Hed Chef: Seafood white beehoon

The craze for seafood white beehoon has not abated.

If you want a one-dish meal that is substantial for a dinner party for four to six, this is it.

Be generous with the seafood, and pair the dish with wine. I would go for Sancerre or Pinot Noir for this.

The secret to turning bland beehoon into a seafood success lies in a robust stock. I threw in soy beans to up the "oomph" factor.

The quantities of the ingredients for the stock in this recipe should render around two litres. Store the remainder in the freezer for use another time.

INGREDIENTS

For seafood stock:

• 750g fish bones
• ¼ tsp Chinese rose wine
• 3 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 5 litres water
• 3 tbsp oil
• 50g ginger, sliced
• 11 garlic cloves (80g), whole with skin on and lightly bruised
• 150g ikan bilis
• 200g fresh clams
• 100g soy beans (soaked for an hour)

For seafood white beehoon:

• 5 tbsp oil
• 5 garlic cloves (35g), chopped
• 200g dried beehoon, soaked and softened
• 1 tsp salt
• 6 prawns (300g)
• 1 squid (150g), cut into 3cm by 4cm pieces
• 400g fresh clams
• 1 litre seafood stock
• 2 napa cabbage leaves, cut into 5cm pieces
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 2 tbsp seafood stock
• 1 to 2 tbsp cognac (optional)
• 30g Chinese celery, sliced into 1.5cm pieces

METHOD

1. In a deep dish, place fish bones. Add Chinese rose wine and Shaoxing wine to marinate fish. Cover and chill in refrigerator for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, bring four litres of water to boil in a large pot. Bring another litre of water to a boil in another pot.

3. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a wok. Fry ginger slices until fragrant and add garlic cloves. Fry for a minute. Add fish bones.

4. Fry until fish bones are semi-opaque in colour. Add ikan bilis.

5. Continue to cook until fish bones are cooked through.

6. Pour the 1 litre of boiling water into the wok. Stir and allow mixture to come to a boil.

7. Transfer the mixture into the large pot containing four litres of boiling water.

8. Add the clams and soy beans.

9. Boil on high heat, covered, for 20 minutes. Lower heat to medium, and continue to boil, covered, for 40 minutes.

10. Using a metal sieve lined with muslin cloth, filter the stock. Retain the stock. Discard the boiled ingredients.

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a clean wok. Fry a quarter of the chopped garlic until fragrant and add the beehoon.

2. Fry the beehoon and season with 1 teaspoon of salt. Continue frying for 2 minutes and set aside.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the wok and fry another quarter of the garlic until fragrant. Add in prawns and fry until half-cooked. Add in squid. Fry for 30 seconds and remove from the heat. Set aside.

4. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and fry the remaining garlic until fragrant. Add the clams. Fry for a minute and add the 1 litre of seafood stock.

5. Add in napa cabbage. Allow mixture to come a boil and continue cooking until clams begin to open.

6. Add in beehoon, prawns and squid.

7. Allow mixture to come a simmering boil. Season with salt.

8. Add in the beaten egg gradually, stirring it into the mixture.

9. In a small bowl, mix 2 teaspoons of cornflour and 2 tablespoons of seafood stock. Add this to wok, stirring it into the gravy.

10. Let mixture come to a simmering boil. Add in the cognac, and give mixture a quick stir through.

11. Garnish with Chinese celery and serve immediately.