Hokkien Prawn Mee

The Meatmen’s Singapore Hokkien prawn mee combines yellow noodles with both thick and thin rice vermicelli. Prawns, squid, pork belly and fish cake accompany the strands, with a seafood-and-pork-bone broth supplying their savoury flavour.

Prawns are separated from their shells. Sliced garlic and shallots fry in oil before the heads and shells are added. Boiling water, white peppercorns, dried anchovies, rock sugar, fish sauce and pork bones join the pot and simmer together.

Pork belly is poached with ginger and sliced into strips, while cleaned squid is cut into rings. After the broth’s solids are removed, squid and the reserved prawn meat are briefly poached in it. Fish cake is sliced and chives cut for the final stir-fry.

For each serving, pork lard heats in the pan and a beaten egg is stir-fried before the three noodle types are added. Dark soy sauce, light soy sauce and minced garlic enter next, followed by the seafood, pork and fish cake.

Some of the prepared broth moistens the noodles before bean sprouts are added. A short covered cook brings the bowl together, then another little dark soy sauce and a handful of chives finish it. The combination of two vermicelli thicknesses gives the noodles a varied texture.