Kolo Mee

Sha’s chicken kolo mee adapts the dry noodle dish associated with Sarawak, Malaysia. Fresh egg noodles are tossed with shallot oil, rendered chicken fat, soy sauce and rice vinegar, then topped with minced chicken and slices of her own chicken char siew.

Thinly sliced shallots are tossed with salt and cornstarch and fried in vegetable oil until crisp. The shallots are removed and the oil strained. Chicken skin and fat render slowly in a separate pan, with extra neutral oil offered if the yield is too small.

Chicken mince is seasoned with light soy sauce, sesame oil, five-spice powder and white pepper, then stir-fried in some of the shallot oil. Chicken breast marinates separately with light and dark soy sauces, oyster sauce, brown sugar, garlic and spices before roasting and slicing.

A bowl of shallot oil, chicken oil, light soy sauce, rice vinegar and white pepper receives the blanched noodles. They are tossed through the dressing, leaving the oils and vinegar distributed over the strands.

Minced chicken, sliced char siew, blanched bok choy and the crisp shallots are arranged over the noodles. The finished bowl combines oily, tangy strands with tender meat and a crisp onion topping, while the author encourages adjusting the dressing to taste.