Mee Siam (Hot and spicy)

This dish is not for the faint-hearted. Got to be chilli hot and spicy in order to be authentic. Toning it down a little is possible but too much will lose its flavour. This is very popular in Malaysia and must have its influence from Thailand (formerly known as Siam), thus its name is Mee Siam. It is a bit of a misrepresentation as it is not really mee (noodles) but meehoon (rice vermicelli). Great for lunch.

Serves 4:

Ingredients:

2 tbs Dried shrimps soaked in hot water for 2 minutes and then drained

12 raw prawn cutlets marinate with 1 tsp sugar

10 stalks garlic chives cut in 2” length

½ packet of bean sprouts washed and drained

1 small packet (2 cakes) of meehoon soaked for about 3 minutes in warm water and drained

4 pieces (2 cups) of tauqua (fried taufoo) cut in 5mm strips

1 hard boiled egg, quartered to garnish

2 tbs sweet brown bean paste

1-2 cup water

1 tbs thai fish sauce

1 tbs soya sauce

Salt to taste (about 1/2 -1 tsp)

1-2 tsp Belachan pellets (Malaysian shrimp paste)

Tauqua

shallots and garlic

Chillis

Dried shrimps

Garlic chives

Prawns

Spice paste:

1 red onion medium roughly cut         ]

4 pips garlic roughly cut                     ]  blend together till smooth

1 tsp chilli paste or 4 hot chillies         ]

lemon zest of 1 lemon                        ]

Put 1 tbs oil in wok and fry in medium high heat dried shrimp till brown and fragrant, remove from wok. Do the same for the taukua, and then with the prawns.

Put 2 tbs oil in wok and fry for about 2 minutes in medium heat blended garlic, chillis and onions till fragrant. Add brown bean paste and belachan and fry for about 1 minute till fragrant. Then add 1 cup water and meehoon. Place bean sprouts, prawns, garlic chives, taukua and dried shrimps on top of meehoon. Add fish sauce and soya sauce. Cover and let it cook for about 1 minute. Remove cover and combine thoroughly with 2 ladels. 

Garnish with hard boiled egg and lemon/lime juice. So nice and hot, it burns the mouth. Use 2 or 3 chillis will do to reduce heat.