Petaling Street Tai Lok Mean and What Tan Hor

Petaling Street Tai Lok Mean

We invited some friends over to our place over the weekend and feted on home cooked Petaling Street Tai Lok Mean (Hokkein Char) and What Tan Hor (Cantonese Char). Just so happened on the same weekend, we had friends visiting from Calgary and Kelowna. So, we decided to introduce the visitors to some of our friends living without our city.

For the Tai Lok Mean, I use the thick Shanghai noodle. First blench the Shanghai noodle (500g) in hot water, to clean and slightly cook it. Alternatively, can also add some rice stick (vermicelli). Drain the hot water several times and add fresh hot water from the tap. There is no need for boiled water. Do not leave the Shanghai noodle soaked in the water, drain all the water when you are satisfied that the noodles are cleaned.

Petaling Street Tai Lok Mean

In a wok, must be a large enough wok (size 32cm is perfect), drop in about four spoons of cooking oil (can replace with lard), add one spoons of chopped garlic, chicken strips (200g), squid (200g) and shrimps (200g). Simmer until cooked, should take approximately two to three minutes on high heat. Add yu choy, I like vegetables, so I put in quite a bit of the greens. Cover the wok with a lid if needed and do not over cook the yu choy. Throw in some sliced fish cake (120g cake). Then, put the Shanghai noodle into the wok on top of everything in the wok. And do not stir yet, add about seven spoons of dark soy sauce, I prefer the Malaysian type dark soy sauce (dark caramel), a spoon of chicken essence and a pinch of salt. And then, start stirring and mixing until evenly colored. Leave the noodle to simmer once in a while in between stirring. This noodle cuisine is best, most tastiest and flavourful when served hot. So, quickly transfer to a serving plater.

Cantonese Noodle Cuisine

And the second Cantonese noodle cuisine I cooked up for the friends was the What Tan Hor. This time I added some rice stick too. So is now the yin yong cuisine. instead of what tan hor. For this cuisine, I have to prepare the noodles separately from the gravy. The rice stick were deep fried in a pot of cooking oil, then drained off the cooking oil. The hor fun (500g) was stir fried in the wok with two spoons of cooking oil and a spoon of dark soy sauce.

Once the noodles are ready they are put aside in the serving platers. Remember to place the rice sticks at the bottom and the hor fun on top of it.

What Tan Hor

Next, would be the gravy that goes over the noodles. In a hot wok, add in four spoons of cooking oil or lard, two spoons of chopped garlic, chicken strips (200g), squid (200g) and shrimps (200g). Stir and simmer until cooked. Then, add water (you decide to the amount). I like to have lots of gravy, so I put in about one litre. Once the water is in the wok, add two spoons of chicken essence, salt for taste and some vegetable (yu choy or cabbage). Wait until boil, add corn starch, stir well and turn off the heat. The corn starch is to slightly thicken the broth. Quickly pour in the beaten eggs (three eggs) into the broth to further thicken and flavour it.

Pour the gravy, when it is still hot onto the noodles in the serving platers. Like the Tai Lok Mean cuisine, this Cantonese cuisine is best served when it is still hot and warm. Enjoy.