Mee Bandung Muar

Out of all the noodle family, I have a soft spot for Mee Bandung. The tomato base with a hint of chilli 'hotness' & a distinct but not overpowering prawn-based gravy somehow brings out such a vibrant flavor to this dish. The highlight is of course the poached egg in the gravy & the secret ingredient of coarsely ground peanuts....could only make this dish even more spectacular. My son Aziff, would rave about this dish & requests for it during his weekend visits or semester breaks...


Blend coarsely:

• 15 bulbs shallots
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 inch ginger

Other ingredients:

• 1 packet yellow mee
• 250gm/2 handful beef (cut into tiny pieces and boiled till tender. Retain the water it was boiled in.)
• 1 handful small prawns, legs trimmed
• 2 tbsp dried prawns, soaked with hot water & pounded
• 3 tbsp chili paste
• 1 ½ cups tomato sauce
• 2 large ripe tomatoes, quartered
• 1 bunch Chinese spinach/sawi, cut into 1” length
• 5 small ‘C size’ eggs
• 4 cups water
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 block hard tofu (deep fried, halved and sliced thinly)
• 2 green chilies, sliced thinly slanted
• 2 tbsp peanuts (deep fried, skinned & pounded coarsely)
• 2 tbsp crispy fried onions

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large pot. Sautee all the blended ingredients till it turns golden.
2. Put in the chili paste & tomato sauce and sauté’ further.
3. The dried prawns goes in next. Sautee’ till the prawns get a little dry.
4. Put in the beef as well as the stock it was boiled in.
5. Pour in the water, salt and sugar.
6. As soon as the water boils, put in the fresh tomatoes and fresh prawns
7. Reduce the flame and drop one egg at a time into the boiling liquid.
8. Put in the sawi.
9. To serve, put the mee in a bowl. Pour the soup in, making sure you get a whole poached egg.
10. Top with the fried tofu, sliced green chilies and crispy fried shallots.
11. The peanuts is the secret ingredient that lifts this dish above the other mee family. So sprinkle generously!
12. Dig in!! I guarantee you won’t lift you head till the soup is all dried up in your bowl!