Spicy Boiled Noodles With Fried Beancurd, Eggs And Fresh Prawns (mee rebus)

Spicy Boiled Noodles With Fried Beancurd, Eggs And Fresh Prawns (mee rebus)

This is a spicy balanced meal. It is a local recipe for Singaporeans and Malaysians. This dish is a traditional hawker food and commonly known as Mee Rebus in Asean Countries. Translated into English the dish means simply "boiled noodles".This name is however misleading as the dish is more than boiled noodles. It has a rich spicy sauce and is served with an elaborate garnish.

A decade ago Mee Rebus was sold by hawkers who used to carry two baskets over a pole. At one of the pole in one basket will contain his traditional stove and a pot of boiling water. At the other end of the pole contained a basket with his ingredients for the Mee Rebus. After that they used pushed cart with a bicycle fixed to it when they have made enough money.

Lately, Mee Rebus is sold in local hawker centres.

Ingredients:

Gravy:

1/2 kg  noodles

1/2 kg beansprouts

3 tbsp dried anchovy (for stock)

3 tbsp dried shrimp

10 shallots

4 tbsp curry powder

1 sweet potato (boiled and mashed to thicken gravy)

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tbsp salt

3 lemon grass (serai)


Garnishing:

2 stalks Chinese celery (chopped coarsely)

4 pieces fried bean curd cake

6 shallots (sliced thinly and deep-fried till crispy)

6 fresh prawns (boil for a few minute)

2 green chillies (sliced thinly)

2 hard boiled eggs (sliced)

Method:

Preparing the gravy:

1. Grind and boil dried anchovy in a pot with 6 cups of water for the stock.

2. Grind dried shrimps with shallots and add this paste to the stock. Bring to a slow boil.

3. Add the crushed lemon grass into the gravy.

4. Add the curry powder and then sweet potato to thicken the gravy. Stir frequently to achieve a smooth consistency.

5. Add salt and sugar to taste

Preparing the noodles:

1. Blanch noodles and beansprouts in a pot of boiling water. Do not overcook the noodles and beansprouts or they will be soggy. Place on a dish.

2. Pour gravy over the noodles and beansprouts.

3. Garnish with fried bean curd, prawns, fried shallots, Chinese celery and sliced green chillies and also slices of hard-boiled eggs.

Tips

1. Eggs may be sliced using a piece of string, egg cutter or a sharp knife. This way the slices of eggs can be cut very thinly without breaking.

2.Prepare noodles only when the dish is about to be served.