Rice noodles 200 g
Pumpkin 400 g (about 300 g once peeled and deseeded)
Dried shiitake 12 g
Dried shrimp 2 tbsp (about 15 g)
Pork lard 2 tbsp
Cheng Chi shallot sauce 2 tbsp (about 30 g)
Stock 2 cups (about 460 g)
Sugar 1 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Spring onion 1
White pepper a pinch
Method:
1. Soak the dried rice noodles in cold water for 30 minutes, then drain.
Soak the shiitake until soft and shred.
Peel and deseed the pumpkin and cut into small pieces.
Rinse the dried shrimp.
Rinse the spring onion and chop.
2. Heat the lard in a wok over a low heat and fry the dried shrimp, then the shiitake, until fragrant. Add the shallot sauce and fry briefly, then add the stock and the pumpkin straight away. Cover and cook over a medium-low heat for about 6 minutes, until the pumpkin is just softening.
3. Season with the sugar and salt, slightly on the salty side, to allow for the noodles to come.
4. Add the rice noodles and toss with a spatula and chopsticks. The golden broth will gradually be absorbed. Finish with white pepper and spring onion, stir through and plate up.
Note: soak the rice noodles and the shiitake first, then prepare everything else, and you will be at step 4 by the time the 30 minutes is up.
Adapted from: Victoria’s 66 foolproof, easy family recipes