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Mee goreng mamak
Mamak-stall fried yellow noodles with tomato, chilli, potato, tofu and egg
Mamak stalls, the round-the-clock cafés run by Malaysia's Tamil Muslim families, are where friends meet after a football match or a late film, and mee goreng mamak is the plate everyone orders with a glass of pulled tea. It's yellow noodles tossed hard in a wok with tomato sauce, chilli, soy, a pinch of curry powder, soft potato that breaks into the sauce, tofu, egg and bean sprouts, finished with a squeeze of lime. Stalls often add squid or prawns; here the tofu does that job. It's sweet, smoky, tangy and a little messy, as it should be. Chef's tip: get the wok really hot and let the noodles sit untouched for 20 seconds between tosses so they char in spots.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
For the sauce
For the noodles
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Mix 3 tbsp tomato ketchup, 2 tbsp chilli sauce, 1 tbsp sambal tumis or chilli paste, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, ½ tsp curry powder and 1 tsp sugar in a small bowl.
Step 2: Heat ⅞ tbsp vegetable oil in a wok over a medium-high heat and fry 5 ½ oz firm tofu for 4–5 minutes, turning, until golden on most sides. Push to one side, add 1 potato and fry 2 minutes until lightly coloured. Lift both out.
6 minStep 3: Add 2 ⅛ tbsp vegetable oil and turn the heat to high. Fry 3 cloves garlic and ½ onion for 1 minute until the onion softens and the garlic smells toasty.
1 minStep 4: Add 10 ½ oz fresh yellow noodles and the sauce and toss for 2 minutes, leaving them still for a few seconds at a time so they catch and char. Damp noodles are the common mistake here: shake them well after rinsing or the sauce turns soggy instead of sticky.
2 minStep 5: Push the noodles aside, crack 2 eggs into the space and scramble for 30 seconds until just set, then toss through.
1 minStep 6: Return the tofu and potato with 1 tomato and 3 ½ oz choy sum and toss for 1–2 minutes, letting some potato break up and coat the noodles. Add 3 ½ oz bean sprouts for the last 30 seconds so they stay crunchy.
2 minStep 7: Serve at once with 1 lime to squeeze over and 2 tbsp crispy fried shallots on top.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 690 kcal
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 92 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mee goreng mamak take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of tomato ketchup?
- Tomato purée with a pinch of sugar and a dash of vinegar.
- What can I use instead of dark soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
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