If you're a fan of Southeast Asian cuisine, then you've likely heard of fried prawn mee, also known as hokkien mee or prawn mee. This delicious dish is a popular street food in Singapore, and for good reason. It's a flavourful and satisfying meal that's perfect for any time of day.
Preparing the ingredients for fried prawn mee is relatively simple. You'll need prawns, squid, yellow noodles, vermicelli, garlic, eggs, and a few other ingredients. Once you have everything ready, it's time to start cooking. The key to making a great fried prawn mee is to ensure that the noodles are cooked just right and that the prawn broth is rich and flavourful.
Cooking fried prawn mee is a fun and rewarding experience. It's a dish that's easy to make but requires a bit of practice to perfect. With a little patience and attention to detail, you'll be able to create a delicious meal that's sure to impress your family and friends.
Key Takeaways
- Fried prawn mee, also known as hokkien mee or prawn mee, is a popular street food in Singapore.
- The key to making a great fried prawn mee is to ensure that the noodles are cooked just right and that the prawn broth is rich and flavourful.
- Cooking fried prawn mee is a fun and rewarding experience that's easy to make but requires a bit of practice to perfect.
Preparing the Ingredients
Before you can start cooking your delicious fried prawn mee, you need to prepare all the ingredients. Here are the steps to follow when preparing the key ingredients.
Selecting the Prawns
When selecting prawns for your prawn mee, it's essential to choose fresh, high-quality prawns. Look for prawns with firm, translucent flesh and a shiny shell. Avoid prawns with a slimy texture or a dull shell, as these are signs that they are not fresh.
Preparing the Noodles
To prepare the noodles, you'll need both yellow noodles and vermicelli. Soak the vermicelli in a basin of tap water while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. For the yellow noodles, blanch them in boiling water for about 2-3 minutes until they are soft. Drain and rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process.
Other Key Ingredients
Apart from prawns and noodles, there are other key ingredients that you'll need to prepare for your prawn mee. These include:
- Pork Belly: Cut the pork belly into thin slices and blanch them in boiling water for about 2-3 minutes until they are cooked. Drain and set them aside.
- Chives: Wash and chop the chives into small pieces.
- Lime: Cut the lime into wedges for garnish.
- Garlic: Peel and chop the garlic finely.
- Squid: Clean and remove the skin and gut from the squid. Leave the squid whole.
You'll also need bean sprouts, sambal chilli, and pork lard to add flavour to your prawn mee.
Cooking the Dish
Making Prawn Stock
Before you start cooking the dish, you need to prepare the prawn stock. To make the prawn stock, you need to peel the prawn head and add it to the chicken stock. Boil the prawn head and chicken stock for about 30 minutes to an hour. You can also add uncooked prawn shells and prawn heads from other dishes to the stock. This will give the stock a rich flavour.
Stir-Frying Techniques
Stir-frying is the key technique used in cooking fried prawn mee. To stir-fry the noodles, you need to heat up a wok over high heat. Add vegetable oil to the wok and let it heat up. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and stir-fry for a few seconds until fragrant.
Add the noodles to the wok and stir-fry them for a few minutes. Make sure you don't break the noodles while stir-frying them. Add seasoning such as salt, sugar, white pepper, soy sauce, light soya sauce, and dark soya sauce to the noodles. Mix well and continue stir-frying.
Bringing It All Together
Once you have stir-fried the noodles, add the prawn stock to the wok. Mix well and let it simmer for a few minutes until the noodles have absorbed the stock. Add seafood broth, prawns, squid, fish cake, and shredded pork belly to the wok. Stir-fry for a few more minutes until the ingredients are cooked. Garnish with chopped spring onions and serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the essential ingredients for a traditional Hokkien Mee?
The essential ingredients for a traditional Hokkien Mee include yellow noodles, bee hoon, prawns, squid, pork belly, garlic, eggs, and bean sprouts. Some variations may also include fish cake, Chinese sausage, and vegetables like cabbage or carrots. The dish is typically seasoned with soy sauce, oyster sauce, and a touch of chilli paste.
How do you achieve the perfect texture for fried prawn noodles?
The key to achieving the perfect texture for fried prawn noodles is to ensure that the noodles are not overcooked or undercooked. It's best to cook the noodles until they are just al dente, then rinse them in cold water to stop the cooking process. This helps to prevent the noodles from becoming mushy when they are stir-fried.
Can you suggest a simple method for making fried prawn mee at home?
To make fried prawn mee at home, you will need yellow noodles, bee hoon, prawns, squid, pork belly, garlic, eggs, bean sprouts, and seasoning like soy sauce and oyster sauce. First, cook the noodles and bee hoon until they are just al dente, then rinse them in cold water.
In a wok, stir-fry the garlic and pork belly until fragrant, then add the prawns and squid. Add the noodles, bee hoon, and seasoning, and stir-fry until everything is well combined. Finally, add the bean sprouts and eggs, and continue to stir-fry until the eggs are cooked.
What's the secret to a flavourful Hokkien Mee broth?
The secret to a flavourful Hokkien Mee broth is to use a combination of prawn heads, shells, and bones to make a rich and flavourful stock. You can also add other aromatics like garlic, shallots, and ginger to enhance the flavour of the broth.
Are there any tips for selecting prawns for a fried prawn mee dish?
When selecting prawns for a fried prawn mee dish, it's best to choose fresh prawns that are still alive. Look for prawns that are firm and have a bright, translucent shell. Avoid prawns that are discoloured or have a strong fishy smell.
Is there a healthier version of fried Hokkien Mee?
To make a healthier version of fried Hokkien Mee, you can use less oil and less pork belly. You can also add more vegetables like cabbage, carrots, and bean sprouts to increase the nutritional value of the dish. Additionally, you can use whole wheat noodles or brown rice noodles instead of regular yellow noodles to increase the fibre content of the dish.