Penang hawker-style char kway teow with crispy lard

Method

1. Cut the pork fat into 1 cm cubes, put them in a 26 cm wok with 2 tbsp water and render over medium-low heat for 15 min, stirring often. Once the water has evaporated and the cubes are golden and crisp, strain, keeping the lard and the crunchy bits separately. Watch out for spitting fat.

   Add in this stepFresh pork back fat 70 g

   medium-low heat

2. Remove the prawn heads and shells and devein the bodies. Heat about 3 tbsp of the lard in the wok and fry the heads and shells over medium heat for 3 min, pressing the heads with a spatula to squeeze out their juices. When the fat is deep orange and smells strongly of prawn, discard the shells: this is your prawn oil.

   medium heat

3. Snip the dried chilies, shake out the seeds, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes, then blend with the shallots and a splash of water to a smooth paste. Fry it in 1 tbsp prawn oil over medium-low heat for 3 min, until dark red and the oil separates; set aside.

   Add in this stepDried red chilies 8Shallots 2

   medium-low heat

4. Slice the sausage on the diagonal, mince the garlic, cut the chives into 4 cm lengths and loosen the noodles. Mix the light and dark soy, fish sauce, sugar and water in a small bowl.

   Add in this stepLight soy sauce 4 tspDark soy sauce 2 tspFish sauce 1 tspSugar 1 tspWater 2 tbsp

5. Cook one serving at a time, 2 batch(es) in total. Heat the wok over high heat until smoking, add one portion of prawn oil, then one portion of garlic, sausage and prawns, and stir-fry for 1 min 30 sec, until the prawns are opaque right through.

   Add in this stepGarlic cloves 4Chinese sweet sausage (lap cheong) 1Head-on raw prawns (medium) 10

   high heat

6. Add one portion of noodles and chili paste, pour one portion of sauce around the edge and toss over high heat for 1 min 30 sec, letting the noodles char in spots. Push them aside, crack in the egg, let it half-set, cover with noodles, then toss through.

   Add in this stepFresh flat rice noodles (kway teow) 400 gEggs (duck eggs if you can find them) 2

   high heat

7. Add one portion of bean sprouts, chives and crispy lard bits, toss for 30 sec more and serve immediately, while the sprouts are still crunchy.

   Add in this stepBean sprouts 100 gGarlic chives 40 g