Hokkien Mee with Lard Crisps and Roasted Prawn-Head Stock

Method

1. Soak the vermicelli in cold water for 15 min and drain. Peel the prawns, keeping the heads and shells, and devein them. Cut the back fat into 1 cm cubes and the squid into rings, mince the garlic and cut the chives into 4 cm lengths.

2. Put the back fat and 2 tablespoons of water in a 20 cm pot and render slowly over medium-low heat for 12 min. Once the water has evaporated and the fat cubes are golden and crisp, lift them onto kitchen paper and sprinkle with a little salt. Pour the clear lard into a heatproof bowl, leaving 1 tablespoon in the pot. Hot fat spits: add anything wet carefully.

   Add in this stepPork back fat 50 g

   medium-low heat

3. Add the prawn heads and shells to the lard in the pot and fry over medium heat for 3 min, pressing them hard with a ladle, until the shells turn deep red and smell toasty. Add the chicken stock and pork belly, bring to the boil, skim, turn down to medium-low heat and simmer for 20 min.

   Add in this stepChicken stock 700 mlPork belly (one piece) 120 g

   medium heat→medium-low heat

4. Poach the prawns and squid in the stock for 1 min 30 sec and lift them out. Lift out the pork and slice it thinly. Strain the stock, pressing the heads to squeeze out every drop, and keep it hot.

   Add in this stepLarge shell-on prawns (heads on) 240 gSquid tubes 100 g

5. Heat a wok over high heat until smoking and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the lard. Crack in the eggs, let them half set, add the garlic and stir for 1 min. For more than 2 servings, cook in ×1 batches.

   Add in this stepEggs 2Garlic cloves 5

   high heat

6. Add the yellow noodles and vermicelli and toss over medium-high heat, adding the stock a ladleful at a time in 3 or 4 rounds, seasoning with the fish sauce and white pepper, for 6 min. The smoky flavour comes from the stock catching at the hot edge of the wok, so leave the noodles still for a few seconds between tosses.

   Add in this stepYellow egg noodles 200 gThick rice vermicelli (bee hoon, dried) 60 gFish sauce 2 tspWhite pepper 1 pinch

   medium-high heat

7. Add the prawns, squid, pork, bean sprouts and chives with one more ladle of stock and toss for 1 min. It's ready when a thick sauce coats the noodles and pools slightly on the plate.

   Add in this stepBean sprouts 80 gGarlic chives 30 g

8. Plate, scatter generously with lard crisps and serve with calamansi and sambal. Add the crisps at the last moment so they stay crunchy.

   Add in this stepCalamansi or lime 1Sambal (chili paste) 2 tsp