Horfun 炒河粉Horfun

Our entire family went for a wild boar hunt two nights ago.
By the time we completed our search for wild boar along Lower Pierce Rd and Old Thomson Rd (leading to Upper Pierce Reservoir), followed by the trip to Geylang to buy durians, it was already 1 a.m.. We were quite hungry by then, and decided to dine at Han's 24 Hours restaurant in Upper Thomson Rd.
Both Cheng Kai and I ordered Horfun, while Cheng Yee and Cheng Jie ordered Sweet and Sour Pork (with rice) and Fried Beef with Green Pepper (with rice) respectively.

Fried Horfun

Horfun has always been my favourite supper. It always reminds me of my late father, who served the best Horfun that I have ever tasted.

My father was a hawker. He was the youngest son in the family of 6 brothers and one elder sister. He used to peddle bicycle in the neighbourhood, looking for customers to order noodles. My grandparents subsequently rented a place in "public avenue"　公市, and set up three stalls selling drinks / fruits, coffee/tea (old coffee shop)  and noodles/ZhiCha煮炒小吃respectively. These stalls were run by my paternal 3rd uncle, 4th uncle and my father respectively.

My father's specialty was in ZhiCha　煮炒; dishing out various types of cooked meats, vegetables, soups, in addition to the usual fried noodles/kway teow　炒面／粿条. In addition, he also had a helper to sell Hokkien Noodles (Cantonese style)　广东式福建面, dried noodles (Kong Lou Mein　干捞面), kway teow soup　粿条汤 etc. My mother entered into the scene later (when I was studying in Primary School), setting up a stall selling Chicken Rice. 

Because the food was delicious and yet cheap, the business was thriving quite successful. Many locals throng the place during lunch and afternoon tea time, with long queue forming during those peak hours. I used to help out in the stall during my secondary school years (during school holidays), and could see people waiting for over half an hour for their food at times. 

One of my favourite dishes is Fried Horfun, particular the one with the sauce laced with eggs. I never failed to ask my father to make one special dish of Fried Horfun for me, whenever I helped out in the stall. My father never failed to put in additional meat/prawns for me; and needless to stay, the portion was bigger than usual.

Whenever I returned home from Singapore during school holiday or vacation, my father never failed to bring home a big packet of Fried Horfun for my consumption in the evening.

Undeniably, my father's culinary skills were superb. His fried Horfun was mouth watering; but what made it insurpassable is the love that permeated the dishes. I could never get it from any place in the world. And yes, I missed my father ....