Book announcement + Singapore hawker marathon: Tai Hwa pork noodle

Ingredients

MUSHROOM SAUCE:
• 1/4 cup (12 grams) dried shitake mushroom powder (see instruction)
• 3 tbsp store-bought Swanson pork bone broth or chicken stock (see note *)
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 2 tbsp shaoxing wine (see note **)
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp extra dark soy sauce
• 1/2 cup store-bought pork stock or chicken stock
• 1 star anise
• 2 tsp apricot jam
• 1/2 tbsp molasses
• 1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 1/8 tsp ground allspice
• 2 tsp dashi granule
CHILI OIL:
• 3.5 oz (100 grams) red chili such as cayenne, goat horn or jalapeno
• 1 1/2 tbsp sichuan douban chili paste (see note ***)
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 1/2 cup canola oil
PORK CRACKLING AND ANCHOVY LARD:
• 2 oz (60 grams) fatty guanciale or pancetta, finely diced
• 2 oz (60 grams) solid pork fat, finely diced
• 3 fillets of anchovy in olive oil, drained
• 1 tbsp anchovy oil
BLACK VINEGAR ELIXIR:
• 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 1/3 cup lower-range balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 cup chinkiang vinegar (see note ****)
CREAMY PORK LIVER:
• 5.5 oz (160 grams) fresh pork liver
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
MINCED PORK/BAK CHOR:
• 1 lb/16 oz (450 grams) ground pork shoulder
• 1 1/2 tsp fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
TO FINISH:
• 12~18 store-bought/freezer shrimp wontons
• 6 cups store-bought Swanson pork bone broth or chicken stock
• 12 store-bought fish balls
• 6 portions (1 portion is about a handful) of fresh ramen noodles or egg noodles
• Finely diced scallions to garnish
• Ground white pepper to dust

Instructions

1. A FEW WORDS: This is my adaptation and personalized version of Tai Hwa's bak chor mee/pork noodle. The most major change I've made is the elimination of fried dried flounder because this is an ingredient difficult to source outside of Asia. But I have mimicked its flavor by browning anchovies and adding Japanese dashi granule to the sauce, and I think it's surprisingly successful.
2. MAKE MUSHROOM SAUCE: I want the deep flavor of dried shitake mushrooms without the physical trace, and therefore I'm grinding it into a powder. Break dried shitake mushrooms into small chunks with your hands, then grind it in a spice-grinder until powderized. If you don't have a spice-grinder, do this in the food-processor as finely as possible. In a non-stick pot, mix 1/4 cup of mushroom powder with 3 tbsp pork stock and canola oil into a thick paste. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture has turned crumbly and dark caramel in color. Add shaoxing wine, soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce and extra dark soy sauce, and cook for 30 seconds until the alcohol has evaporated. Add 1/2 cup pork stock, star anise, apricot jam, molasses, worcestershire sauce and ground allspice, and simmer for 10 minutes. At last, mix in the dashi granule until incorporated. If your mushroom powder is very coarse, you may have to strain the sauce through a fine sieve. Let sit for at least 2 hours before using, or can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and kept in an air-tight container in the fridge.
3. MAKE CHILI OIL: Remove the stems of the chili and cut into large pieces. Add the chili, douban chili paste, garlic and canola oil into a blender and blend until smoothly pureed. Transfer the mixture into a non-stick pot, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until most of the moisture has evaporated, and the oil has turned dark red in color. Let sit for at least 2 hours before using, or can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and kept in an air-tight container in the fridge.
4. MAKE PORK CRACKLING AND ANCHOVY LARD: I'm using a mixture of fresh pork fat and cured pork fat for a good balance in saltiness and aroma. When buying guanciale or pancetta, try to find the fattiest piece available. If you cannot find fresh solid pork fat, simply trim it off of a piece of pork belly. In a non-stick pot over medium-low heat, cook the diced guanciale (or pancetta) until it has given out all its liquid fat and becomes browned and crispy bits. Leave the fat in the pot, but remove the crispy bits with a slotted spoon and set aside and reserve (cured pork fat cooks much faster than fresh pork fat so we're doing it separately). Now add the diced fresh pork fat and give it a stir. Partially cover the pot with a lid to prevent splattering, swirling it occasionally and cook until the the fat has turned into browned, dry and crispy bits as well. Add the reserved browned guanciale (or pancetta) back into the pot, along with fillets of anchovy and anchovy oil. Mash the anchovies with a wooden spoon until they have disintegrated into the lard and becomes deeply browned. Transfer immediately into a cool container. Set aside until needed.
5. MAKE BLACK VINEGAR ELIXIR: The element of vinegar is crucial in this dish. In a small pot, cook shaoxing wine and smashed garlic over medium heat until reduced in 1/2. Turn off heat and add balsamic vinegar and chinkiang vinegar. Set aside until needed.
6. PREPARE CREAMY PORK LIVER: Cut the pork liver into thin slices and place inside a large bowl. Fill the bowl with cold water, then gently massage the livers to release any excess blood. Pour the dirty water off and re-fill with clean water and massage again. Repeat this process until the water runs clean. Drain the livers well, then mix evenly with milk, baking soda and salt. Let soak for at least 1 hour before using.
7. PREPARE BAK CHOR/MINCED PORK: In a large bowl, mix ground pork shoulder (I prefer doing this myself in the food-processor until coarsely ground. It yields a better texture than commercially ground pork), fish sauce and white pepper. Let sit for 30 minutes before using.
8. TO ASSEMBLE: Heat 1" of canola oil in a small pot over medium-high heat, until it bubbles up immediately around an inserted wooden chopstick. Fry the shrimp wontons, without crowding the pot, until golden browned and crispy, then drain and set aside.
9. Bring a large pot of water to boil for cooking the noodles. In another large pot, add 6 cups of pork stock and fish balls, and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, in each serving bowls (the following measurement is for EACH serving), add 2 tbsp mushroom sauce, 1 tbsp chili oil, 1 1/2 tbsp crackling and anchovy lard, 1 tbsp black vinegar elixir. Set aside.
10. Cook the noodles in the boiling water until 80% cooked, then drain well and finish cooking them in the simmering pork stock until done. Drain the noodles and divide them into the serving bowls, along with 2 fish balls for each bowl, then immediately toss the noodle briefly in the sauce to combine.
11. Now submerge a large sieve into the pork stock, then add the minced pork into the sieve. Break it up with a wooden spoon and poach it until cooked through. Divide it into the serving bowls. Drain the pork livers well, then poach them in the pork stock for about 30 seconds until just cooked but still slightly pink and creamy, and divide them into the serving bowl.
12. Now add about 2 tbsp of the stock into each serving bowl to dilute the sauce. Garnish each bowl with diced scallion and dust with ground white pepper. Serve with more black vinegar elixir and diced fresh chili on the side. Serve the pork stock as a soup, garnished with scallions.

Notes