By far, one of the most daring attempts I have made. One of the difficult things I have attempted to do. I did it. Hahahaha...Being a food critic, I love my food. I mean, who really doesn't? Now being a food critic doesn't necessarily add up to being a fussy eater. I am actually, quite 'cincai' when it comes to eating. (OK, I can hear some people going, REALLY?! :P) Just that I love to select the food that I love, doesn't mean that I'm fussy. For example, I love eating rice with just gravy, otherwise known as CHAP in hokkien. Yup, just some gravy from let's say, some chicken dish. No problemo. And also, the love to eat, doesn't necessarily add up to being a fussy eater. For example, I love hokkien noodles. Now, being the food lover, I'd just normally go to the outlets which sells the best hokkien noodles whether I'm in Seremban, KL, PJ, Penang or maybe even Melbourne. Which comes to me saying that, it's hard to find Hokkien Noodles in Melb. Well, not hard actually, just that I don't feel that what I have tasted so far is up to my liking. I love Hokkien Noodles/Mee which is firstly, cooked in lard (yessssssssss, i know, not healthy) and has to be black enough. So just 2 simple prerequisites of how it should taste like. So, since I can't or haven't found one nice enough to my liking, I just choose not to eat it at all. Being fussy?! Hehehehe.
So, I finally attempted to cook my favourite dish. Now this is my favourite dish and I am one of the biggest critics of Hokkien Mee! I never did try to cook it before, because I remember when I was working in the kitchen, one of the cooks told me that he's never dared to cook it, cos it's quite difficult to get it right. But I thought, let's try la. So, I just scoured the fridge and saw, well, one packet of uncooked Yellow Noodles, some cabbage and some leftover Malaikai/ Kampung Chicken/ Choy Yuen Kai. So I thought, ah what the heck. Let's try la. Now, my uncle cooks really good noodles too. Of course, his has a copyright and trademark. His is nice as well. So what's the secret recipe? The secret it, I had no recipe! I just saw those lying there so I thought, oh well. Let's try! So I attempted, put a little bit of this, a little bit of that, some this and some dark, extra dark sauce, simmer simmer simmer simmer...and of course I didn't have MSG and pork lard to spare....and....simmer and simmer and voila!
"I'm not sure why the top few strands look a bit reddish! But it was ultra-black, just the way I love it. Did manage to splash some dark sauce one my shirt while cooking though. Hehehe,"
I'd actually have to say that it was actually rather DELICIOUS! hahahaha. but seriously, it was pretty nice though. hehehe. OK la, i will stop blowing my own trumpet. and i'd really say that it is nicer than many many many many places I have tried and i do mean many many many many places. It's my favourite dish! So, according to legend, hahaha..."too much of how i met your mother"...Hokkien Mee cannot/should not be eaten piping hot. When the dish is served and its all hot, wait for it, wait for it, wait for it...to cool down, and then you whack it, all slimey! That's the best part. True story. Learned it from my grandfather and my aunt and my mom. I guess I do love cooking as much as I do love eating. Have always attempted to cook up all sorts of dishes, from hawker food to soups to Italian to Chinese food etc. My favourite is still of course, sharks fins soup and I once even made fishball noodles! hehehe. Of course I did have a lot of guinea pigs oh i mean, people who did share my love of eating as well! hehehe. Just kidding. Next time, I shall attempt it with some pork lard, prawns, squid and fishcakes. See how it turns out. Well, although I do seemed kinda bummed with sooooooooooooo many issues at the moment, I do take this small occasion and 'achievement', to wash down this nice plate of hokkien mee, with a nice hot glass of Pu Er tea...
