Penang - Lor Mee

Lor mee is another of those street foods that are not commonly available in Western societies, but are easily found in southern China, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. The dish is iconic of the Teochew Province in China and has been mainly brought to equatorial climes by immigrants over the last few centuries. It combines snippets of ingredients in a thick savoury sauce. Above, the lor mee with roast pork and sliced hard boiled egg accompaniments at the Fong Sheng Cafe, along Lorong Selamat in Georgetown, Penang - the place was introduced by May Wah and Henry Quah.

The cafe harks back to the seventies or eighties - and maybe earlier - what caught my eye were (above) freshly blended fruit and/or vegetable juices and (below) metal and plastic contraptions of the food trade.

Hot and cold drinks are easily on offer from the cafe (above and below) at very reasonable prices.

Another version of the dish (below) taken whilst Bob Lee was enjoying them in another cafe or coffee shop in Georgetown, Penang Island.

Penang Lor Mee Recipe:

Ingredients
# 250g lean pork
# 2 litres fresh chicken stock
# 200g prawns, keep shells intact

Seasoning (A)
# 1/2 tsp salt
# 1/2 tsp pepper
# 1 tsp light soya sauce
# 1 kg fresh yellow Hokkien noodles
# 1 cup bean sprouts, tailed
# 3 hard boiled eggs, cut into wedges or halved

Seasoning (B)
# 2 tbsp light soya sauce
# 1/2–3/4 tsp thick soya sauce
# Salt to taste

Thickening
# 3–3½ tbsp corn flour mixed
# 100ml water
# 2 eggs, lightly beaten
Condiment - Chilli and garlic sambal
# 3 tbsp chili paste
# 3 tbsp oil
# 1/8 tsp salt or to taste
# 6 cloves garlic
# 2 tbsp chicken stock
# 1/8 tsp salt

Cooking Method

1. Marinate pork with seasoning (A) and set aside. Bring chicken stock to a boil.

2. Add in pork and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool then cut into thin slices.

3. Add seasoning (B) to the stock and bring to a simmering boil.

4. Add corn flour thickening and stir well to mix. Bring stock away from the heat and drizzle in the beaten eggs.

5. Stir gently to mix. Scald noodles and bean sprouts separately and put required amount of noodles and bean sprouts into individual serving bowls.

6. Ladle out starchy gravy or stock over the noodles. Add a few slices of pork and a slice of hard-boiled egg.

7. Serve with chili garlic sambal.

Chili Garlic Sambal
Heat 3 tbsp oil a small saucepan. Add chili paste and salt and cook until oil rises. Dish out and set aside. Put garlic, chicken stock and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a food processor. Blend into a fine paste. Set aside for use.

Copyright for Recipe: Amy Beh, taken from: http://kuali.com/recipes