Dry wonton noodles with char sui and choy sum (wantan mee)

"Right next to the Seapark Market in Petaling Jaya, you’ll find a guy at a stall making wantan mee. But his aren’t just any old wantan mee because he makes his noodles ‘fly’. Literally. After blanching the noodles for your order, he flings them really high into the air (we’re talking two stories high into the air!), deftly catches them then keeps on cooking the dish. It’s so much fun to watch and whether it’s just a gimmick, I’m not sure. Some people honestly reckon throwing the noodles like this makes them taste better, imparting a springier texture. I’m thinking it’s a very clever way to get rid of all the water – you don’t want wet noodles for this dish." Luke Nguyen, Luke Nguyen's Street Food Asia

Credit: Alan Benson

• serves

  2

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• ½ bunch choy sum, cut into 4 cm lengths
• 400 g fresh egg noodles
• 300 g char siu pork, thinly sliced (see Note)
• 4 coriander sprigs
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 red bird’s eye chillies, sliced

Shallot oil

• 125 ml (½ cup) vegetable oil
• 3 red Asian shallots, thinly sliced

Noodle sauce

• 1 tbsp dark caramel sauce (see Note)
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce

Instructions

To prepare the shallot oil, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally for 5–6 minutes or until the shallots are light golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.

To prepare the noodle sauce, place all the ingredients in a bowl, add 2 tablespoons shallot oil, then combine well. Divide the noodle sauce between 2 medium bowls. Remaining shallot oil will keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Cook the choy sum in a medium saucepan of rapidly boiling water for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain and set aside.

Divide the egg noodles into 2 portions and blanch them separately in the rapidly boiling water for 20 seconds. Remove with a small sieve, then refresh in iced water. This allows the noodles to develop a nice firmness. Return them separately to the boiling water for 10 seconds, then drain and place them into the 2 bowls with the noodle sauce and toss to coat well.

Transfer the noodles to 2 separate serving plates, then place the char sui on top of the noodles. Drizzle any remaining noodle sauce over the top of the char siu. Place the choy sum beside the noodles, garnish with coriander sprigs and serve with soy sauce combined with the sliced chili as a dipping sauce.

Notes

• Char siu pork is available from Chinese barbecue shops, or make it yourself with our handy guide.

• Dark caramel sauce is available from Asian supermarkets.

Photography by Alan Benson. Styling by Lucy Tweed. Food preparation by Tammi Kwok.

Catch Luke Nguyen's Street Food Asia on SBS Food or stream it on SBS On Demand. Visit the program page for recipes, videos and more.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.