Mee Siam Goreng (Spicy Stir Fried Rice Vermicelli)
Here’s something savoury for a change. I grew up with stir fries, and ‘mee siam’ (or Siamese spicy rice vermicelli noodles) is one of my favourites. It has influences from Malay cooking style. My mother used to make the non-spicy version with tomato ketchup, for lunch after I come home from school. It was so good that I always asked for more. There are two distinct variations: 1) dry fried Malaysian style and 2) a wet version with a gravy, often found in Singapore and similar to Peranakan Nyonya mee siam. Its taste is a combination of several flavours in one mouthful: spicy, sweet, salty, sour and umami-ish. Always appetising to me, and so comforting.
You can find the recipe for the dry stir fried version below. It’s a classic old school one using taucu (fermented yellow soy beans), dried shrimp and tamarind juice to lend unique flavours to the dish. There’s no need for chilli sauce or ketchup.
Mee Siam Goreng (Spicy Stir Fried Rice Vermicelli)
Ingredients
For The Spice Paste Blend
- 1 red onion peeled and roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp dried shrimp soaked in warm water for a few minutes to soften
- 1 tbsp salted taucu/taucheo paste (fermented yellow soybeans)
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
Other Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cooking oil
- 3 tbsp wet chilli paste (cili giling)
- 1 chicken breast, or other meat sliced
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 bunch mustard greens (sawi) leaves and stalks separated, chopped in half; stalks flattened so it could absorb the flavours faster during cooking
- 2 fish cakes sliced thinly
- 4 tbsp tamarind juice (assam jawa)
- 400 g rice vermicelli soaked in water to softened
- 2 blocks of tofu sliced into small cubes
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 red chillies deseeded and sliced thinly
- spring onions sliced thinly, for garnish
- 1 handful bean sprouts washed and tails removed
- salt and sugar to taste
Instructions
- Blend the ingredients for the spice paste. Set aside.
- Rub a little salt and turmeric on the tofu then pan fry until golden brown on each side.
- Heat oil in a wok on high fire. Stir fry the blended spice paste. If it’s a little dry, add some water. Reduce the fire to medium. Next, add the chilli paste.
- Add the chicken breast/meat. Stir until meat turns opaque. Add oyster sauce, then the stalks of the mustard green. Stir fry until vegetables wilt.
- Add the fish cakes and fry for another 2 minutes. Measure 4 tbsp tamarind juice and pour into the wok. Stir to mix.
- Drain water from the vermicelli, then add the noodles into the wok and stir thoroughly until the noodles have absorbed the gravy and ingredients are well mixed. Season with sugar and a little salt (not too much as the taucu is salty already).
- Turn up heat a little and toss in the remaining mustard green leaves. Stir well to combine until they wilt. Add beansprouts, stir once or twice, then turn off the fire. Garnish with hard boiled eggs, sliced chillies, spring onions and pan fried tofu.
If you made this dish, let me know by tagging @saveurmalaisie on Instagram.