Mee Siam /Siam Noodles

Mee Siam is a dish influenced by neighboring Thailand, formerly known as Siam.It is made from rice flour noodles or bee hoon (vermicelli) and served in a light and piquant gravy made from tamarind juice or at times with chilli sambal , and served with toppings such as fresh calamansi, tiny cubes of dried beancurd and slices of boiled egg.If you are served the nyonya style then it will be served with thinly shredded egg omelet.

The nyonya version of mee siam is more spicy and the gravy is normally more reddish .Some comes in dried version while some comes with gravy.
A squeeze of limau kasturi [kalamansi limes] is added just before eating, adds to this unique tasting noodle dish with or without the tamarind gravy.

The one that I normally buy comes with a sweet tamarind gravy .The bee hoon is not spicy but instead some chili sambal is given .The Mee Siam is garnished with boiled egg,fried sliced beancurd,sliced fish cake, shredded cucumber and top up with chopped chives.
The nyonya version is added with pounded dried shrimps and shrimp paste .



Ingredients

300g bee hoon(rice noodles/vermicelli)
300g prawns
15g chives(cut into section)
1 tbsp tamarind juice
5 dried chilies(cut into 3 parts and soak in water for 30mins)
8 large shallots
3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp tau cheo paste or
2 tbsp hot soy bean paste(I used Lee Kum Kee brand)
300g bean sprouts
Salt and sugar to taste
100g shrimp paste or dried shrimp (both optional)

Garnishing:

3 eggs(boiled or make into omelet shreds)
5 limes(halve)
Shredded cucumber
Sliced fried bean curd
Sliced fish cakes

For tamarind gravy

2 cup of water mix with 3 thumb size tamarind (extract juice)
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp tau cheo paste/ hot soy bean paste


Soak been hoon in water for 30mins.Drain.Remove shell from prawns.Cut chives into sections.Boil egg and cut into halve or few segments.
Pound dried chilies,shallots,garlic until fine.If adding dried prawns then pound that coarsely too.

Heat up oil and fry the pounded ingredients until fragrant.Add in prawns and stir fry further.Once prawns are cooked, add in bee hoon, bean sprout, tamarind juice ,salt and sugar.Stir fry until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Sprinkle some water if too dried. Finally add in chives and fry until dry .
Garnish with boiled eggs, fish cakes, fried bean curd, limes,and cucumber.

For tamarind gravy :Heat all the ingredients in low heat .Taste to check if the sweetness is enough.You can add more sugar if preferred. This gravy should be warm at all times before serving.Pour on the bee hoon before eating .






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The above recipe is my entry for the event Food for 7 stages of life - 6th Edition-Tiffin Box hosted by Sourashtra Kitchen and Sudeshna's 'Cook like a bong'