East Honolulu attorney Fred Hu loves to cook for his wife, Marie, their three grown children and his large family. One of his favorite dishes is char siu chow funn (Chinese rice noodles with marinated pork).
He kept experimenting until he achieved the flavor and texture he liked for this Cantonese classic. All the ingredients need to be ready because the actual cooking time on a hot wok goes by in minutes.
Hu says he gets the best texture for the steamed rice noodles (look funn) when he goes to Chinatown and buys it that morning. Older or stiffer noodles need to be soaked in hot water, then drained before cooking.
His recipe combines the perfect noodle texture with the sweetness of the char siu and the crunchiness of the barely cooked bean sprouts. His seasonings are Cantonese pantry standards: soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, white pepper and five-spice powder. Vegetables include garlic, ginger, and round and green onions. Simple garnishes of raw sesame seeds and Chinese parsley (cilantro) top the fresh noodles for color.
Char Siu Chow Funn
Ingredients:
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, substitute any neutral oil
• 1/2 medium onion, sliced from root to stem
• 1/2 cup green onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 2 sheets look funn noodles, sliced into 1/2-inch strips (about 4 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/16 teaspoon five-spice powder
• 1 tablespoon raw sesame seeds, divided
• 1/3 pound julienned char siu strips
• 1/2 pound bean sprouts
• Chinese parsley sprigs, for garnish
Directions:
Heat wok on high. Add oil, both onions and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add garlic and ginger, and cook 30 seconds. Add look funn noodles and sesame oil, and cook for 2 minutes. Flip the noodles after 1 minute.
Add soy sauce on the side of the wok. Flip look funn. Add oyster sauce, white pepper, five-spice and half of the sesame seeds. Flip and cook for 1 minute. Add char siu and flip for another minute. Add bean sprouts and flip for another minute. Garnish with remaining sesame seeds and Chinese parsley. Serve immediately.
Makes 3-5 servings.
Lynette Lo Tom has written three cookbooks and loves hearing about home cooks. Visit lynettecooks.com for more information.
