Friday, October 15, 2010

Favourite Things Friday

It's Favourite Things Friday and I'm linking back to Mrs P at QIMP

In Mrs P's Slack Tea post yesterday, Mrs P said she didn't like two minute noodles.  I thought this was a perfect opportunity to post my all time favorite recipe. It uses two minute noodles and takes them to a whole new level.  It's a recipe that I have used ever since I moved from Singapore (a very very long time ago.)   I bought the book " Singapore Food" by Wendy Hutton when I lived there.  This dish is so simple, tastes very authentic and reminds me of Singapore hawker (street) food. It is a  really quick one that can be adapted to use what you have on hand, and it  can easily  be double or tripled to serve more.



Kon Loh Mee
Simple Noodle Dish
from Singapore Food by Wendy Hutton
Sufficient for 2


As usual I have adapted it but this is the original recipe.

2 pkts instant noodles (discard packaged seasoning) 
4 cups water
4 - 6 stalks Chinese greens, bok choy, choy sum etc
1 tspn peanut oil
2 tspns sesame oil
2 tspns black / dark soy sauce
2 tspns chilli sauce
any of the following, red BBQ pork sliced (the recipe follows), shredded cooked chicken, cooked prawns

Heat water and simmer the green vegetables until tender. Drain and reserve water. Cook noodles in the vegetable water for the time specified on the noodle packet, then drain.
Combine peanut and sesame oils, soy sauce and chilli sauce and toss in a large bowl with the noodles. Serve garnished with the vegetables and other ingredients. (In Singapore these noodles would normally be accompanied by a small bowl of light chicken soup and a side dish of pickled chillies.)

My variations include:
Soba noodles or any noodles I have on hand, as sometimes I don't have two minute noodles in the pantry.
I don't always use the peanut oil, sometimes I substitute it with macadamia oil, sometimes I leave it out altogether. Don't use olive oil.
Baby spinach leaves, in which case I don't cook them, just shred and toss into the bowl when adding the meat.
We use Thai sweet chilli sauce.



Char Siew ( Red BBQ Pork)
also from Singapore Food



500g (1lb) pork fillet
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tblspn liquid honey
1 tblspn soy sauce
2 tspns Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 tspn tomato sauce
1/2 tspn five spice
pinch powdered ginger
red food colouring (optional)

Cut pork lengthwise into strips about 4cm (1 1/2") thick. Combine all other ingredients. Marinate pork in this for at least 2 hours, turning from time to time. Put pork strips on a greased rack set over a pan of water and roast for 45 mins at 230C (450F), basting with the marinade every 15 mins. Allow to cool and cut into thin slices.








14 comments:

  1. Yum! Thanks so much for sharing. If I could eat them like this, I'd eat 2-minute noodles every day! Happy FTF! :o) Larri at Seams Inspired

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  2. yum it looks fab,when are you making this? i will be there!

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  3. Looks good Marg and I always like a quick and easy recipe. Could be on the menu tonight!
    Cheers
    Helen

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  4. Looks really good, especially the red BBQ pork.

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  5. The recipe looks so tasty! So when are we all invited for dinner? :-)

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  6. I have the same question as everyone else - what time is dinner? Please take in consideration that it will take long time for me to get there. Also, I might want to stay for longer than a few hours for dinner!

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  7. Yumm looks nice, actually it is making my mouth water.

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  8. Now that looks delicious! Pity it isn't real I could eat it all right now!! :-)

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  9. I love Chinese! What a talent it is to cook authentic...making it to your taste of course.
    And your photos make the food look so good too!

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  10. I can't wait to have everyone over, it will be an easy meal to make for lots of people.

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  11. Okay you've converted me. I'll give it a try and let you know whether two minute noodles and I have found a new respect for one another because this actually looks great.

    Mr. P drooled when he saw the pork. He's on his own there - I dont eat pork so I'll be doing chicken...

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  12. What a fun FTF. I love trying new foods and those both look really great.

    xo -El

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  13. Thank you so much for the noodle receipe. Can get some greens into it!

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