Sunday 18 August 2013

Braised Pork Trotters Bee Hoon


The other day I was reading about the SK-II Facial Treatment Mask at Shirley's Luxury Haven. Shirley (I assume it is you Shirley, can't be too sure with the mask on) looked so relaxed soaking in the tub with bubbles modestly covering her up to her chin. I can't afford this SK-II stuff, which many women swear by. But I have tried the Cosway face mask courtesy of my mum. I find it very refreshing and cooling and it does leave your skin feeling hydrated and soft.


However, if you are putting on the mask at night, please be careful. Especially if you are short sighted like me. One evening, after taking off my contact lenses, I put on the face mask. It is this wet white thing with holes cut out for eyes, nose and mouth so that you can see, breathe and talk (or eat?).  After putting on the mask, I decided to read and put on my glasses. 

After settling on my bed for 10 minutes, I decided to get up to get something from my dressing table. And I almost fainted. Looking back at me was this white faced woman with messy hair and thick specs. That was me in the mirror and I had forgotten that I had my face mask on. LOL! What a major fright! I did look rather ghastly - white face with cut out eyes, nose and mouth with a shock of messy hair. My specs made it even scarier. And it didn't help that I love watching horror flicks like the Japanese movie, Slit Mouthed Woman. So, please yah? Don't frighten yourself or worse, your husband or your kids :) 



What has all this got to do with today's dish? I read an article here that says pig's trotters are an anti-aging food due to it's collagen content. I don't know how true that is but for those of us who love our trotters, it is cause for celebration. My Mum and I are smiling from ear to ear. If there ever was two of the biggest pig trotter fans, it's us mother and daughter. My mum and I love pork belly too, the fattier the better :)

Anyway, speaking of pork trotters, my auntie once told me that it is nice to fry bee hoon with canned pork leg. I am not too keen on canned food except for baked beans, tuna and the occasional green peas or button mushrooms. I absolutely abhor canned chicken curry, so of course I was skeptical.



Then I saw Annie's Pig Trotters Bee Hoon and shortly after Alvin's Braised Pig Trotters Bee Hoon. Both my friends described this dish as "Heavenly" and one of them (you know who) does all this fine dining dishes like Sous Vide Duck Breast with Balsamic Honey Sauce and if he says canned pork trotters bee hoon is heavenly, then you better pay attention.


I bought two cans of this after tasting the yummy bee hoon.
It so happened that I was at the pork shop with my partner and he picked up a can of Narcissus braised pork belly (they have all sorts even braised pork ribs) and he told me his mum used to fry bee hoon with canned pork and it was delicious. That was the deciding factor for me. The following weekend, I cooked us a big wok of braised pork belly bee hoon, a first for me. It was delicious! And I am now a believer. I have a feeling my mum and my auntie will ask me to cook this bee hoon for them this weekend :) By the way, the pickled green chillies are on standby in the fridge, just in case.










Braised Pork Trotters Bee Hoon
Recipe source : Chef and Sommelier
Serves 4
(My adaptations and notes in red)

Ingredients :
- 1 packet bee hoon (400g)
- 2 cans Narcissus pork leg with mushrooms (I used the canned pork belly because that was what my partner bought)
- 300g chye sim 
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced (I used 6 cloves)
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil (I used more than 1 tablespoon)

Sauce ingredients :
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (I used 2 tablespoons light soya sauce because my partner does not like oyster sauce)
- 3 tablespoons dark soya sauce
- 2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce (I used 2 tablespoons)
- pepper
- 500ml chicken stock or hot water (I just added as much water as needed to braise the bee hoon)

Method :

1. Soak bee hoon in water until softened, about 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Mix all ingredients for the sauce. Stir well and set aside.
3. Heat up oil in wok and stir fry the garlic until fragrant without browning.
4. Empty the cans of pork trotters into the wok.
5. Keep frying and break up the trotters into bite sizes.
6. Pour in the sauce mixture, turn up heat and bring to a boil.
7. Add the bee hoon and stir well to ensure the noodles are well coated with the braising liquid.
8. Cover the wok with a lid and braise the noodles on high heat for about 10 minutes or until noodles are cooked.
9. In between, give the noodles a slight toss to ensure even braising throughout.
10. Do not allow the gravy to dry up. Add hot water as required.
11. Just before noodles are cooked, add the vegetables and mix well.
12. Continue braising until both noodles and vegetables are cooked.
13. Sprinkle home made crispy fried shallots over the noodles (I was too lazy to fry the shallots but will not miss this step when I cook this again).

