Lor Mee

Linda Ooi’s lor mee pairs thick noodles with brown soy gravy, sliced pork, tofu, fish cake and boiled egg. Her Malaysian Chinese recipe draws on Hokkien or Fujianese noodle cooking, where the toppings vary between communities.

Ground pepper seasons the boneless pork ribs before they brown in vegetable oil. Garlic fries briefly alongside the meat, then dark soy sauce and water form the braising liquid. Boiled eggs and firm tofu join the covered simmer.

Choy sum is blanched and refreshed in a cold bath. Fish cake cooks in that blanching pot before the water is discarded, and a fresh pot of water cooks the selected udon noodles.

The pork, tofu and boiled eggs are lifted from the gravy. Cornstarch mixed with water thickens the liquid, then lightly beaten egg is stirred in gently to make ribbons. The meat and tofu are sliced and the boiled eggs halved.

Each bowl receives noodles, greens, sliced toppings and half an egg before the gravy is ladled over them. Spring onions and fried shallots finish the bowl, with fried chilli paste and black vinegar served alongside; the mellow vinegar provides a contrast to the bulky noodles and thick gravy.