Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
For the noodles:
500g all-purpose flour, sifted
4 tbsp tapioca starch
2 eggs
4 egg whites
2 tbsp vegetable oil
½ tsp salt
3 litres water
For the topping:
½ tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
25g dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and thinly sliced
25g black fungus, thinly sliced
½ tbsp oyster sauce
150g ikan bilis, rinsed and drained
1.5 litres water
100g fresh prawns
A bunch of spinach, trimmed
1 tsp salt
6 tbsp deep-fried ikan bilis
Onion oil, to taste
Pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
1 To make the noodles, mix the flour, tapioca starch, eggs, egg whites, 1 tbsp oil and salt evenly in a bowl. Cover with a cloth and rest for one hour.
2 Knead the mixture on a floured surface for 5min, until it doesn’t stick to the hands.
3 Peel the dough into 2cm balls. Press each ball into flat strips 2mm thick.
4 In a pot, bring 3 litres of water to the boil and add the dough strips. When the noodles rise to the surface, drain and set aside. Toss with 1 tbsp oil so they don’t clump together.
5 To make the topping, heat the oil in a hot pan. Fry the garlic until fragrant.
6 Add the mushrooms and black fungus, and fry for 3min. Mix in the oyster sauce. Set aside.
7 To make the soup, add the ikan bilis to 1.5 litres of hot water in a pot, and bring it to the boil. Simmer over low heat for 20min. Remove the ikan bilis and add the noodles.
8 Add the prawns and cook for 1min. Add the spinach and salt, and cook for another 30 seconds.
9 Divide equally into 6 bowls. Top with the mushroom mixture, deep-fried ikan bilis and a dash of onion oil and pepper.
Tip: To add meatballs to this dish, marinate 150g minced pork with 1 tsp tapioca starch, 2 tsp sesame oil, 2 tsp light soya sauce, 1 tbsp water and a pinch of pepper. Shape into balls with a teaspoon and cook them in the soup for 2min before adding the prawns.
This article was originally published in Simply Her April 2014.