Although noodles were broughl to Singapore by the Chinese, all the other ethnic groups have enthusiastically adopted and adapted them to suit their tastes This spicy dish which you cannot find in India is well-balanced by the sweetness of fresh tomatoes and tomato sauce.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons oil
- 1 cake firm or pressed tofu (8 oz/250 g total), cubed
- 6-8 dried chilies, soaked in warm water to soften, then ground to a paste, or 3-5 tablespoons ground red pepper
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried shrimp paste (belachan)
- 5 oz (150 g) boneless chicken or lamb, thinly sliced
- 5 oz (150 g) fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 14 oz (400 g) fresh yellow wheat noodles (Hokkien meé)
- 2 cups (200 g) choy sum, washed and sliced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons tomato ketchup
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (125 ml) Chicken Stock
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 tomato, diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato purée
- 1 red finger-length chili, sliced
- 1 green finger-length chili, sliced
- 2 cups (100 g) bean sprouts, seed coats and tails discarded
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
Garnishes
- Coriander leaves (cilantro) or Chinese celery, coarsely chopped
- Green onions (scallions), sliced (optional)
- Crispy Fried Shallots, (optional)
- Small limes (limau kasturi), halved
How to Make It
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large wok and stir-fry the tofu cubes over medium heat until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Remove from the oil and set aside to drain on paper towels.
- In the same wok, add the rest of the oil and stir-fry 3 to 5 tablespoons of the chili paste or the ground red pepper with the garlic and dried shrimp paste for 3 minutes until fragrant. Add the sliced chicken or lamb and stir-fry until it turns opaque, about 3 minutes. Then add the shrimp and stir-fry until the shrimp are cooked, another 2 minutes.
- Add the noodles and choy sum, mix well, and cook for 1 minute. Then add the soy sauce, tomato ketchup, salt and Chicken Stock. Cook for 3 minutes until the liquid is absorbed by the noodles and the mixture is dry.
- Push the noodles to one side of the wok with the spatula. Add the eggs and scramble. Then stir the noodles and the eggs together until the eggs are cooked. (Add a little more chicken stock for a moister Mee Goreng.)
- Add the onion, tomato, fresh chilies and bean sprouts, and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Then add the fried tofu and mix well until heated through. Season with the ground pepper. Garnish with coriander leaves, green onions, Crispy Fried Shallots and serve fresh limes on the side.
