Bee Hoon Ze Char - Rice Vermicilli with Meat and Seafood Gravy

This could have been a healthy dish except for the addition of the fried pork lard, but without it, it taste oh so different. So indulge in them once in a while, especially when you are overseas with no Zi Char store to go and just buy them from. I did this with bee hoon, but you can chose to use egg noodles or hor fun or any noodles you fancy.

Ingredients (2-3 portions)

Fried pork lard (cut up the pork lard into large cubes as they will shrink and render them to crispy bits over medium heat until golden brown. Keep the oil for frying later or in other dishes too)

6 fishballs, cut into halves (you should use fish cakes if you can get them)

7-8 prawns

100g lean pork, sliced thinly

1 sheet of dried bee hoon, soaked in cold water to soften and drained

2-3 bunches of caixin or bak choy, cut into 2 cm sections

2 garlic cloves, minced finely

1 egg

2-3 teaspoons dark soy sauce

1 teaspoon chicken stock powder

white pepper

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce

Steps

1. Marinate the prawns and pork with some white pepper and soy sauce while you prepare the bee hoon first.
2. Over a hot wok, heat up 2 tablespoons of the oil you rendered from the pork lard and add in half the minced garlic, stir frying it quickly so it doesn't burn and add in the soaked bee hoon. Add in the dark soy sauce and mix well until it is evenly colored, adding a little water if necessary. It should still remain relatively dry as you will be adding the gravy over it when you serve.
3. Once the bee hoon is cooked, place in a serving bowl and set aside. Using the same pan, add in 1 tablespoon of the oil rendered from the pork lard and add in the rest of the minced garlic.
4. When the garlic are slightly browned, add in the fish balls first and stir fry. Add in the prawns and pork next and fry until they are 80% done before adding the vegetables and mix well.
   
   
   
5. Add in enough water to cover the ingredients and stir in the oyster sauce, chicken stock powder and some dark soy sauce for color if desire. Taste and adjust seasoning where necessary. Let it come to a boil before cracking an egg in the middle of the gravy and stirring it slightly to get those eggy whirls.
   
   
   
6. Once done, scoop over the bee hoon in and serve hot with some sliced chili padi or pickled green chili if you have prepare beforehand. Top it up with some crispy pork lard cubes and it might just bring you a bit closer to home.