Har Mee

I have not posted a blog for an entire week since my hubby left for London. Partly due to me missing him and not feeling like cooking, and partly because work has been pretty bad as well. But thanks to all my dear friends who are looking out for me during this time. I have been truly blessed by your company and well wishes.

I made Har Mee for dinner tonight because I wanted to use some of the frozen prawn shells sitting in my freezer before I leave for London. It would have been a shame to throw it out. Har mee is one of the better choices in terms of healthiness with Malaysian hawker style food. The stock is just from the prawn shells, a  clear and spicy broth with no coconut milk or oil.

I made churros (Yet again- I  have made it 4 times in the last month)  for dessert as a return of  favour to our mate Gerald who kindly wrote a character reference last minute in order for us to rent a place in London. But this has to stop, for I will not be blamed for his expanding girth! :)

Har Mee Recipe (serves 6)

3 tbsp oil
20 king prawns, shelled and deveined. Reserve shell for stock
300g extra prawn head and shells
3 clove garlic, sliced
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp XO sauce
salt to taste
500g chicken thigh /pork neck
2 litres water
3 handfuls beanshoots, blanched in hot water
1 bunch spinach, blanched in hot water
beehoon (thin rice vermicelli) cooked to packet instruction
Hokkien noodles, blanched in hot water
3 hard boiled eggs, halved
Crispy fried shallot, to serve
Chili paste, to serve

Heat oil in a large pot and add prawn heads and shells. Stir until shells are pink. Add sugar and garlic. Once fragrant, add the water and XO sauce, and bring to boil. Simmer for 60 mins. I would normally add the chicken/pork to the soup to cook as it adds flavour to the soup. Remove the meat once it is cook and thinly slice it. Season stock generously with salt. I also would add I tbsp of the chili paste to the stock (but optional as it is quite spicy). Once stock is ready, blanch the prawns in the stock until pink. Remove with slotted spoon. Strain the stock using a sieve.

Chili paste Recipe:

12-15 dried chilies, cut into lengths, soaked to soften, deseeded and drained
2 finger length chilies
1 tbsp belachan (Malaysian shrimp paste)
5 shallots, peeled
3-4 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar

Grind the above ingredient (except the oil) in a food processor. Add water if necessary to keep the blades turning. Heat oil in a fry pan and stir fry the paste in low heat until oil seperates from the mixture.

To serve, place both types of noodles in bowls. Top with beanshoot, spinach, egg, meat and prawns. Laddle hot soup into the bowls. Serve with chili paste.