Homemade Mee Hoon Kueh (Hand-Torn Noodles) 面粉粿

A post rather similar to the Flour Noodle Soup (Pan Mee Soup) 清汤板面, this was made to satisfy my sudden craving for a bowl pan mee out of the blue. So sudden I hardly had all the ingredients I needed to make this our dinner that day. Yet I wasn't quite that keen on making a trip out to get them all. With some store bought flour noodles left barely enough for an individual serving, I resorted to making my own dough this time. Not my first time, but definitely one that I have not done for a while now. Probably so since I have found the commercial pan mee that I got so contented with, one that I still think is somewhat comparable to those home made ones as mentioned in my previous post.

The good thing about making my own? I guess rather than having the usual thin and round noodles 幼面 that I regularly made my pan mee with, I can opt for the hand torn version of pan mee this time around. mmMMmm, suddenly all my taste sensations just felt so awaken simply picturing a bowl of this mee hoon kueh lol. Not having the "manicai" with me, I have that green substituted with the Chinese mustard green (choy sum). And instead of the fried baby anchovies that I previously used, I made a batch for garnishing with the regular kinds of anchovies. Simple variations, minimal changes, huge satisfaction!

Homemade Mee Hoon Kueh (Hand-Torn Noodles) 面粉粿
Serves 2-3

Fried garlic oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsps cooking oil 

Dough
2 cups all-purpose flour 
1 egg
1 tsp fried garlic oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup water

Toppings and stock
1/2lb ground pork (marinated in advance with the meat marinade and leave refrigerated until cooking time)
a bunch of Chinese mustard green (choy sum), washed and trimmed then cut into 2" sections, stems and leaves separated
4 shiitake mushrooms, rinsed and soaked to soften
1 handful anchovies 
9 fish balls or pork meat balls 
4 cloves garlic
1½ tbsps cooking oil with enough to deep fry the anchovies
9-12 cups of  anchovy stock, made ahead of time 
birds eye chilies in soy sauce as dipping sauce

Meat marinade
few dashes of white pepper powder
1½ tsps light soy sauce
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp corn starch

1. To make the fried garlic oil, bring the cooking oil to heat in a small saucepan over high heat. Once heated, turn the heat to medium-low and add in the minced garlic. Stir regularly and keep a close eye on it. As soon as it shows a tinge of browning, it will be done in just a matter of seconds. When they have turned golden brown in color, remove from heat. Strain through a sieve separating the fried garlic and the oil. Set aside. 

 2. To prepare the dough, sift in the all-purpose flour into a mixing bowl. 
3. Break an egg into a small bowl.
4. Add in a tsp of the fried garlic oil.
5. Add in the salt and beat until well mixed.

   
6. In the bowl in flour, make a small well right in the center. Pour in the egg mixture followed by the water.
7. Knead the dough with hands. They will be all sticky and a little messy as you begin. Keep the kneading going until the dough starts coming together and no longer sticks to your hand. By now it should feel soft yet springy to touch. Shape it into a ball and transfer to a clean bowl. Have the bowl wrapped with a cling wrap and let rest for an hour.
  

8. Moving on to work on the toppings, clean the anchovies removing the heads and intestines. In a pan, heat up enough oil to deep fry the anchovies. Once well heated, turn down the heat to medium-high and add in the anchovies. Stir regularly for an even browning. Once they appear crispy, strain through a sieve to drain the oil and let cool on a plate lined with paper towels before storing in a container with a tight-fitting lid.

 
9. Heat up a frying pan with 1½ tbsps cooking oil. Add in the minced garlic and stir fry until fragrant. Bring in the marinated meat next. Stir until the meat color changes, breaking into smaller pieces in the process. When thoroughly cooked, dish up and set aside in a bowl.
10. Bring the anchovy stock to heat in a pot. Add in the soaked shiitake mushrooms and the fish balls or pork meat balls. Bring to boil. While the mushrooms need not much time to cook through, the fish or pork meat balls are ready when they appear floating on the top. Remove the mushrooms from the stock. Once cooled down enough, slice them up thinly and set in a small bowl. Spoon in about 1 tsp of the fried garlic oil and toss to mix evenly.

11. When ready to serve, tear a small piece of the dough. Working with just your fingers, flatten that piece of dough. Stretch and pull until you get your preferred thickness. Drop the piece of flour noodle gently into the pot with stock. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
12. Add in the Chinese mustard green, first the stems followed shortly by the leaves. Let boil until cooked.
13. Portion out the soup with the flour noodles, some greens and the fish or pork meat balls. Top with the minced meat, some mushroom slices and lastly the deep fried anchovies.   
14. Finish by drizzling in about 1 to 2 tsps of the fried garlic oil with bits of fried garlic over each bowl of pan mee soup and serve hot with the chili in soy sauce dipping sauce on the side.