Bak Chor Mee (肉脞面), a very Singaporean Bowl of Noodles

Step 1

Place the mushrooms in a large bowl with the hot water.

Step 2

Cool to room temperature, cover with clingfilm and place in the fridge overnight.

Step 3

Marinate the mince, meat slices and the liver in 3 separate bowls, cover with clingfilm and place in the fridge overnight.

Step 4

Place the water, meat bones, spring onions (scallions), black peppercorns, star anise petal and salt in a stockpot or large saucepan and bring to boil.

Step 5

Lower the heat right down and simmer for 1 hour, removing any scum that surfaces.

Step 6

At the end of the hour, drop the dried anchovies in, stir and simmer for 15 minutes.

Step 7

Take off the heat and strain into a clean saucepan and leave to simmer at the lowest heat on the saucepan if you're ready to serve the bak chor mee. If not, keep it aside and reheat when needed.

Step 8

As soon as you're done starting the soup, move on to the mushrooms. Place the mushrooms and its soaking liquid in a saucepan and add all the other ingredients: 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 Tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp black vinegar and 1 tsp sugar.

Step 9

Bring to boil, then lower heat right down and simmer for 1 hour.

Step 10

When done, pour into a clean bowl, leaving any sediment behind.

Step 11

Make sure your soup is simmering away.

Step 12

Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil and cook the noodles in the simmering water following the packet instructions. Dried egg noodles will usually take about 4 minutes but each brand will be different. If you have fresh noodles, this will only take about 1 minute.

Step 13

Drop the beansprouts in with the noodles in the last 30 seconds, just to scald. Drain and set aside.

Step 14

It's best to prepare each bowl at a time, moving forward. Divide the minced meat, meat slices and liver into 4 small bowls and top with a generous ladle of the simmering soup, stirring slightly to break up the minced pork/chicken. Set aside. This step will semi cook the meat.

Step 15

Make the sauce now in each large serving bowl.

Step 16

Divide the noodles and beansprouts amongst the 4 bowls with sauce.

Step 17

Mix the noodles, beansprouts and sauce well.

Step 18

Drop your meat and fishballs into the simmering soup.

Step 19

Place individual portions (one bowl) of the minced meat, meat slices and liver into a deep skimmer or heatproof fine sieve and lower it into the simmering soup and cook for 1 minute, stirring the minced pork/chicken with chopsticks while still in the soup to break the clumps up.

Step 20

Top the noodles with the cooked meat. Do the same with the other 3 portions.

Step 21

Scoop out the meatballs and fishballs out of the soup and divide equally.

Step 22

If you would like your noodles a little wet, add a ladleful of the soup.

Step 23

Divide the stewed mushrooms equally amongst the 4 bowls, topping the noodles.

Step 24

Garnish with the crispy toppings, spring onions (scallions), lettuce leaves.

Step 25

I like to serve the noodles with a bowl of the leftover, deliciously flavoured soup and some chilli oil on the side.