#CookForFamily - Mee Siam Dry Version

I am sharing this with #CookForFamily initiatited by Daniel Ang
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Recipe source: the little teochew

Ingredients
- 12 oz (340g) vermicelli (I used 200g)
- 12 oz (340g) bean sprouts (I used about 2 handfuls … don’t think it amounted to 340g)
- 12 shrimps, shelled and deveined (and marinated in a dash of soya sauce)
- 3 pieces fried bean curd/firm tofu (I used 1 piece of tau kwa, cut into strips and fried till slightly golden)
- 3 stalks Chinese chives, chopped into 1-inch length
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt to taste (I didn’t need any)
- Soy sauce or fish sauce to taste (I didn’t need any)
- 3 tablespoons oil

Spice Paste:
- 4 red chillies (remove seeds if you don’t want it too spicy)
- 5 shallots
- 5 garlic
- 2 tablespoons taocheo, aka fermented yellow bean sauce

Garnish
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten and fried into an omelette
- 2 stalks scallions, chopped into 1/2-inch length (I omitted)
- 2 limes (cut into wedges) (I forgot to buy)
- 1 red chili (thinly sliced)

1. Soak the vermicelli in water for about 15 minutes or until they turn soft. Drain and set aside. Using a food processor, grind the spice paste and set aside. Heat up a wok with some oil and make the beaten eggs into an omelette. Fold and slice the omelette thinly. Set aside.

2. Heat up the wok and add 3 tablespoons of oil. Once the oil is heated, fry the spice paste until aromatic and the oil separates. This ensures that the chillies are cooked through and you will not get that “grassy” taste of raw chillies. Add shrimps and chicken (if using), stir-frying until half done, then add the fried tofu pieces.

3. Add the vermicelli and keep stirring until the the spice paste has spread evenly. Add sugar and salt to taste, if required, followed by bean sprouts and chives. Continue to stir-fry until the vegetables are cooked. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding more salt or sugar to taste. If the noodles taste bland, add a little soy sauce / fish sauce to taste.

4. Transfer the Mee Siam onto a big serving bowl and garnish with the omelette strips, chopped scallions, chilli and lime wedges. Serve immediately.