Kat Kyi Kaik

Ingredients

Noodles

• 600 gfresh flat rice noodles, or 300 g dried

Seafood

• 200 gsquid, cleaned and sliced in rings
• 200 graw prawns, peeled
• 150 gfish cake, sliced

Aromatics

• 5 tbspoil
• 6garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1onion, sliced
• 1 tbspgrated ginger

Seasoning

• 3 tbspfish sauce
• 2 tbsplight soy sauce
• 1 tbspdark soy sauce
• 1 tspsugar
• 1 tspground white pepper
• 1/2 tspturmeric
• 1 tspchilli powder, to taste

To add

• 3eggs, beaten
• 200 gbean sprouts
• 4spring onions, cut in lengths
• a handful of Chinese chives

To serve

• lime wedges
• chilli flakes fried in oil
• coriander

Directions

1. Drain them and toss them with a teaspoon of oil to stop them sticking. Now the preparation, which must be finished before you start cooking. Slice the squid into rings and score the larger pieces lightly. Pat the prawns and squid completely dry on kitchen paper. Use the widest and heaviest pan or wok you have. Heat it over the highest heat until it is smoking.
2. Cook in two batches if your pan is not large. Add two tablespoons of oil and swirl it round. Add the prawns and squid and spread them out. Let them sit for thirty seconds before moving them. Stir-fry them for a minute until the prawns turn pink. Lift the seafood out onto a plate. Add the rest of the oil and then the garlic.
3. Stir it for fifteen seconds until it smells strong but is not brown. Add the sliced onion and ginger and stir-fry for a minute. Add the sliced fish cake and let it colour for a minute. Pour the beaten eggs into the empty side.
4. Let them set for twenty seconds, then break them up roughly. Fold them into the rest once they are just set. Now the noodles, which need room and heat.
5. Add the noodles and spread them across the pan. Let them sit for thirty seconds so they catch and blister. Toss everything together with tongs or two spatulas. Mix the fish sauce, both soy sauces, sugar, pepper, turmeric and chilli.
6. Pour the mixture around the edge of the pan rather than into the middle. It hits the hot metal and caramelises before it coats the noodles. Toss hard so every strand takes on colour. Return the seafood to the pan with any juices. Add the bean sprouts, spring onions and chives. Toss it for forty seconds only. The sprouts should stay crisp rather than wilting completely.
7. Taste a noodle and adjust the fish sauce if it needs it. Turn it out onto plates immediately. Serve with lime wedges and fried chilli flakes at the table.

Technique

• Warm fresh noodles before separating them, since cold ones break.
• Dry the seafood completely, or it steams instead of searing.
• Pour the sauce around the edge of the pan so it caramelises before coating.

Substitutions

• Dried flat rice noodles, soaked until pliable but not soft.
• Any firm white fish in place of fish cake.

Variations

• With chicken instead of seafood.
• Vegetarian, with tofu and mushrooms.
• With extra chilli, which is how it is often ordered.

History

A Rakhine dish that travelled to Yangon with coastal migrants and is now a night-market fixture.

Frequently asked questions

What is Kat Kyi Kaik?

Kat Kyi Kaik is a main from Myanmar: flat rice noodles fried with squid, prawn, egg and fish cake. A Rakhine dish that travelled to Yangon with coastal migrants and is now a night-market fixture.

How long does Kat Kyi Kaik take to make?

Kat Kyi Kaik takes 30 min of preparation and 20 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Kat Kyi Kaik?

Yes, within limits. Dried flat rice noodles, soaked until pliable but not soft. Any firm white fish in place of fish cake.

What is the most important thing to get right in Kat Kyi Kaik?

Drain them and toss them with a teaspoon of oil to stop them sticking. Now the preparation, which must be finished before you start cooking. Slice the squid into rings and score the larger pieces lightly. Pat the prawns and squid completely dry on kitchen paper. Use the widest and heaviest pan or wok you have. Heat it over the highest heat until it is smoking.