Singapore Mei Fun

Remember my 23 Things in 2011 list?  Yeah...totally not on track for completing that right now since April and May were totally non-productive.  Up until that point though I had been very good about making roughly 2 items off the list per month but (as usual) not as good about blogging about them in a timely manner.  The only reason I'm blogging about this particular recipe now is because my facebook fans voted on it to be my next blog post!

Singapore Mei Fun made my list of things I wanted to make this year because it is one of my favorite dishes that my mom makes.  Interestingly enough, I recently learned from an Asian Heritage Month work event that this dish isn't even authentic Sinaporean food.  Oh well.  It's delicious.  And it's easy!  I think the real secret to making a good Singapore Mei Fun (Rice Noodle) dish is the fact that the noodles are "cooked" by soaking them in water instead of boiling like your typical noodle.  A quick stir fry is all it takes to finish it off!

My mom gave me a "recipe" but as with all of our family's "recipes" they are more loose guidelines of what ingredients and generally how to make the dish.  There's not any specifics of how much or how long so that's where my Google research helped.  Thank goodness for Google to help fill in the gaps.  This was just like Mom's!

One Year Ago: Firecracker Shrimp


Singapore Mei Fun (Curry Noodles)

Yields: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 8 ounces rice vermicelli (mei fun - check your Asian aisle at the local grocer)
• 2 tablespoons rice cooking wine 
• 2 teaspoons reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil 
• 4 ounces small shrimp, shelled and deveined 
• 1/2 cup finely shredded scallions 
• 1 small onions, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 Tablespoon yellow curry powder 
• 3/4 cup Chicken Broth 
• 4 ounces other meat such as Chicken, Beef, or Chinese Barbecued Pork, cut into julienne
• 1 egg, scrambled, fried, and cut into julienne (optional)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, soak the rice noodles in enough cold water to cover overnight, or until noodles are limp and softened. Drain in a colander and set aside. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, and salt. Set aside.
2. Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and stir fry the chicken and/or beef until nearly cooked through.  Remove and set aside on a plate.  Add additional 1 tablespoon oil and shrimp, and stir-fry 10 seconds. Add the scallions and stir-fry 30 seconds, or until shrimp have just turned orange but are not cooked through. Transfer the shrimp mixture to a plate and set aside.
3. Add the remaining 2 tablespoon vegetable oil, onions and green pepper, and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add the curry powder and stir-fry 10 seconds, or until fragrant. Restir soy sauce mixture and swirl it into the wok. Add the chicken broth, and 1/3 cup cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat.
4. Add the drained rice noodles and return to a boil, stirring noodles to completely coat in curry mixture (chopsticks work best for this!). Add the meat mixture, and cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes, or until shrimp are just cooked through and liquid has been absorbed by the noodles. Add the cooked egg, if desired.  Serve immediately.

Source: Inspired by my Mom and The Wisdom of the Chinese Recipe. Published by Scribner, 1999.  As seen in an Cooking Light message board.