Cook’s notes
Chinese cooking technique with a not-exactly South Asian spice mix (there is no curry in South Asia, in case you didn’t know). Sounds like the kind of fusion dish that Singapore has plenty of.
Surprisingly, you can’t find this dish in Singapore. Story has it that the dish originated in Hong Kong. It’s delicious though whatever its nationality. And, for the home cook, tweakable enough so you can use bits and pieces you can gather from your fridge.
If you prefer a vegetarian curry bee hoon, omit the Chinese sausage and crispy pork belly. Curry bee hoon is delicious with just vegetables and mushrooms. Brown and white shimeji are used here but you may substitute your preferred variety.
If the addition of crispy pork belly appeals to you more, see the full recipe.
Singapore noodles (curry bee hoon) with crispy pork belly
Ingredients
- 120 grams bee hoon thin rice noodles (4.2 oz)
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 shallot peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1½ tablespoons curry powder
- 1 small carrot peeled and julienned
- 1 cup finely sliced white cabbage
- 8 green beans trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1 bell pepper deseeded and julienned
- 200 grams shimeji (7 oz) root ends discarded
- fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 Chinese sausage steamed until plump then thinly sliced into rings
- 1½ cups chopped crispy pork belly
- 2 tablespoons lime juice or lemon juice
Instructions
- Plunge the bee hoon in a pan of hot water for two minutes. Drain and rinse under the tap. Leave in a colander to drain some more while you cook the vegetables.
- Heat the cooking oil in a wok.
- Sautee the garlic and shallot for half a minute.
- Add the curry powder and continue sauteeing for a minute.
- Turn up the head and add the carrot, bell pepper, green beans and cabbage.
- Stir fry for a minute.
- Add the mushrooms.
- Drizzle in a tablespoon of fish sauce and stir fry for another minute.
- Add the drained bee hoon.
- Drizzle in a tablespoon of soy sauce and stir fry until the coloring is even.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of soy sauce and continue stir frying until the noodles are soft but not soggy.
- Taste and add more fish sauce, as needed.
- Drizzle in the lime juice and toss a few more times.
- Add the Chinese sausage and crispy pork belly.
- Stir fry until the pork belly and sausage slices are heated through and evenly distributed.
- Serve your curry bee hoon at once.
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