Mee Sua noodles

Ipoh mee sua in minced pork soup

I was so touched when my neighbours remembered us while they were at their in-laws in Ipoh.  Even as the rest of his family were unpacking,  Mr D came over to give us  one of Ipoh's famous local product, mee sua or wheat vermicelli.

Although it may not look like much, the fact that they had to transport the bag of mee sua without sustaining damage during the long drive home speaks volumes of their thoughtfulness. Needless to say, I had to do justice to their kindness by cooking a mean meal out of the mee sua. Here's how  :

For 3.

Ingredients :

2 bowls water

300g minced pork

1/2 cup shitake sliced mushrooms, hydrated

3 Japanese fish cake, sliced

9 fish raw balls

3 cups bean sprouts

3 'blobs' of Ipoh mee sua

Method :

Bring water to a boil.

Add shitake and minced pork. Break up the meat in the hot water.

When water boils again, add fish balls and fish cake.

Add a sprinkling of sea salt if needed, not more. The vermicelli comes slightly salted.

Turn off heat.

Ladle bowls with soup, 1/3 full.

In a separate pot, bring a big pot of water to a boil.

Add bean sprouts , count to 10, then add mee sua.

Cook for 30 seconds and drain. Mee sua should be just cooked ( can I even call the meesua al-dente ? )

Drain mee sua and sprouts.

Transfer them to the 3 prepared bowls. Loosen mee sua with a pair of chopsticks.

Ladle the rest of the soup with ingredients to the 3 bowls.

Garnish with spring onions, shallots and parsley. Serve immediately.