During my first year in Melbourne a few years ago, I remember craving Malaysian food every single day. Assam laksa, chee cheong fun, nasi kandar, tosai, a good cup of kopi o... just to name a few! But I survived through the year and had a non-stop eating feast when I went home during the holidays.
Do I still crave Malaysian food every day?
Of course!
I miss sitting in kopitiams on Sunday or Saturday mornings.
I miss going to mamak stalls for a late night drink.
I miss ordering a whole lot of random dishes in hawker centres because I can’t decide between them.
I miss dunking my kaya and butter toast into a scorching cup of Kopi O.
But adapting to new environments is all part of growing up and getting what you want isn’t as easy as it used to be. So, if you really really really want it, make it happen! And that’s what I did ... for my brother. A few weeks ago, he mentioned that he was craving Kin Kin's Chilli Pan Mee. And so, here's my version of that infamous chilli pan mee!
And to take it to the next level, I made my own noodles!
You don't need a pasta machine to roll out and cut your dough! I adapted the old-fashion way and rolled the dough out with a pin and cut the noodles out with my trusty knife.
And you don't need those fancy pasta hangers either!
Dry Chilli Pan Mee
(inspired by
Food Made Simple)
serves 2
To make the noodles, I used a 2:1 ratio for flour and water. So for two servings, use 1 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of water. Mix flour, water and a pinch of salt and knead until it forms a ball (Add more water if it's too dry and add more flour if it's too wet or sticky). Continue kneading for a few minutes and wrap the dough with clingwrap or place under a wet cloth for at least 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, divide the dough into half. Roll out the dough to your desired thickness. Generously flour the dough as you fold the rolled dough. Cut into strips using a large sharp knife and unroll/unfold the strips of noodles.
Just before you assemble the dish, cook the noodles in boiling water until al dente. (remember: it's fresh noodles so, the noodles cook really quickly!)
While the dough rest, start prepping other ingredients and get your chilli cooking!
Dried Chilli Paste
- 2 handful dried chillies (soaked)
- 2 fresh red chillies
- 2 medium-sized onions
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 handful dried shrimp
- 4 tablespoon vegetable oil
Blend all of the ingredients (except oil) in a food processor. Heat the oil in wok under low heat and stir-fry the blended mix for 30-40 minutes until dry. Remember to watch your chilli paste and continue stirring to prevent burning.
Minced Meat Sauce
- 500g minced pork (marinade in soy sauce, salt and pepper)
- 1/2 medium-sized onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely diced
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
Heat the oil in wok with medium-low heat and stir-fry diced onion and garlic for a minute or two. Add minced meat and stir-fry until cooked. Then, add oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and chicken stock into the wok. Continue simmering the sauce until it reduces. Season with pepper.
[Note: To keep my meat sauce warm, I transferred the minced meat into a saucepan (covered) and left in the oven (not on!) until my noodles were cooked.]
Crispy Ikan Bilis (Dried Anchovies)
Deep fry two servings of ikan bilis in a shallow oil.
Poached Egg
The original Kin Kin chilli pan mee has one poached egg but I had two in mine (no harm having extra!). Crack an egg in a small bowl and gently pour the egg into a simmering pot of water. Do not overcook the egg because you'd want the yolks to be runny and make sure that the water in not boiling. I removed my eggs after 2-3 minutes.
Assemble
Divide the noodles into two servings. Top the noodles with minced meat, chopped spring onions, crispy ikan bilis and poached eggs. Serve the dry chilli paste in a separate bowl.
Mix everything up and enjoy!
Tasted just like home :)
