Tuesday 22 January 2008

Chow Kuey Teow

With most raw ingredients widely available locally, I make this dish quite frequently. However, it of course cannot compare with what you get in Malaysia, even the very worst ones :-(( . However, I believe I have theoretically worked out exactly how it can be done perfectly, but unfortunatley, circumstances does not permit it in the UK.

The things I lack:
- a cooker hot enough to achieve "wok hei"

- the right kind of ho fun noodles. Quality CKT requires thin, yet firm, fresh ho fun. The two fresh varieties available in Manchester are quite thick.- blood clams or "see hum"

- chinese chives. You can buy this in Manchester, but seems a waste to buy a 100g bunch just for a small dish of CKT.


The things that I can do, but don't:
- use lard. I usually have none available and making crispy pork fat bits are unhealthy.

- use chilli - because my family does not like it spicy.

- I don't use a wok, but a non-stick flat pan so as to not use too much oil. The raw ho fun itself is already very oily.

- Use of chopped preserved veg in the browning process. I'm afraid I don't know what veg it is they use, although I am sure it is available in Chinatown!


Here is the ho fun. It is bought folded up in a pack, like the cheong fun below, made by the same manufacturer. I immerse it in hot water to loosen and soften it.
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The ingredients are garlic, squid, chinese sausage, prawns, fish cake and beansprouts (not pictured).
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The sauces are sweet soy (blended with a little bit of the sauces pictured below .. only a LITTLE BIT!) and light soy.
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And in the pan, only a tiny bit of vegetable oil to brown the garlic before putting in the noodles.
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And the final product!

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10 comments:

daphne said...

Hi Hazza, it is hard to replicate the exact same dish (while taking care of our health + finding the ingredients). The final dish certainly looks good!

Unknown said...

I love squid (hard to get squid where I live). I like how you show that empty pan, then Ta Da, the delicious plate of Chow Kuey Teow. It is like magic!

teckiee said...

Looks more delicious compared to many many CKT in Malaysia leh. Since you have 'lap cheong' ...that can give you the lard effect and fragrance already.

Terri @ A Daily Obsession said...

Tt looks sooo goood! Did u eat it with fresh chili padi and lime?? mmmmm!

bigfish_chin said...

Hi hazza,
Oh My God!!! U can even make your own Char Kew Teow man!!! It looks like those in the real hawker stall here man!

yammylicious said...

lovely chao keuy teow!! hmmm mmm~ i will catch up my post for char keuy teow ya! =)

Hazza said...

daphne,
thanks. I am just glad I can at least get most of the ingredients where I live.

lannae,
sometimes I find it hard to take pics when cooking, lol!

teckiee,
Yes, the lap cheong adds a lot to the taste. Not the same without it!

teri,
I have not eaten ckt with cili padi or lime before, not even in M'sia. I dont think the hawkers in KL/PJ provided this garnish. Is this normal elsewhere? Penang maybe?

jackson,
I think you can only make ckt less unhealthy, rather than actually healthy. :-D

yammy,
thanks. I prefer mine to be of the lighter colour.. not so much sweet soy, which also means looks nicer in photos :)

Anonymous said...

Hi, Just stumbled in for the 1st time. Am also an exMsian now in Canada. For wok hei in ckt, try using a cast-iron frypan; inexpensive and when well-seasoned, is almost nonstick. I usually use the dried wider rice noodles from Vietnam, easier to handle and less breakage. Soak in warm water first. For the eggs, I was told in Msia they use duck eggs..good luck getting that! Now I am getting hungry and it's 1:29am. Darn!

Precious Pea said...

Yumzzz! I like mine with lots and lots of chives and cockles!

Tummythoz said...

Err did I just see sate sauce? Super secret ingredient, I'll say.