Recipe for Mee Siam with Gravy... LOOKS relatively simple.....

Ingredients for Mee Siam:

Gravy:

•1 tbsp cooking oil
•5 shallots, chopped
•3 cloves garlic, chopped
•6 dried chilli, pounded
•1 tsp belacan (shrimp paste)
•2 onions, sliced
•4 tbsp preserved yellow beans, pounded
•3 tbsp tamarind
•2 litres water
•sugar and salt to taste

Spiced Rice Vermicelli:

•500gm rice vermicelli
•4 tbsp cooking oil
•3 shallots, chopped
•2 tbsp chilli paste
•3 tbsp dried shrimp, pounded
•150gm bean sprouts, peeled.

Mee Siam Garnish:

•1 egg, hard-boiled, cut in wedges
•20gm local chive (ku chai), fresh
•1 local lime, trim top
•3 prawns, medium size, peeled
•20gm soya bean cake, deep-fried, diced
•20gm fish cake, sliced
•sambal sauce (optional)

Instructions

Gravy:

•Mix tamarind with water. Strain off pulp and reserve the juice. Cook shallots, garlic, dried chilli paste and onions until fragrant. Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 mins. Check seasoning.
Spiced Rice Vermicelli:

•Soak vermicelli in cold water to soften. Drain dry, blanch in boiling water for 30 secs and strain. Heat oil in wok and cook shallots, chilli paste and dried shrimp until fragrant. Add vermicelli and bean sprouts and mix well. Remove from heat.
Serving

•Place spiced rice vermicelli in bowl. Add piping hot gravy. Garnish with egg wedges, chopped chive, prawns, soya bean cake, fish cake and lime. Sambal sauce may be added.