62 comments:

  1. Yum-Yum so better cook for us to eat I haven't eaten this for a long time special request form your Ee

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    1. Wah! Cepatnya! OK, EE I will cook this Sunday.

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  2. Hi Phong Hong
    Slurrrrrrpppppp! Drooling.......

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  3. Yum! My mom also fry bee hoon using this brand of pork trotters! She will add the sauce inside also, super delish! Hahaha I laughed at your mask experience, heh I also wear a mask with specs... haha super unglam!

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    1. Jasline, one day I should take a photo of me with my mask and specs on hah! hah!

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  4. Hahaha I like scaring Frank with my face mask on. It's always hilarious. I am a fan of SKII, then again it's like what they say, whatever works for you. SKII is indeed expensive so I switch products sometimes except for the miracle water (my face deteriorates quickly if I don't use it daily); I never tried canned pork trotters before, looks actually pretty good! I will keep this recipe in mind.

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    1. Kelly, you must try the canned pork with bee hoon! The canned pork on its own is just so so to me but tastes great when fried with bee hoon. I guess Frank is now used to the mask :)

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  5. Hi Phong Hong,
    We used the canned pork belly to fry bee hoon too, everything from the can goes in! It is delicious! I love eating it with chilli padi, see yau and a squeeze of lime, delish! But OMG, the canned pork belly is so fatty and sinful! No wonder it is so good! Hahaha! Now you are making me crave for this all over again!

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    1. Joyce, I am so slow to discover this delicious canned pork bee hoon hah! hah! Will cook some more this weekend and will try your chilli padi, lime and see yau dip. Can't wait!

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  6. Haha your story about the face mask made me laugh! My hubby always laughs whenever I put my face mask on, so one day I asked him to put one on too. Then we took a photo of both of us in our face masks. Both of us look so silly, but we had a great laugh! :D

    Great looking meehoon dish! Yay to the collagen in pork trotters.

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  7. I have eat this before but according to your description, i thinks this totally good enough and yummy. Have to try this.

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    1. xing hui, I think your two boys will love it!

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  8. Oh, I have been eating this since I was a little girl. Very easy to cook and delicious! I love to add some bean sprouts into it to feel the crisp :)

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    1. Ann, that is a good idea! I will add bean sprouts too the next time I fry this bee hoon.

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  9. After I put on the mask, usually i sleep for a while...hahaha...so I think some one will be afraid to see me...

    Anyway, this bee hoon is yummy! My mum like this as well.

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    1. Jozelyn, the mask is so cooling. Ya lah, would be nice to sleep with it but I am sacred that when I wake up I can't find the mask. Might go under the pillow hee..hee...

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  10. Nice!!! I like!!! But I use stewed pork (belly slices) at times though I would prefer pork ribs - more meat, less fat. Yummmm!!!!!

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  11. PH hahahah so funny on the mask incident! My gal used to object me putting mask infront of her, she said like ghost lol. I like braised pork trotters bee hoon, I eat it since young and always is my comfort food. Now I cook occasionally, although is unhealthy but just cannot resist the temptation.

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    1. Jess, once in a while it is OK lah to eat this. I can eat two plates in one sitting hee..hee...

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  12. Phong Hong, your dish is so creative. Never thought that can eat pork trotter with bee hoon woh, yum. It's a shame that I have come so late, must all be "Sapu habis" lah!

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    1. Jessie, so many people have eaten it and myself now only discovered it. Eh, you haven't tried this yet? Next time if you can get the canned pork, you must cook with bee hoon. Very yum!

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  13. Wow Phong Hong! I'm so glad that you gave this recipe a try! Ok, give us your feedback when you next use the original Narciccus canned pork trotters!!! You will cry eating this!! Hahaha...

    Be warned, this is addictive!

    PS: If you want the extra kick, cut some red hot chilli padi into soya sauce to go with the bee hoon. Heaven! :D

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    1. Alvin, I am very happy with this dish. Never too late to discover something that so many people have already enjoyed over the years. Oh, you bet I will have it with red hot cili padi this weekend!

