Mee Siam (Spicy Rice Vermicelli)

Mee Siam which means Siamese noodles is a dish of thin rice noodles (vermicelli) in spicy, sweet and sour light gravy.  There is also a dry version, which is essentially stir-fry the rice noodles with the same spices used in the gravy version.

Originally a Thai dish, it became a Nyonya speciality eventually. Mee Sian uses a few ingredients which brings out the peculiar taste- tau cheong (preserved soya beans), chilli, dried prawns and tamarind juice. The combination of spicy, swet and sour taste makes Mee Siam dish appealing to many.

Ingredients: ( for 2-3 persons)
to be blend together:

• 5 shallots
• 2 clove garlic
• 6-8 dried chilli, pre-soaked for about 30 mins to softened
• 45g dried prawns, pre-soaked for about 30 mins to softened
• 2 tbsp tau cheong (preserved soya beans)
• 20g of tamarind paste, pre-soaked with 1/2 cup water and squeeze for the juice

• 500g of fresh prawns
• 400g mee hoon (rice vermicelli), pre-soaked for an hour until softened, drained
• 1 piece of tau kwa, fried and slice into cubes
• 8-10 stalks of chives (kuchai), cut into 2" long
• 200g beans sprout
• 1 tsp sugar
• salt to taste
• 3 tbsp oil

for garnishing

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten and fry into a thin omelet. Fold and slice the omelet thinly
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• 1 red chilli, thinly sliced

Method:

Using a blender or food processor, grind the blended ingredients into s fine paste and set aside.

Heat up the wok with the oil. Once the oil is heated, fry the blended spice paste until aromatic and oil separates. Add in the salt and sugar.

Add in the prawns, stir fry until half done, then add in the mee hoon (rice vermicelli) an keep stirring until the spice paste has been well blended. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding more salt or sugar to taste. If the noodles taste bland, add a little fish sauce to taste.

Transfer the noodles onto a big serving bowl and garnish with omelet strips. chilli and lime wedges. Serve immediately.