Jazz up huai shan noodles with eggs

Trying to save money and cut calories to gear up for the year-end holiday season?

Simple but delicious dishes can be jazzed up with eggs.

Here is a quick recipe for huai shan noodles with egg that uses economical ingredients but makes for a luxurious meal.

Eggs are a low-cost protein and the ultimate convenience food.

Instead of reaching out for instant noodles, amp things up with huai shan noodles, made from wheat and huai shan (Chinese wild yam) extract.

These are available in dried form and cost $3.50 a box at Joo Huat Trading (#02-222, 269A Queen Street). For the full list of retailers, visit www.nutrirainbow.com

The huai shan noodles take only two to three minutes to boil. Then give them a shot of sunshine in the form of a boiled egg with a jammy yolk.

For fibre, add a bunch of chye sim and top with sprigs of coriander and spring onion.

For added crunch, fry your own ikan bilis. For $2.30 each 100g, you can get a decent grade of ikan bilis that is not overly salty. Allow it to cool then store in an air-tight jar in the fridge. They should be able to keep for up to a month.

Watch this space on Dec 12 for the secret to cooking fried rice using freshly cooked rice.

HUAI SHAN NOODLES WITH EGG (SERVES FOUR)

INGREDIENTS

• 4 refrigerated eggs (63g each)
• 1 litre of water
• ½ tsp salt
• 50ml cooking oil
• 100g raw ikan bilis, rinsed
• 2½ litres of water
• 180g chye sim
• 4 pieces of dried huai shan noodles (87g a brick)
• 10g fresh coriander
• 1 stalk of spring onion, sliced

SEASONING

FOR EACH BOWL OF NOODLES

• 1 tbsp light soya sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• ½ tsp dark soya sauce
• Dash of ground white pepper
• 1 tbsp of crispy chilli

METHOD

1. Place eggs in a saucepan and pour in the water. The water should cover the eggs by 2½ cm.

2. Bring the water to a simmering boil.

3. Add salt. Turn the heat to low and continue to cook the eggs for four minutes.

4. Remove the eggs from the water and place in cool tap water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

5. In a frying pan, heat the cooking oil over medium heat.

6. Add the ikan bilis and fry over medium-low heat until brown.

7. Remove from the pan and place on kitchen paper to drain excess oil. Set aside.

8. Bring 1 litre of water to a boil.

9. Blanch the chye sim and set aside.

10. In each serving bowl, add the light soya sauce, sesame oil, dark soya sauce and white pepper.

11. Bring 1 1/2 litres of water to a boil.

12. Cook two bricks of the dried huai shan noodles at a time. Cook for two minutes. Drain and divide the noodles into the serving bowls.

13. Arrange the blanched chye sim on each bowl. Place 1 tablespoon of ikan bilis in each bowl. Peel and halve an egg for each bowl.

14. Add 1 tablespoon of crispy chilli for each bowl. Garnish with fresh coriander and spring onion.

15. Serve immediately.

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