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  14. this Sunday?? right, what is your address again?? I m soooo going to gate crash!!

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    1. Cousin, you are back in Malaysia? Come, come! Get my address from kor-kor. I can't publish it here, nanti everybody show up, habis cerita!

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  15. Hi Phong Hong, most people love this. I prefer using the canned spare ribs [less bones]. My mum and MIL cook this very often.

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    1. Kimmy, I will try with spare ribs next time. I never knew that canned pork can make the bee hoon so tasty!

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  16. This looks really delicious! With the pork trotters, I am sure it is very flavourful!

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    1. Mich, I enjoyed the bee hoon very much!

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  17. Hi Phog Hong, I also like to fry bee-hoon with canned pork but I like to use stew pork-ribs (红烧排骨)because I find it has more meat and not so oily. And I must cook porridge to eat along with the bee-hoon, otherwise my family members will make alot of noise. Being a mother is not so easy ya?

    Like your bee-hoon, it looks yum yum.

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    1. Veronica, mothers are so obliging :) I will try it with the stewed pork ribs next time. I am in love with this bee hoon :)

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  18. Waa can spare a plateful ah? I love this dish, but now nobody fry for me already...got to do it myself so lazy:p

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    1. Jeannie, don't be so lazy lah...hee..hee...very easy one!

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  19. hi dear....just drop by to say helloooo....:)

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    1. Helloooo....Kak Q! Sorry, non-halal post :) Glad that you are back!

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  20. Wow...YUMMY !!!! Next time i also want to try this "heavenly" dish :)

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    1. Esther, must try! Easy to cook too :)

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  21. Hi Phong Hong, what a coincidence! I cooked this for lunch yesterday too. Have been eating this braised pork trotters bee hoon for more than 10 years liao. All my family members love this esp my hubby. Still smiling to myself while typing this comment; indeed what a coincidence........... hahaha...

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    1. Wah, really! Ivy, most people seem to have eaten this dish since their childhood. I am so slow to discover it but better late than never!

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  22. This is nostalgic, been a long time since i had this. I should make this for my son to try one day :)

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    1. Yes, I am sure your son would love it!

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  23. Waa.... this looks so sedap! I want this for breakfast! YUMMY!

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    1. Kit, can you get canned pork trotters at your place? If can, then you should cook this bee hoon. Sedap!

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  24. Oh yeah, I have heard about the raving on this pork trotter bee hoon.

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  25. Hi Phong Hong, I need a big plate of your delicious bee hoon. :)) Ya, it's true pig skin is an anti aging food cos it contain collagen but don't over indulge. :)

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    1. Amelia, I will also give you lots of cili padi to go with the bee hoon! Love pork trotters, but don't worry, I won't eat too often :)

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  26. I totally missed your super awesome bee hoon dish, while I was stressed out all last week, not posting...not commenting to anyone! Like I said, I love everything you make and would love to learn how to make your authentic yummy dishes, just by 'hands on'...watching you make them!

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    1. Elisabeth, hope that you are more relaxed now though I know you are still recovering. Thank you for your compliments, you really make my day!

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  27. Hahaha... phong hong ...luckily i not taking any drink when i read this .. may b u should share ur photo with mask.... :p
    Btw, i like this bihun very much . Will try it one day later.

    Diver in ur blog, CP

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    1. Hi CP! Yah, this coming Haloween I might tayang my mask photo. Guarantee you all cannot sleep at night. Please try the bee hoon but you must also have fried shallots to give more oomph!

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  28. haha..did you scare your husband too with your ghost face? i also eat while the mask in on..so boring putting the mask for so long..

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    1. Hah! Hah! I was alone at that time :)

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  29. Hey PH, thks so much for linking up! Your story is hilarious, it's certainly nice to beat the Monday blues. It's really wonderful reading this post cause my energy is all drained out due to the recent home make-over sponsored by Nippon Paint. It's finally over yesterday! Phew! Super tiring with so many people in & out of my house every day........

    Guess what? I cooked this dish for the party too yesterday! This is one of my fave home-cooked meals & I'd written a post on it probably 2 yrs ago. Next time, you try it with rice. It's yummy too!

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    1. Hi Shirley, wow, your house must be very beautiful and brand new by now! I guess it was worth the hassle :) Yeah, I will try the pork trotters with rice. I am sure I would love it!

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