Mi Hoon Kueh -Typical Hokkien Favourite

This dish never failed to bring back my childhood memories growing up in Klang and having it pretty often either for lunch or dinner. This is indeed a typical Hokkien dish as the name of the dish itself - Mi Hoon Kueh simply derives from the direct translation of "flour cake" in Hokkien.

Memories of my aunty cum nanny kneading the dough from scratch (flour, egg, cooking oil, water) are still fresh in my mind.....however I have to admit that I've 'cheated' in the dough part simply because I tried kneading it myself and failed miserably. Found the easy way to make this dish without the dough-kneading process - pre-packed dried noodles (picture below) found in an Organic shop near my place ;). As an aternative, u can also use the pre-packed chinese noodles (pan mee) found in many supermarkets. Sometimes, I replace it with mee suah (rice vermicelli) as well.

Ingredients for a hearty bowl of Mi Hoon Kueh (serves 5):

Soup/broth:
One full handful of dried anchovies (ikan bilis)
6 big bowls of water
few pieces of dried scallops (washed)
3 tbsp chopped garlic

Condiments:
1 big piece of black fungus (soaked and sliced thinly)
6 pieces shitake mushrooms (soaked and sliced thinly)
100g minced meat (pork/chicken) seasoned with light soy sauce and pepper
1 tbsp each of chopped garlic and shallots
1 tsp tauchu paste
sugar, salt & pepper to taste
fresh spinach or any green vege of your choice. (washed and leave aside)
deep fried crispy anchovies (prepared in advance)
deep fried crispy shallot for garnishing
fresh egg (optional)

...and of course the main ingredient of all - the Mi Hoon Kueh itself ;)

Method:
Soup/broth:
1. In a deep cooking pot, sautee 2tbsps garlic until fragrant and add in the dried scallops. Add in 3 big bowls of water and bring to boil. (Pot A)
2. In another separate pot, sautee 1 tbs garlic and anchovies and fry til fragrant. Add in the balance of the water and bring to boil. (Pot B)
3. At slow fire, leave both pots to simmer for about 15 mins.
4. Sieve the ingredients in Pot B and add in the broth into Pot A, with the remnants of anchovies removed.
5. Leave Pot A to simmer for another 10 mins.

Main condiments:

1. In a frying pan, sautee the garlic and shallot with some cooking oil and add in the seasoned meat. Fry til meat is thoroughly cooked.
2. Add in black fungus and mushroom and fry till fragrant. Add in tauchu, some sugar, salt and pepper to taste.
3. Dish out and put aside for serving later.

Serving:
1. Scoop enough soup for a bowl and add in your preferred amount of the mi hun kueh pieces/noodles. Continue stirring so that the noodle pieces would not clump together.
2. Add in spinach and leave to boil until spinach is softened. Crack in an egg (optional).
3. Garnish with the earlier fried meat, shallots and anchovies. Serve hot.


Churned out directly from Aniston's Kitchen...