Mee Goreng is synonymous with Malay, Indonesian, Singaporean, and Indian cuisine. Its origins are hotly contested, but the most prevailing theory is that it is a dish of Chinese origins. Chinese-style mee goreng is said to have been created in 1975 by restaurant owner Ting Choon Teng and chef Quek Ah Ai of Punggol (Hock Kee) Seafood Restaurant.8 In the mid-1970s, after an Indian stallholder selling mee goreng at the restaurant left, Ting and Quek produced their own take on traditional mee goreng. Some sources suggest that the Muslim Chulias of Madras originally popularised the dish. The dish remains strongly associated with the Indian Muslim community. Today, it is a staple across Southeast Asia, with innumerable variations in each region.
At its essence, mee goreng is a noodle dish that is spicy and incorporates meat, chicken, mutton, sausage, seafood, and vegetables with a light sauce,
Although this dish is found in most restaurants, street vendor mee goreng is always welcome. The sizzling hot wok and the fast action of making this dish by the small plateful are both entertaining and wonderful.
This is a Malay version but very close to the Indian style. It is a vegetarian version with an egg omelette. The sauce is light, and the dish is satisfying. This dish can be had by itself as a meal, as it usually is, or also as a side.
Carol Selva Rajah was a celebrity chef, food writer, cookbook author and TV personality living in Sydney, Australia. She has written 10 books and was the first woman chef to be invited to cook at the prestigious James Beard Foundation in New York. This book specializes in Malay cuisine and all its diversity and grandeur. The recipes are very authentic and like this one turn out beautifully. This book is a wonderful introduction to this cuisine and the culture and belongs on your shelf.
For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.
Ingredients:
1/2 lb soft tofu
4 cups oil (optional)
1/2 lb Hokkien or Hakka noodles
5 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oil
1 egg
1 tablespoon oil
Salt, to taste
1 tablespoon cilantro, minced
1 large onion, finely diced
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1/4 lb pork or mutton, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sambal oelek
1 tablespoon chilli black bean paste
2 tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon chilli powder, or to taste
1 bok choy, sliced into strips
1/2 cup bean sprouts
Cilantro, minced
Juice of 1/2 lime
Roasted peanuts (optional)
Heat the oil in a pot until very hot. Add the tofu and deep fry for 2-3 minutes until fluffy and brown. Scoop the tofu onto paper towels to drain. Set aside.
Cook the noodles according to the package instructions minus 1 minute for al dante. Drain and cool under running water to prevent them from getting mushy. Set aside.
Whisk the egg well with the salt and cilantro. Heat a frying pan. Add the egg to the pan and cook a thin, well-coloured omelette. Remove and set aside. When cooled, cut into thin strips.
Heat a wok with the oil. Fry the onions for 2 minutes until they are lightly golden. Add the garlic, ginger, meat, if using, and sambal oelek and fry for 3-4 minutes on hiht until the meat has curled up and is cooked through thoroughly.
Add the chilli black bean sauce and tomates and cook fro anadditional 3 minutes until the tomatoes are roken down.
Add the cooked noodles and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the soys sauces, tomato paste and chilli powder and toss well. cook for 2 minutes. Add the bok choy and toss well and remove from the heat. Toss with the tofu.
Serve immediatley on a platter topped with the bean sprouts, cilantro and a sprinkling of lime juice.
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