Hae Mee (Prawn Mee Soup)

http://asiarecipe.com/

Serves : 12

Ingredients:

• 625 g (22 oz) medium-sized prawns
• 170 g (6 oz) pork fat
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 4.5 litres (8 pints) water ]
• 625 g (22 oz) pork ribs, cut into pieces ]
• 1 pig's tail, cut into pieces ]
• 310 g ( 11 oz) lean pork ]
• 2 teaspoons salt ] = [A]
• 2 teaspoons sugar ]
• 2 teaspoons msg ]
• 1 tablespoon peppercorns ]
• 2 tablespoons light soya sauce ]
• 2 teaspoons dark soya sauce ]
• 1 tablespoon crispy shallots
• 45 5 g ( 16 oz) bean sprouts
• 310 g ( 11 oz) water convolvulus, cut into long pieces
• 625 g (22 oz) fresh yellow noodles
• 310 g ( 11 oz) rice vermicelli , scalded

Directions:

• Wash and drain prawns. Remove heads and keep aside.
• Cut pork fat into small cubes and fry in pan till brown . Remove to a bowl .
• Stir-fry prawn heads with 2 tablespoons oil for five minutes till colour turns red . Set aside in a bowl, for soup.
• Cook unshelled prawns for 2 minutes in basin with 4.5 litres water. Remove prawns, shell and slice into halves, lengthwise.
• Return prawn shells to saucepan, add [A] and prawn heads. Cook over a very high heat for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and let soup simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Strain soup. Return pork ribs and tail to soup.
• Slice lean pork and set aside.

Garnish:

• 55 g (2 oz) crispy shallots
• Lard Oil ? I haven't tried this. If you do, let me know how it goes...
• Crispy cubed pork fat
• Pepper
• 5 red chillies, sliced thinly
• 5 green chillies, sliced thinly
• Light soya sauce

Directions:

• Boil a saucepan of water.
• Dip a handful of bean sprouts, water con- volvulus, noodles, and rice verrniceili in the boiling water, using a wire-mesh ladle. Drain and place in bowl .
• Add boiling soup and a few pieces of pork ribs , tail , sliced lean pork and sliced prawns to each bowl .
• Garnish with crispy shallots, lard-oil and crispy fat cubes. Sprinkle with pepper. Serve with sliced chillies and light soya sauce .

Note:
Only very fresh prawns make a sweet soup.