Nonya Mee Siam

This is a mee siam recipe which I picked up from a cooking class conducted by the ever effervescent Catherina Hosoi some years back.

Based on first hand experience if you follow the steps below, you will end up with super shiok mee siam.

(A) For mee siam gravy

1. 80g Dried prawns (presoaked in hot water, drain dry, stir fry without oil in a non stick fry pan till dry and fragrant. Leave to cool and use food processor to grind..doesn't have to be super fine)

2. 5 pces Tau Pok: Pass hot boiling water over. Squeeze dry and cut to small dices. Leave aside

3. Use Food Processor to grind to paste: 50g Garlic and 200g Shallots (Grind separately, leave aside)

4. Use food processor to grind 5 tablespoons grounded dried chilli paste (buy in pkt from mkt- WBS Brand), 180g Tau Cheo (Choon Tye Sauce Factory Brand. Yellow Capped Bottle), and 1.5 tablespoons of toasted belachan. With respect to the belachan, buy in block form, slice into thin chunks, roast in a pan under medium fire and use a wooden spoon to break chunks into little granules)

5. 400g Assam Paste mixed with 12 cups water for 20 mins. Squeeze out assam water

6. 0.5 cups cooking oil, 100g roasted ground peanut (can buy from supermkt or phoon huat), 200g sugar (to taste)

METHOD

1. In a pot, heat up 0.5 cup cooking oil. Saute garlic paste till fragrant. Add in shallot paste and saute until fragrant

2. Add in mixture paste of grounded dried chilli paste, taucheo and belachan. Saute till fragrant. Add in grounded dried prawns and saute till fragrant.

3. Strain in assam water and bring to a rapid boil. Continue simmering for 10-15 mins till oil floats up. Add in Tau Pok and simmer for another 5 mins. Lastly add in ground peanuts and sugar to taste. Adjust seasoning according to taste.

MEE SIAM GRAVY IS READY!

(B) For frying beehoon for mee siam

1. To make coconut oil: Buy 500g grated coconut (Buy from mkt in pkt form, Brand: Heng Guan) sqeeze out thick milk without adding water. Pour into a non stick pot and bring to boil, stirring always to prevent burning at the bottom. When the milky mixture turns transluscent with golden crumbs forming, off the fire. Sieve the oil from the crumbs and collect 1/3 cup of coconut oil for cooking. If not enough, add in some cooking oil to make 1/3 cup.

2. 1 pkt of Beehoon (Chilli Brand): soak bee hoon in a basin of tap water till soft. Drain and leave for later use.

3. 500 g beansprouts, salt to taste

4. Use food processor to grind to paste: 40g garlic, 120g shallots (Grind separately, leave aside)

5. Grind together: 1 tablespoon toasted belachan, 8 fresh red chillis, 3 heaped tablespoons of ground dried chilli paste.

Method:

Heap up 1/3 cup coconut oil, stir fry garlic paste till fragrant. Add in shallot paste to saute till fragrant. add in the mixed paste from toasted belachan, 8 fresh red chillies and 3 tablespoons grounded dried chilli paste. Saute till fragrant. Add in beehoon and lightly combine using chopsticks and a wooden spoon until well mixed. If beehoon is abit hard, sprinkle in some water and continue frying till beehoon reaches right texture. Lastly, add in beansprouts and 0.5 tsp salt to taste, toss well and transfer to a big serving plate.

Final Topping

Some raw "kuchai" (cut to short length), some halved green limes, hard boiled eggs cut into wedges, 3 pces of taukua (cut into small cubes and deep fried till golden brown)

Final Assembly

To serve, in each individual deep plate, put in some mee siam beehoon, pour over gravy and garnish with some toppings. Serve immediately.

Serves 12