Coconut & Sambal

Lara Lee · Coconut & Sambal

I first tasted the Chinese-influenced dish of kwetiau in the city of Medan, North Sumatra, at the restaurant of Ibu Huey, a lady whose name means 'fire' in Chinese, and one which seems apt when watching the flames lick up the edge of her carbon-steel wok as she stir-fries. Standing in front of her restaurant in a leopard-print blouse and knickerbockers, she flash-fries to order, serving up steaming plates of flat rice noodles with slices of marinated pork, prawns and scrambled duck egg. A signature dish of Medan, this is one of my all-time favourite stir-fries, a dish I return to again and again.