Wat Tan Hor Fun (Silky Egg Hor Fun with Prawns)

Method19 steps · about 50 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Crack the two eggs into a bowl and beat lightly. Keep chilled until needed; this one beaten mixture supplies both the measured prawn-marinade draw and the remaining egg for the gravy.

   Uses 2 eggs, beaten; draw 2 tsp for the prawn marinade and keep the remainder for the gravy

2. 2

   Step 2: Peel and devein the prawns (300 g), pat dry and keep cold. Discard shells and the removed digestive tracts without splashing raw seafood around the sink.

   Uses 300 g raw prawns, peeled and deveined

3. 3

   Step 3: Mix the prepared prawns with the marinade sugar (½ tsp), marinade salt (½ tsp) and 2 tsp drawn from the beaten egg mixture. Cover and refrigerate until cooking. Keep the rest of the beaten egg separately chilled for the gravy.

   Uses Only peeled and deveined edible prawns, excluding discarded parts · ½ tsp sugar, for the prawn marinade · ½ tsp salt, for the prawn marinade · Measured 2 tsp beaten egg for the prawn marinade

4. 4

   Step 4: Trim the bean sprouts (100 g), rinse and drain thoroughly.

   Uses 100 g bean sprouts · Clean water, as needed for rinsing bean sprouts, choy sum, ginger and optional fresh chilli

5. 5

   Step 5: Separate the choy sum (3 bunches) leaves from their stems. Cut the stems into 6 cm lengths, rinse both parts and drain, keeping stems and leaves separate.

   Uses 3 bunches choy sum (chye sim), stems and leaves kept separate · Clean water, as needed for rinsing bean sprouts, choy sum, ginger and optional fresh chilli

6. 6

   Step 6: Have the measured chopped garlic (1 tsp) and 3–4 thin slices ginger ready. Rinse and peel the ginger before slicing if preparing it from a whole piece.

   Uses 1 tsp chopped garlic · 3–4 slices ginger, for frying before the prawns · Clean water, as needed for rinsing bean sprouts, choy sum, ginger and optional fresh chilli

7. 7

   Step 7: In one bowl combine the 600 ml gravy water, 1½ tbsp oyster sauce, gravy salt (1 tsp) and gravy sesame oil (1 tsp). Keep the prepared ginger separate for frying. In a second bowl stir the potato starch (2 tbsp) with its separate 3 tbsp water until smooth.

   Uses 600 ml water, for the gravy · 1½ tbsp oyster sauce, for the gravy · 1 tsp salt, for the gravy · 1 tsp sesame oil, for the gravy · 2 tbsp potato starch (the author’s 太白粉/Original Super Flour thickener) · 3 tbsp water, separately for the potato-starch slurry

8. 8

   Step 8: If using fresh chilli, rinse it, remove the seeds if desired and slice thinly. Combine with the optional 2 tbsp chilli soy sauce for serving. Alternatively, choose the ready pickled green chilli at the final serve.

   Uses 3–4 fresh red chillies or chilli padi, optional, sliced for serving · 2 tbsp light soy sauce, optional, for the sliced fresh-chilli condiment · Clean water, as needed for rinsing bean sprouts, choy sum, ginger and optional fresh chilli

9. 9

   Step 9: Heat 1 tbsp of the cooking-oil allowance in a wok over high heat. Add the fresh hor fun and cook for 1 minute, tossing gently.

   Fry the fresh hor fun · 1 minUses 1 tbsp cooking oil for noodles · 500 g fresh hor fun (kway teow) rice noodles

10. 10

    Step 10: Add the noodle soy sauce and black vinegar (1 tbsp). Toss until the noodles are slightly browned, then transfer them to a serving plate and keep warm for the gravy.

    Uses Hot hor fun and noodle-frying oil · 1 tbsp light soy sauce, for the noodles · 1 tbsp black vinegar, for the noodles

11. 11

    Step 11: Add the next 1 tbsp cooking oil to the wok. Add only the prepared garlic and fry until aromatic without burning.

    Uses 1 tbsp cooking oil for vegetables · Only prepared chopped garlic, excluding the ginger slices

12. 12

    Step 12: Add the drained choy sum stems and fry for 1 minute.

    Fry the choy sum stems · 1 minUses Garlic and vegetable-frying oil · Only drained choy sum stems, excluding leaves and rinse water

13. 13

    Step 13: Add the drained bean sprouts and choy sum leaves and fry for another 1 minute. Continue as needed until the sprouts are thoroughly cooked and hot through, then lift the vegetables onto a clean plate.

    Fry leaves and sprouts · 1 minUses Stems, garlic and vegetable pan oil · Only trimmed drained bean sprouts, excluding rinse water and trimmings · Only drained choy sum leaves, excluding stems and rinse water

14. 14

    Step 14: Add the final 1 tbsp cooking oil to the wok, with any vegetable oil left after lifting the vegetables. Add the prepared ginger slices and fry until aromatic.

    Uses Final 1 tbsp cooking oil for ginger and prawns · Only any retained vegetable pan oil, excluding plated vegetables · Only prepared ginger slices, excluding garlic already used

15. 15

    Step 15: Add the marinated prawns with their adhering marinade and stir-fry for 1 minute. Keep them in the wok and continue immediately with the gravy; this is an initial sear, not a doneness check.

    Initial prawn stir-fry · 1 minUses Aromatic ginger and pan oil · Only marinated prawns and adhering marinade, excluding any unused bowl residue

16. 16

    Step 16: Pour the prepared gravy into the wok with the prawns and ginger. Bring to a full boil, stirring, and continue cooking the prawns in the hot gravy.

    Uses Initially seared prawns, ginger and pan juices · Only prepared gravy, excluding the separately held potato-starch slurry

17. 17

    Step 17: Return the plated vegetables to the boiling gravy. Stir the slurry again, then pour it in with the Shaoxing wine. Stir until the gravy thickens evenly and the prawns are pearly opaque and cooked through to 63°C (145°F).

    Uses Boiling prawn and ginger gravy · Only plated cooked vegetables, excluding pan oil left behind · Only prepared potato-starch slurry, excluding gravy already used · 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine

18. 18

    Step 18: Swirl the remaining beaten egg into the hot gravy to form silky threads. Stir gently and cook until the egg is fully set and the egg-and-gravy mixture reaches 71°C (160°F), then remove from the heat.

    Uses Thickened cooked prawn and vegetable gravy · All remaining beaten egg after the measured 2 tsp marinade draw

19. 19

    Step 19: Pour the hot silky egg gravy over the prepared hor fun and divide among four servings. Serve promptly, with the optional fresh-chilli soy condiment or pickled green chilli if desired.

    Uses Completed hot prawn, vegetable and silky egg gravy · Prepared warm seasoned hor fun · Only selected optional fresh-chilli soy condiment, excluding rinse water · Pickled green chilli, optional, as an alternative serving condiment