Tjauw Min with Char Siu

Tjauw min is the Surinamese-Chinese variant of Chinese chow mein. Chow mein doesn't mean much more than fried noodles. The Surinamese-Chinese tjauw min was created by many Chinese living in Suriname, and so it has both a Surinamese and a Chinese flavor. Tjauw min in Suriname is made in several ways - every household has its own secret additions. One puts trassi in, another celery, or spaghetti or another type of noodle is used, and so on. This is, of course, my recipe. I don't like too many superfluous garnishes in my tjauw min. My golden rules are: season it well, keep a balance of flavors and use at most 1 or 2 types of meat. The less fuss, the better. I also don't put celery in my tjauw min, because celery can quickly overpower and undermine the beautiful Chinese flavors. Eat them and enjoy the recipe!

Method:

1. First thaw the char siu if you are using the ready-to-eat version. Put it in the fridge the night before if you know you'll be making tjauw min the next day.
2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Cook the tjauw min al dente for about 8-10 minutes. Pour the tjauw min into a colander and rinse under cold running water. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons sunflower oil, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce and 1 tablespoon light soy sauce over the tjauw min and mix carefully with your hands. This step is important so the noodles don't stick together and to already give flavor and color, especially through the dark soy sauce. Drain well and set aside.
3. Place the char siu on the cutting board and cut it into thin diagonal slices, as you would slice meat, and set aside.
4. Cut off the ends of the pak choi and then cut into large pieces. Put the pak choi in a colander, wash under the tap and drain well. Set aside.
5. Peel and chop the ginger, garlic and Madam Jeanette pepper. Finely chop the onion as well.
6. Heat 8 tablespoons oil in a wok or large pan and stir-fry the ginger, garlic, Madam Jeanette pepper and onion over fairly high heat until everything smells delicious. Add the chicken stock cubes, oyster sauce, Chia Fan Rice Chiew, 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce, 2 tablespoons light soy sauce, Chinese five-spice powder, ground white pepper and sugar and stir-fry everything for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Then add the char siu and stir-fry for about 1 minute.
7. Now pour the tjauw min into the wok, mix everything well and stir-fry for about 1 to 2 minutes. Only at the very end add the pak choi and stir well so it stays crisp. Cook everything for about 1 minute.
8. Taste and season with additional salt and ground white pepper to taste. Remove the tjauw min from the heat and sprinkle with sesame oil.
9. Serve hot with sweet-and-sour cucumber in vinegar.