Char Kway Teow

Soak the dried flat rice noodles (400 g) in hot but not boiling water for 15 minutes, until the strands turn soft and pliable. Drain well in a colander.

In a bowl, combine light soy sauce (3 tbsp), dark soy sauce (1 tbsp), oyster sauce (2 tbsp), sugar (1 tsp), ground white pepper (0.5 tsp) and sambal chili paste (1 tbsp, use less for a milder heat) — stir until the sugar dissolves.

Heat a wok or a large heavy-bottomed pan over high heat until it just starts to smoke. Pour in 2 tbsp oil, add the minced garlic (4 cloves) and stir-fry for 10-15 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to let it burn.

Add the peeled prawns (300 g) and the thinly sliced Chinese sausage (120 g). Stir-fry over high heat for 2 minutes, until the prawns turn pink, then push everything to the sides of the wok.

Pour the remaining oil (1 tbsp) into the cleared center, add the drained noodles, pour the prepared sauce over them and stir-fry over the highest heat for 2-3 minutes, tossing and turning vigorously with a spatula, until the noodles soak up the sauce and develop light charred spots.

Clear a small space at the side of the wok, crack in the eggs (2), let them set for 15 seconds, then roughly scramble and toss them through the noodles along with the rest of the wok's contents.

Remove the wok from the heat, quickly add the bean sprouts (250 g) and the garlic chives (50 g) cut into 3 cm lengths. Toss for just a few seconds in the residual heat — the sprouts and chives should stay crisp.

Taste, season with salt if needed, and serve immediately on hot plates while the noodles still carry that distinctive smoky "wok hei" aroma.