節瓜蝦米粉絲 (Chikua Ha Mai Fun) | Cantonese Hairy Gourd Glass Noodles

This is one of those simple Cantonese dishes I remember from my childhood. Soft hairy gourd braised with glass noodles and tiny dried shrimp until the noodles soak up all that savoury broth.

Mum calls it 大姨媽嫁女, and it’s the kind of old-school home cooking I want to remember, cook for my own children and keep passing down.

Ingredients:

• 1 hairy gourd (節瓜), also known as marrow green or chikua
• 1 bunch glass noodles
• 1 handful dried shrimp
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• A little oil, for frying
  

Seasoning:

• Sprinkle of salt
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• ½ tsp fish sauce
• Dash of chicken stock powder
• White pepper, to taste
• ½ cup water, if needed

Method:

1. Soak the dried shrimp in water until softened. Keep the soaking liquid.
2. Soak the glass noodles in water until softened, then drain.
3. Peel the hairy gourd and cut into batons.
4. Heat a little oil in a wok or pan. Sauté the garlic and rehydrated dried shrimp until fragrant.
5. Add the hairy gourd and toss briefly.
6. Pour in the reserved dried-shrimp soaking liquid, then add the glass noodles. Cover and braise for 2 minutes.
7. Season with salt, light soy sauce, fish sauce, chicken stock powder.
8. If it looks a little dry, add up to ½ cup water. Cover again and braise for another 2 minutes, or until the hairy gourd is tender and the noodles are cooked through and have absorbed the broth.
9. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
10. Finish with a sprinkling of white pepper and serve hot.