Meesiam

This looks like a monster of a recipe but it is not as tedious as it looks. Split the task to 2 – precook the noodle portion the day before while the soup can be made on the spot with little fanfare. Adjust the sugar and chilli according to your personal preference and you will have a mee siam recipe that is uniquely yours. I used white sugar this time but experiment with gula melaka for a more dimension taste next time.

For 6

150g fine rice noodles or beehoon, blanched and drained

100g bean sprouts, blanched and drained.

2 large pieces firm beancurd, cubed and fried

Spices for noodles :

100 ml coconut cream

1 cup ready to eat fried shallots

1 T belachan powder

½ T chilli flakes

1T  fermented soya beans

Sea salt flakes

Sauce

1T chilli flakes

1 cup ready to eat fried shallots

1 T belachan

2 T fermented soya beans paste

Prawns, any amount, boiled and peeled. Reserve water for sauce, about 4 cups.

5 pieces  (tamarind skin), 1 T tamarind paste - bagged ( optional )

5 taupok, cubed and scalded

fine sugar, to taste

pinch of  salt

Finishing touch

Sliced eggs, prawn, bean curd cubes , shallots, sambal chilli

Chinese chives, wash, trim and cut 2 cm long

Sambal belachan chilli

5 calamansi limes, halve crosswise and discard seeds

Method :

The night before :

Combine noodles ,  bean sprouts and bean curd cubes. Toss.

In a deep pot, fry coconut milk over low heat till  curds form  and browns, about15 minutes. It is very messy but essential.

Over low heat, add shallots, belachan, chilli flakes and fry until aromatic.  Do not burn the paste.

Turn off heat. Add fermented beans. Toss  with the beehoon / rice noodles. 

Sauce :

Fry chilli flakes , shallots , belachan powder.

Add fermented beans and water.  

Add bagged tamarind-assam  , taupok, sugar and salt. Simmer.

Serve :

Ladle hot soup over noodles.

Top with eggs, prawns, beancurd, shallots, chives, sambal chilli.

Squeeze calamasi over mee siam.

Tip :
Store the noodles in the fridge if you are preparing ahead of time.