← Nouns Cooking · Malaysian & Singaporean

Ingredients

• 600 g fresh yellow noodles (mee kuning)
• 10 Dried chillies, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes, drained
• 4 Shallot, peeled
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 4 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 200 g firm tofu (taukua), cut into 2 cm cubes and patted dry
• 150 g Prawns (shrimp), peeled (optional)
• 3 Eggs
• 1 medium potato, boiled, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
• 3 tbsp kicap manis (sweet soy sauce)
• 3 tbsp Ketchup
• 2 tbsp Malaysian chilli sauce (e.g. Life or Maggi)
• 1 tbsp Soy sauce
• 1 tsp Sugar
• Salt
• 150 g Bean sprouts, tails picked if you have time
• 100 g cabbage or choy sum, shredded
• 2 limes or 6 calamansi, cut into wedges
• 2 tbsp Crispy fried shallots (optional)

Method

1. Blend the drained chillies, shallots and garlic with a splash of water into a smooth paste. Rinse the noodles in hot water to loosen them and drain well.
2. Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat and fry the tofu for 3–4 min, turning, until golden on most sides. Push it to one side, add the chilli paste and fry for 3 min, stirring, until it turns deep red and the oil starts to separate.
3. Add the prawns (if using) and stir-fry for 1 minute until pink. Push everything aside, crack the eggs into the space and scramble them roughly until just set.
4. Tip in the noodles and potato with the kicap manis, ketchup, chilli sauce, soy sauce and sugar. Toss over high heat for 2–3 min, letting some potato break up and coat the noodles; add a splash of water if the pan looks dry.
5. Add the bean sprouts and cabbage and toss for 1 minute, just until they wilt but still crunch. Taste for salt.
6. Pile onto plates with lime or calamansi wedges and a scatter of fried shallots. Squeeze the lime over just before eating.

Tips

• The soft bits of potato are the mamak secret: they melt into the sauce and make it cling. Boil the potato ahead, or use a leftover one.
• Yellow noodles are wheat, so this is not gluten-free. Leave out the prawns for shellfish allergies and add fish cake or chicken instead.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Malaysian Chinese Kitchen Nomadette What To Cook Today