Char Kway Teow

Line every ingredient up beside the stove, prepped and within reach. Once the wok is hot this dish takes under four minutes and there is no time to chop anything.

Cook one portion at a time. Heat the wok over the highest flame you have until a drop of water vanishes on contact, then add half the lard.

💡 Doubling the batch is the single most common mistake. Two portions drop the pan temperature, the noodles steam in their own moisture, and you get soft grey noodles instead of smoky ones.

Throw in the garlic and sausage, stir 20 seconds, then the prawns. As soon as the prawns turn opaque add the chilli paste and let it fry for a few seconds until it smells sweet rather than raw.

Add the noodles and all three sauces. Now stop stirring: let the noodles sit against the metal for 15 to 20 seconds at a time, then toss, then let them sit again. Repeat three or four times.

💡 Wok hei comes from contact, not motion. Constant stirring never lets the noodles get hot enough to char — the pauses are where the flavour is made.

Push the noodles to one side, add the rest of the lard to the bare metal and crack in the eggs. Let them set for about 10 seconds, break them up roughly, then fold the noodles through.

Add the cockles, bean sprouts and chives, toss for 30 seconds only, and turn it straight onto the plate. Scatter the pork crisps and white pepper over the top.

💡 Sprouts and chives should still snap when you bite them. Thirty seconds is the whole window — past that they go limp and watery.