Shrimp roe noodles (蝦子麵; pronounced as “ha ji mian” in Cantonese) originated in Macau and is also available in Hong Kong. This is my must-eat dish whenever I visit these two places.
I was fortunate to get my hands on bottles of dried shrimp roe powder (after searching high and low) on my previous Hong Kong trip. Next time you are in Hong Kong, do look out for this prized ingredient to make this dish, as it’s not sold in Singapore (at least to my knowledge).
In this recipe, the seasonings are minimal – only lard or shallot oil, soy sauce and shrimp roe powder! That is because the shrimp roe powder is already salty on its own, and full of umami flavour. This is almost as easy as making instant noodles! You can eat the noodles on its own, serve it with a simple vegetable side dish or wonton soup.
For the longest time, I was unable to find the thin strands of wonton noodles (pictured above) that are characteristic of the ones served in Macau and Hong Kong. The ones sold in Singapore supermarkets are of the thicker variety. I accidentally stumble upon these fine wonton strands when I was buying my mooncake making supplies at Kwong Cheong Thye. I felt like I had won the lottery XD
Remember to toss to coat the noodles thoroughly in the shrimp roe powder before tucking in.
Toasting the shrimp roe powder in a dry pan just before serving draws out the aromatic umami flavour of the shrimp roe.