RECIPE: RICE NOODLES IN CLEAR BROTH (KUEY TEOW TH’NG)

A popular hawker dish in South East Asia, good for a quick meal. This is the Malaysian/Singaporean version. You can basically make your stock from any meat or even seafood. The Chinese tend to use pork bones and the Malays would use beef or chicken bones. The choice is endless so is for the toppings.

I tend to think of this dish as a convalescing meal, like having chicken soup when you are ill. Since I have been ill, this has been one of the few meals that have enjoyed in the past few weeks. It is light yet nutritious.

Here is how I make my RICE NOODLES IN CLEAR BROTH.


Ingredients – serves 6 to 8

2 kg fresh flat rice noodles or kuey teow
1.5 kg pork ribs
2 chicken breasts
24 large green prawns – peeled but shells saved to make stock
3 litres water (for broth)
I packet fish balls
1 piece fish cake – sliced thinly
1 bunch Chinese greens such as choy sum or Chinese chives
250 gm bean sprouts - tailed
6-8 cloves garlic - smashed
4 spring onions – cut into 4 cm pieces
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
Salt to taste
Sesame oil
Fried shallots (available at Asian grocers and the Asian food aisle at supermarkets such as Woolies or Coles)


Method

In a pot, add water, pork ribs, prawn shells, salt, peppercorns, garlic and spring onions. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 to 45 mins, whilst removing any scum that may form. Strain and return the broth to the pot. Adjust seasoning and keep the broth on a low simmer.

Add the whole chicken breast fillets to the broth and poach till cooked. Remove with a slotted spoon and slice thinly. Set aside.

Now repeat the process with the prawns. Set aside.

Again, strain the hot stock carefully through a sieve, preferably lined with a muslin or cheese cloth to obtain a clear broth. You don’t have to do this if you don’t mind a ‘cloudy’ broth. Wash the pot of any scum before pouring the hot strained broth into the pot. Bring to a boil again and then leave the broth to simmer. Put your fish balls in now.

Bring another pot, with plenty of water (I use an asparagus pot) to a boil.

Now assemble your serving bowls.

Using a noodle sieve (available at most oriental grocers), first put in the amount of noodles required, followed by the Chinese greens, bean sprouts and fish cake. Blanch these in the pot for two mins or until the water comes to the boil again. Remove from the water, shake off excess water and put into a serving bowl. Top with the sliced chicken and prawns.

Ladle sufficient quantity of broth to cover the ingredients, ensuring you add some fish balls that have been simmering in the broth. Add ½ tsp of sesame oil and a sprinkling of fried shallots to the top. Serve immediately with a side dish of DICED CHILLIES IN SOY SAUCE AND VINEGAR.

Repeat the process for the next person.