← Nouns Cooking · Malaysian & Singaporean

Ingredients

• 300 g rice vermicelli (bihun), soaked in cold water 20 minutes, drained
• 10 Dried chillies, soaked and drained
• 6 Shallot
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 20 g Dried shrimp, soaked 10 minutes and drained
• 1 tsp belacan, toasted
• 5 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp Fermented soybean paste (taucu / tau cheo), lightly mashed
• 200 g Prawns (shrimp), peeled
• 200 g firm tofu, cut into strips and fried until golden
• 3 Eggs, beaten
• 1 tbsp tamarind pulp, mixed with 100 ml water and strained
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1 tbsp Soy sauce
• ½ tsp Salt
• 150 g Bean sprouts
• 1 bunch Chinese chives, cut into 4 cm lengths
• 6 calamansi or 2 limes, halved

Method

1. Blend the chillies, shallots, garlic, dried shrimp and belacan with a splash of water into a smooth paste.
2. Heat the oil in a large wok over medium heat and fry the paste for 6–8 min, stirring, until dark red, fragrant and the oil separates. Stir in the taucu for 30 seconds.
3. Add the prawns and stir-fry for 2 min until pink. Push everything to one side, pour the eggs into the gap and scramble until just set.
4. Add the drained vermicelli with the tamarind water, sugar, soy sauce and salt. Toss with two spatulas for 3–4 min over medium-high heat until the noodles are evenly red and have absorbed the liquid.
5. Add the tofu, bean sprouts and chives and toss for 1 minute until the chives wilt. Taste for salt, sugar and sourness.
6. Serve with calamansi to squeeze over and extra sambal if you like it hotter.

Tips

• Soak the vermicelli in cold, not hot, water so it stays springy and does not break up in the wok.
• Contains shellfish and soy. Taucu usually contains wheat, so this is not gluten-free.

Sources

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

Nomadette Singaporean Malaysian Recipes