Add the eggy sandwich and pan-fry on one side for a minute or so until golden, then flip over and repeat on the other side. Hong Kong–style French toast is a cha chaan teng (tea restaurant) specialty – thick white bread spread with sweetened condensed milk and topped with even more of the sticky sweet milk. This recipe is inspired by the morning soba noodle ritual we came across in Tokyo – a seiro (bamboo tray) of cold soba noodles (best eaten this way to experience the true texture, flavour and aroma of the buckwheat), served with a dipping sauce and condiments on the side. When the day begins, it’s game on. It is not distinctly Chinese, nor Australian, but rather a third interpretation of the two cultures. The way I cook is, in many ways, third-culture cooking, a cross-pollination of ideas and techniques that are grounded in my Chinese heritage, yet greatly influenced by growing up in the western world. Dip the sandwich into the beaten egg, turning to coat both sides; allow the bread to sit in the egg until it soaks it all up. Growing up, I didn’t understand my mother’s elaborate morning feasts. For example, some Hong Kong cafés prefer using a filled milk variant, meaning it is not purely evaporated milk (as with most retail brands) but a combination of skimmed milk and soybean oil. Visiting Hong Kong again after decades of absence opened my eyes to many things, one of them being that my mum’s affection for milky sandwiches is actually a Hong Kong breakfast tradition. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Outside of Hong Kong, it is referred to as Hong Kong-style milk tea. (Alternatively, drain the noodles and place them in an ice bath. Benefits, Uses, & Recipes, 14 Tea Recipes You Can Easily Brew Up at Home, What Is Black Tea? Cha chow is milk tea prepared with condensed milk, instead of evaporated milk and sugar. I remember being intrigued by her morning ritual, and for many years, I thought sweetened condensed milk toast was her own personal quirk. My favourite is French toast that’s done Hong Kong style, usually glazed with honey, condensed milk, chocolate syrup or peanut butter. Top with a knob of butter and drizzle with the remaining condensed milk. Heat a small frying pan over medium heat, add a knob of butter and swirl it around to coat the base. Season with a small pinch of sea salt and serve immediately. I learned to make this dish as a teenager, when my mum was laid up with back problems, leaving me as the primary cook in the house.I’d never made congee before so my mother talked me through how to make savoury oats instead. Stir in sweetened, condensed milk. )When completely cold, drain again. Growing up, my mother always kept a little jug of condensed milk in the fridge (later, she introduced the tube of condensed milk, which became a permanent fixture in her fridge door), which she would drizzle on toast for breakfast. All kinds of noodle dishes are eaten for breakfast in Japan, but soba is a favourite, served either hot or cold, sometimes topped with tempura, grilled fish cakes or onsen tamago (soft-boiled egg). The taste and texture of 'Hong Kong' style milk tea might be influenced by the milk used. The more I cooked, the more connected I felt to my mother and her cultural heritage. In western culture, you most likely start the day with a light meal of cereal, porridge, toast or eggs. Simmer for 3 more minutes. There is no holding back. Note: You can eat this dish as you wish – you could pour the dipping sauce over the noodles and veggies and eat it like a cold soup, or you could lift cold soba noodles and veggies, one mouthful at a time, and dip them into the sauce, slurping them up quickly. It has a smooth, creamy texture thanks to the evaporated milk (or, if you opt for sweetened, condensed milk, it becomes beguilingly sweet and full-flavored). Combine water and tea leaves in a small saucepan over medium heat. Anli Street Restaurant, 57 Shau Kei Wan Main Street East, Hong Kong +852 2567 7122. After I started cooking in earnest, everything clicked into place. Wow! In Hong Kong, sweetened condensed milk sandwiches and toast can be found in a cha chaan teng , a casual cafe of sorts. Drain immediately and refresh under cold running water. Get easy-to-follow, delicious recipes delivered right to your inbox. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the egg to a plate lined with paper towel and allow to drain. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil, add the soba noodles and cook according to the packet instructions until al dente, about four to five minutes. Turn off the heat and gradually stir in the miso paste, a little at a time, until it has dissolved into the oats. Hong Kong milk tea is also known as “pantyhose tea” or “silk stocking tea” because it is often brewed in a large tea sock that resembles pantyhose. This is now my lunch-for-one staple, swiftly thrown together and topped with an egg, avocado, kimchi or even leftover salad. Its taste is, as can be expected, sweeter than ordinary milk tea. Remove from heat. Return to a boil. Repeat with the remaining eggs. © 2020 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Season the noodles and eggs with a pinch of sea salt. All rights reserved. If you prefer your yolk firmer, cook for another minute or two. As I got older and spent more time in Asia, I realised that the grand breakfast was a big part of Asian culture. As the sun rises in Tokyo, locals file into tiny restaurants for their morning noodles, slurping shoulder to shoulder. As the name says, milk tea originated in Hong Kong. Instead of using sweetened condensed milk, you can use a 14-ounce can of evaporated milk, with sugar, to taste. Peel and cut in half. Ladle the oats into bowls and top with the boiled eggs, shallot, avocado and sesame