Mee Siam Recipe

Mee Siam Recipe

(Spicy Fried Vermicelli in Tangy Sauce Recipe)

200 ml (7 fl oz) cooking oil

90 ml coconut cream, extracted, using muslin cloth, from 150 g grated coconut

400 g (14 oz) medium prawns (shrimps), shelled and de-veined

3 pieces (110 g) firm bean curd (tau kwa), cut into long thin strips and deep-fried

125 ml (4 fl oz) water

60 ml (2 fl oz) light soy sauce

4 teaspoons anchovy stock granules

1 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons sugar

400 g (14 oz) rice vermicelli (bee hoon), soaked in water until soft, and drained

30 g (1 oz) Chinese chives (kucai), cut into 0.5-cm lengths

400 g (14 oz) bean sprouts, tailed

Finely ground paste:

25 dried chilies, soaked in water and drained

16 shallots, peeled

1 tablespoon crushed dried shrimp paste

4 candlenuts

Gravy:

1½ tablespoons cooking oil

4 teaspoons preserved soy beans (tau cheo)

2 large onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced

500 ml (16 fl oz) water

½ teaspoon salt

60 g (2 oz) sugar

60 g (2 oz) roasted, pounded peanuts (groundnuts)

Garnish:

3 hard boiled eggs, shelled and quartered

1 cucumber, seeded and cut into thin strips

2 red chilies, sliced

1 tablespoon thinly sliced Chinese chives (kucai)

6 calamansi, halved

Method:

Heat the cooking oil in a wok and fry finely ground paste until fragrant.  Put aside one-third of fried paste including the oil.  Add coconut cream to wok.  Add the prawns (shrimps) and fry for 2 minutes.  Add the fried bean curd, water and season well with soy sauce, anchovy stock granules, salt and sugar.  Bring to a boil.  Add the rice vermicelli and the chives.  Stir until well mixed.  Add bean sprouts.  Cook for 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat.  To prepare gravy:  Heat cooking oil and fry preserved soy beans until fragrant.  Add the reserved fried paste.  Stir in the onions and add tamarind juice.  Season with salt and sugar.  Simmer for 2 minutes and add the peanuts.  To serve, put rice vermicelli in individual bowls, add gravy and top with garnish of eggs, cucumber, red chilies, chives and calamansi.

Note:  To test if the rice vermicelli is soft after soaking in water, lift it up with the forefinger.  If it does not slip off, it can be removed from the water.