Kaw Yay Khaut Swae

Noodle with Thick Starchy Soup ( Kaw Yay Khaut Swae)

This year, I went back to Burma and then transited in Singapore. I tried to have different kind of street food like Mont Hin Nga ( national food of Burma) at the different restaurant because of their different cooking style. Tried a lot of local favorites too.

But in Singapore, we always go for the local favorite food wherever it is available. As the country is more population has different nationalities, there is a vibrant array of food choices everywhere. In Singapore, the local " Lor Mee" noodle is quite similar to Burma's Chinese street food is hard to find in most of the food court. Instead, there is more variety of Vietnamese noodle store and Korean delight food stall are popular in the food court area. Maybe the market keeps on changing because of customers' choices and popularity. And the trend of food court culture also keeps on changing for the second generation as time goes by.

As for me, whatever the new generation fusion food may be selling, I always look for the local classic delight as I appreciate its value and classic tradition.

To be honest, I love the Noodle in Burmese way because of it's starchy soup and healthy ingredients in it. And the good thing about the noodle is spicy and very comforting.
The vegetables that we use in this noodle are water spinach and bean sprout that is only available at Asian groceries stores.

To my knowledge, this type of noodle is the native food from the southeastern part of Burma. Who knows we may have adopted from other countries and modified it to local taste. As we are sharing the same earth on this amazing planet.

For me, I appreciate all types of food that have their own beauty and individuality.

Noodle with Thick Starchy Soup ( Kaw Yay Khaut Swe - 8 serving)

Ingredients

1 bag   Wonton Noodle ( Flat Noodle preferable)
2 lb      Chicken, Pork or Duck ( with bone)
1/2 cup Garlic ( Finely Chopped)
1/2 cup Wood ear dried mushroom ( soak in water for 1 hr.)
3 tsp   Shrimp paste
2 tbsp   Ginger
1 tbsp   Thai Green Chili
1 tbsp   Lime juice
1 bunch Water Spinach
8 oz      Bean Sprout
3 tbsp   Soy Sauce ( Dark Thick)
2 tbsp   Soy Sauce ( light)
1 cup    Corn Starch
1 cup    Spring onion or chives
1 cup    Canola Oil
2 tbsp   Sugar
2 Tbsp  Salt
2 counts Egg

Instructions

1. In the 8qt pot, add the choice of meat add water to cover meat, soy sauce (light), 1 tbsp salt, sugar and let it boil for 30 minutes. ( For pork it may take a longer time to simmer).

2. Wood ear mushrooms(dried) should be soaked in water for overnight or for 1 to 2 hrs ahead of cooking.

3. Rinse the water spinach with lots of water 2-3 times. It may have sand.

4. In the skillet, heat the oil and fry the finely chopped garlic until golden brown to make garlic oil. Set aside and cool in the glass or ceramic bowl.

5. Cut the chives or spring onion into small slices and set aside.

6. Boil the wanton noodle in 8 QT pot and strain. Then rinse in the cold water.

7. After boiling the meat, take out the meat from the pot and separate the meat and bone.

8. Bones should be back to the soup pot and simmer for more hours to make sure to get good broth.

9. Put the starch in the small bowl then add 2 cups of water to stir thoroughly. Then pour it into the boiling broth. Then stir for 1 minute to make sure all the starch mixed in the broth.

10. Add dark soy sauce, sugar, add light soy sauce if we need for the taste.

11. Cut the meat into small pieces, stir in the fried garlic skillet and add a little salt and pepper.

12. Rinse the soaked mushroom 3-4 time with lots of water to clear the sand and other small particles. Then slice if the mushrooms are too big. Add it to the broth and stir. let it simmer for 15 minutes.

13. When the broth is boiling. Beat the eggs with a fork then pour into the boiling broth and stir quickly until the whipped eggs are opaque. Let the broth simmer for 30 more minutes.

14. To Prepare the noodle bowl, add the single portion into the bowl, add meat ( 1 tbsp), add garlic fragrant oil ( 1 tsp). add blanched water spinach and beansprout.

15. Pour the boiling meat broth ( about 2 cups) onto the noodle garnish with chives or spring onion.

16. It is optional to add the spicy shrimp paste to get the bold and spicy flavor.

Spicy Shrimp Paste

1. Wrap the shrimp paste with Aluminium foil and grill it on stove or toaster oven for 3-4 minutes.
2. In the mortar or pastel, add the green chili and 2 cloves of garlic and grilled shrimp paste.
3. scoop out into the bowl and squeeze fresh lime juice and stir. Add sugar and salt to adjust our own taste.