seeds. Place the oats in a saucepan, add the stock and bring to the boil. Benefits, Uses, & Recipes, How to Make Sweetened Condensed Milk, Three Ways, What Is Ceylon Tea? From Hong Kong-style French toast, sweetened with condensed milk, to miso oats with avocado, these breakfast recipes greet the day at full tilt, Mon 5 Oct 2020 17.23 EDT Hong Kong-style French toast is a deep fried, milky, egg-battered sandwich, stuffed generously with peanut butter/jam, and topped with sweetened condensed milk. My entire mouth just filled with saliva! For the dipping sauce, combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Small glasses are ideal. Serve hot or (optional) chill and serve over ice. Sandwich the bread together. Set the timer for six minutes for soft yolks, seven minutes for ‘jammy’ eggs and eight to nine minutes for hard-boiled eggs. Place a mound of noodles onto each serving plate and add the eggs, vegetables, nori and shallot alongside. 2 thick slices of white bread2–3 tbsp sweetened condensed milk1 large eggSalted butter, for pan-frying and to serve. Break one egg into a small bowl and gently ease it into the water. It’s everything you could possibly want … I was instantly charmed by this quick and simple way of replicating congee, in a fraction of the time. https://www.tasteandtellblog.com/condensed-milk-toast-recipe Located in Shau Kei Wan, An Li is popular with hungry hikers after their trek along Dragon’s Back. Allow the butter to melt over the bread and eat immediately. Pour the dipping sauce into little bowls and serve with the noodle platter. The British tradition of afternoon tea, where black tea is served with milk and sugar, became popular in Hong Kong. Remove from the pan and place straight on a serving plate. For the noodles400g soba noodlesDrop of white vinegar4 large eggs4 radishes, julienned1 carrot, peeled into thin strips or shredded2 Lebanese cucumbers, sliced into thin discs2 sheets of toasted nori, sliced into strips2 shallots, finely sliced Sea salt, For the dipping sauce250ml vegetable stock2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce 3 tbsp mirin1 tsp sugar, SubstitutionsSoba: udon or somen noodlesGluten free: use 100% buckwheat soba noodles, rice vermicelli or glass noodles. A cha chaan teng typically serves what one tourist calls “ a diner-ification of fancy Western fare ,” a mix of European food made with Chinese ingredients, like macaroni soups, salt-and-pepper wings or scrambled tomato eggs. Reduce the heat to low and place the lid on slightly ajar, then cook for about 15 minutes, until the oats have reached a porridge consistency. Benefits, Uses, & Recipes, Super Easy Chocolate Fudge With Variations. Even though I was born in Australia, I didn’t feel particularly Australian, or Chinese for that matter. The result is a sweet french toast that’s crispy on the outside, while remaining soft and chewy on the inside. Available for everyone, funded by readers. Milk tea stems from British colonial rule over Hong Kong. This is an edited extract from To Asia, With Love by Hetty McKinnon available now through Pan MacMillan. In recent years, several café chains (茶餐厅) pertaining to Hong Kong snacks have sprouted in Singapore. Here’s the genuine article from Si Yik near Hong Kong’s Stanley Market. 8 Tasty Milk Tea Recipes From Around the World, What Is Milk Tea? Hong Kong–style French toast is a cha chaan teng (tea restaurant) specialty – thick white bread spread with sweetened condensed milk and topped with even more of the sticky sweet milk. When your timer goes off, drain the eggs immediately and either rinse them under cold running water or place in an ice bath until they are completely cold. For an added treat, use it as the base for Yin-Yang Coffee-Tea. Milk tea is similar, except it is made with evaporated or condensed milk instead of ordinary milk. Place the bread on a chopping board and drizzle one slice with about 1 tablespoon of the sweetened condensed milk. Piled with a generous slab of butter and dripping with condensed milk, An Li’s thick and decadent French toast is a delightful treat. In a saucepan of simmering water, add a drop of vinegar. I was not always comfortable with my identity. Crack the egg into a bowl (large enough to fit the sandwich) and beat well. Since coming back from 2 years in Hong Kong, I've noticed that I do tend to use sweetened condensed milk more often. Milk tea and coffee together is called yuan yang. posted by astapasta24 at 9:12 AM on October 30, 2018 [ 1 favorite ] Funny how condensed milk still lingers so much in the cuisine of former British colonies. Return to heat. The classic Hong Kong-style french toast combines thick-sliced white bread, eggs, and kaya coconut jam, all deep fried and topped with an indulgent amount of butter and sweetened condensed milk. Bring to a low boil. Taste and season with salt if needed. Last modified on Fri 9 Oct 2020 11.48 EDT. 100g old-fashioned rolled oats1L vegetable stock2 tbsp white (shiro) miso4 large eggs4 shallots, finely sliced 1 avocado, sliced1–2 tbsp toasted black or white sesame seedsSea salt, SubstitutionsOld-fashioned rolled oats: steel-cut oatsBoiled eggs: fried eggsGluten free: use gluten-free oats. Cook for two minutes, until the white is just firm. 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk. https://www.thespruceeats.com/hong-kong-milk-tea-recipe-766128 Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, then add the eggs. Drizzle with seasoning oil or your favourite hot sauce if you like it spicy. Below is an easy variation on classic Hong Kong-style milk tea recipes. Lindsey Goodwin is a food writer and tea consultant with more than 12 years of experience exploring tea production and culture. It is called "milk tea" to distinguish it from "Chinese tea", which is served plain.