PRAWN MEE

Ingredients

For the stock:

 
500g medium size prawns
600g pork bones
150g pork loin
2 chicken carcasses
1 inch knob ginger, peeled and sliced
2 tsp chicken stock powder
1 small piece of rock sugar
2 litres of water
Salt and white pepper to taste

For the toppings:

 
½ packet of dried rice vermicelli, or any noodle of your choice
2 hard-boiled eggs
½ packet of beansprouts
Small bunch of kangkung
Chili sambal

Method:

1. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and par boil the chicken bones and pork bones.  Rinse under running water to remove any remaining scum, set aside. 

2. Remove the heads and shell from the prawns and devein them. Keep the prawn meat in the fridge. 

3. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a pan, add the ginger slices and fry with the prawn heads and shell until the oil turns a bright orange hue. Drain the prawn heads and shell and put into a big stock pot together with the chicken and pork bones.  Reserve the prawn oil in a bowl. Pour two litres of water into the stock pot and bring to a boil.  Sift out any floating scum and turn down to simmer for 1½ hours. 

4. Add in the pork loin and continue to simmer for 10 - 20 minutes until the pork is cooked. Remove and let cool before slicing into thin, bite sizes. 

5. Season the soup with salt and pepper, chicken stock powder and rock sugar.  The flavour should be quite strong and salty as the toppings will dilute the taste. 

6. Using a deep sift, gently blanch the prawn meat over the simmering stock to further flavour the soup. 

7. Strain the stock over a muslin cloth and keep on a slow simmer whilst preparing the toppings. 

8. Bring another pot of water to boil and blanch the noodles, kangkung and bean sprouts separately. Divide into 4 serving bowls, top with slices of hard boil eggs, prawn meat, and pork loin slices. Ladle a good portion of soup onto the noodles and serve immediately with some sambal on the side.

Recipe By Esther Chong