tbsp vinegar
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp corn starch
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • 1/2 cup onion (sliced)
  • 1/2 cup kale (or broccoli) stems cut to 1 inch lengths
  • 3 each whole kale leaves
  • 1/3 cup scallions
  • 2 cups water (1/2 cup for frying and 1 1/2 cups for boiling kale leaves and noodles)
  • 1/2 cup roasted peanutsc

Preparation:

  1. Mix 1 tsp of plum sugar with 1 tbsp of soy sauce and using your hands, dip the pork slices into the mixture to apply a coating on the meat.
  2. In the same pan, add the noodles and fry for approximately 3 minutes or until the noodles are soft and tender. Then, remove the noodles and place them on the 3 plates.
  3. Heat the oil in a skillet using a medium high heat setting. Add the garlic and fry until golden brown, then add the onions and fry together, mixing the garlic and onions well.
  4. Add the pork and stir fry constantly for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat, and add the water, fish sauce, plum sugar, mushrooms soy sauce, vinegar, scallions and kale stems (or broccoli stems). Then mix in the corn starch with the soup in a small bowl and add to the skillet. Stir frequently for about 3 minutes, and then place on top of the noodles, serve with bean sprouts and roasted peanuts.
  5. Makes 2 - 3 servings
  6. Tip #1: Peel kale (or broccoli) stems or broccoli first before stir-frying.
  7. Tip #2: The kale leaf is not required. It is used mainly for appearance (it tastes great)

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    Last updated: October 25, 2009