Char Kway Teow

I bet you, everyone at some point would have cravings for certain food at certain stage in their life.

Who Wouldn't ! ;-) Yours truly here, loves food, otherwise I wouldn't be here expounding passionately on the simple meals that bring back fond memories of one's life.

As I was reading ieatishootipost on its recent Char Kway Teow, it somehow brings me back to those early days when I was expecting my elder son. Oh my.. when they say pregnant mummy craves, the Hubby is into the real business of satisfying the mum's hunger pang whatever the cost.

Turning back the clock to 12 years ago, we were actually looking for some baby stuff at a warehouse sale when we decided to stop by some nearby food place to have tea-break around Havelock Road Blk 22 (it's still there !). Ooo.. the moment we got out of the car, we could smell the frangant aroma of Chay Kway Teow.. it was simply intoxicating!

We followed the smell towards a corner stall where a man was frying away the Chay Kway Teow... The plate of Chay Kway Teow was the wet type, filled with lots of "hum" and the dark sweet sauce was surprisingly generous. If you have taken the garlic ones in Marine Parade, this is similar except without the garlic !

I have never forgotten that Chay Kway Teow stall ! For some reasons, only when I was expecting my second son, that I remembered this stall again. Somehow the landscape around it has changed ! Poor Mr H had to drive around the estates a few times and retracing some of our steps before we could get to the exact location.. Oh .., I just couldn't leave without eating it ! ALL for my 1st LOVE of Chay Kway Teow .. I must get that wondrous taste back , and it has to be this one ! .. as you guess it, the Mummy always win !! hehehe

Now, many years later, I would like to share this feeling again, with my family. Here's tonite's dinner Chay Kway Teow recipe, put together to re-create that moment in time back then ! I added extras - the squids and prawns into my version...

What is required

400g de-shelled prawns
3 big squid (cut into slices)
300g clam cockles ("hum")
3 Chinese sausages (cut into small slices)
700g round yellow noodles
300g flat white noodles
300g bean sprout
100 ml of sweet dark sauce
5 tbsp soy dark sauce -get the premium for the thicker dark sauce
3 tbsp light soy sauce
50g chopped garlic
6 tbsp cooking oil
1 small bowl of prawn stock (boiled from the shells of prawns)
2 eggs (beaten)

White and Yellow nooldes, Bean Sprout (Tao Gia)

Cockles (shell) , Cooked Cockles for 15 secs

Peeled Prawns, Squid, Chinese sausage

How to do it

A. Pre-preparation

1. Cook chinese sauage in microwave on medium for 10mins. Cut the chinese sauages in slices.

2. Boil a pot of water. Throw the clam cockles into the pot of water for 20 secs. Once cooled, open the shells to remove the clams inside.

3. Pour hot water over the yellow and white noodles. Drain excess water

B. Frying

1. Heat the wok and add in 2 tbsp oil . Ensure oil is hot before frying.

2. Put in the garlic and quickly followed by frying the squid and prawns. Once cooked, set aside

3. Follow step 1. Cook the bean sprout for 1 min and set aside

4. Follow step 1. Add the noodles, the dark soy sauce and sweet dark sauce. Mix well until the colour is brownish.

5. Throw in the squid, prawns, chinese sausage and bean sprout and fry again. Add in the prawn stock, let it simmer for 1 min.

6. Add the beaten eggs.

7. Stir in the previous cooked cockles.

8. Proceed to serve

Should anyone have a craving and missing Char Kway Teow, the Singapore way, try this out ! Do enjoy ....