Mee Goreng Mamak

Ingredients

Sauce

• 2 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 1 tbsp chilli sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1–2 tbsp chilli paste (cili boh)
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) water

Noodles

• 400 g fresh yellow noodles (mee kuning), rinsed in warm water and drained
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 150 g chicken breast, thinly sliced, or peeled prawns
• 100 g firm tofu (tau kwa), cut into small cubes
• 1 small potato, boiled, peeled and cubed
• 2 eggs
• 100 g choy sum or cabbage, cut into 5 cm (2 in) lengths
• 100 g (1 cup) bean sprouts
• 1 tomato, cut into wedges
• 2 tbsp fried shallots, to garnish
• 2 calamansi limes (limau kasturi), halved, to serve

Method

1. Stir all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
2. Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Fry the garlic and shallots for 30 seconds, add the chicken and stir-fry for 2 minutes until it turns white. Add the tofu and potato and fry for 1 minute.
3. Push everything to one side of the wok, crack in the eggs and scramble them lightly for 30 seconds.
4. Add the noodles and the sauce. Toss over high heat for 2–3 minutes, letting the noodles sit for 20 seconds between tosses so they char a little. Break up some of the potato so it coats the noodles.
5. Add the greens, bean sprouts and tomato and toss for 1 minute more, until the greens wilt but the sprouts stay crunchy. Taste and add a little more soy sauce or chilli paste if needed.
6. Serve straight away, topped with fried shallots, with the lime halves to squeeze over.

Tips

• High heat: cook no more than 2 portions at a time. A crowded wok steams the noodles instead of frying them.
• Potato: the soft potato breaks up and thickens the sauce. It is part of the mamak style, so don't skip it.
• Dried noodles: use 200 g dried egg noodles, boiled until just tender and drained well.
• Spice level: start with 1 tbsp chilli paste and add more at the end.