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This is one quick dish that you can prepare for an easy lunch – the Chee Cheong Fun (豬腸粉). It is literally translated as pork intestine noodles in Chinese because the rice noodle rolls resemble to pork chitterlings. The rice noodles are traditionally made with rice flour mixture, spread a thin layer on a cheese cloth, steam to become a thin layer of noodle then roll it up, similar to pork chitterlings.  

Back home, there was always an old uncle riding a motorbike with big mobile food cart on the bike, calling out “Chee Cheong Fun” around my neighborhood. My family always couldn’t resist not to order from the uncle. The specialty for the Chee Cheong Fun in my hometown, Klang and Kuala Lumpur is the additional ingredients such as the stuffed tofu/vegetables (釀豆腐), meat balls, bean curds are added to compliment the dish. In different area like Penang, the rice noodle are served as simple as mixing it just with shrimp paste.

For a home made plate of Chee Cheong Fun, you can easily buy the fresh rice noodle from the Asian market, add in ready made ingredients such as some meat balls, fish cakes and tofu. Cut the rice noodles and all ingredients into small bites. Add some hoisin sauce, chili and seasoning, mix it well and there you go a big plate of fancy Chee Cheong Fun.

Ingredients:

Fresh rice noodle rolls (plain or with shrimp)
Pork meat balls
Fish cakes
2 tbsp Hoisin sauce
2 tsp Soy sauce
1tsp Sriracha Chili sauce (depends on hotness)
Few drips of Sesame oil
Few dashes of Sesame seeds

Serve 4 people

Cooking Method:

1. Steam or microwave the fresh rice rolls to reheat. Cut the rice noodles into bite sizes.
2. Cut the pork balls, fish cakes (and other stuffed vegetables or tofu if preferred) into bite sizes.
3. Combine the seasoning, adjust based on preferred taste. Mix it with rice noodles and the ingredients.
4. Drizzle drips of sesame oil and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top.

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Have you ever tried those over-sized pork meat balls? It is a popular Shanghainese dish which is called the “Lion’s Head Meat Balls”. The reason for naming them the “Lion’s Head” is because of the meat balls are made in huge size, about 7-10 cm (3-4 inch) resemble the lion’s heads based on the Chinese legend, while the cabbages look like the lion’s mane.

I like how the meat ball is combined with seasoning and the water chestnut for the extra crunchiness. This time I’ve put in some pan fried tofu into the soup for an extra variety of vegetable in the pot.

Ingredients:
For the meat ball:
1 pound ground pork
1 egg (beaten)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup water chestnuts (finely chopped)
1 tsp ginger (minced)
1 green onion (chopped)
1 tsp garlic (minced)
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp rice wine
1/2  tsp sesame oil
pepper to taste
2 tbsp cornstarch (dissolve in water)
1/2 cup oil (to fry the meat ball)

For the Soup:
1 pound napa cabbage (cut into 1 inch piece)
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp garlic
2 1/2 cup of water or  chicken broth
2 green onions (cut into 5cm)
1 6cm ginger (sliced)
1/4  cup of soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
4 pan fried tofu (cut into triangles)

Cooking Method:

1. Combine the ground pork with salt, sugar and egg, mix evenly. Add the water and mix the ground pork til the meat fully absorb the water.
2. Combine the mixed ground pork with ingredients of water chesnut, green onions, garlic, ginger and seasoning of soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil and pepper.
3. Form the ground pork mixture into large meat balls, use the dissolve cornstarch rub at meat balls to shape into rounds.
4. Heat oil over medium heat to fry the meatballs until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.
5. Heat 1 tbsp oil over medium in a soup pot, brown garlic til fragrant. Add napa cabbage stir fry until wilted.
6. Pour the water or broth into the pot, add the green onions, ginger, soy sauce and sugar. Bring to boil.
7. Add the meat balls and tofu, simmer for 30 minutes.
8. Ready to serve.