Hokkien Mee

Remove and discard the skin from the pork belly.

Separate the pork fat from the meat, then dice the fat into small cubes or lardons.

Slice the pork meat into thin pieces; set the sliced meat and diced fat aside separately.

Cook the Hokkien noodles in boiling water until al dente (or cook udon noodles per package instructions).

Drain the noodles and set aside.

Mix the cornstarch with the water to make a cornstarch slurry; set aside.

Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high to high heat — cooking hot and fast is what gives KL Hokkien Mee its signature wok-charred, smoky flavor.

Add the diced pork fat and cook until it becomes crispy and golden, rendering the fat into pork lard (chu yau cha).

Remove the crispy pork lard from the oil and drain on paper towels; set aside — don't skip this, it's what gives the dish its crispy texture and rich, indulgent flavor.

Keep the rendered pork oil in the wok or skillet.

Add the sliced pork meat to the wok and cook until just browned.

Add the garlic and shrimp and stir-fry for about 30 seconds.

Toss in the Napa cabbage and cook for another 10 seconds.

Add the cooked noodles and give everything a quick toss.

Add the dark soy sauce and soy sauce and stir well to coat the noodles — the dark soy sauce also gives the dish its glossy, deep color, so adjust the amount to get the look you want.

Pour in the pork stock, sugar, ground white pepper, and half of the crispy pork lard; stir continuously to combine everything together.

Taste the sauce and add more soy sauce or sugar to your preference.

Add the cornstarch slurry and toss quickly to thicken the sauce so every strand of noodles is coated in the dark sauce — moving fast here keeps the noodles from getting soggy.

Dish out the noodles and top with the remaining crispy pork lard.

Serve the KL Hokkien Mee immediately with sambal on the side. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.