Singapore Fried Vermicelli (Bihun Goreng)

Ingredients

• 4 Dried Chillies, seeds removed
• 1 Tablespoon Tamarind Paste
• 1-3 Fresh red chillies
• 3 garlic cloves (Peeled)
• 3 shallots (Peeled)
• 1/2 lb dry bihun (bee hoon/ mee hoon)
• Hot water (See above)
• 1/4 C kicap manis
• 4 Tablespoons tomato ketchup ((Weirdly enough, if you add more tomato ketchup it makes the noodles spicier!))
• 2 Tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 Tablespoon oyster sauce
• Salt, optional (You should not need salt after all those saucees but do season to taste if you find it necessary.)
• Pork lard
• 1 Asian omelette, cut into strips (I used 6 eggs for the omelette, but it's really up to you)
• 1 Carrot (Peeled and julienned)
• 1 fish cake
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil. optional
• Spring onions, chopped
• Thinly sliced cucumber
• Pork lardons

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Preparing the Noodles ---

2. 2

   Put the bihun in a heatproof bowl and cover with hot, boiling water for 20-30 minutes. (You can stop soaking once the noodles are flexible, have turned slightly opaque but not soggy. (Whilst it is soaking you can proceed to prepare the rempah, as stated below.) After the 20-30 minutes, drain the bihun.

3. 3

   --- Making the rempah paste ---

4. 4

   Blend the rempah ingredients along with the tamarind water. (Or pound in a mortar and pestle, adding the tamarind water gradually.) You should get a water red paste. Leave on the side for now.

5. 5

   --- Frying the Ingredients followed by the Rempah ---

6. 6

   Heat a pan on medium-high heat. Add the home rendered pork lard (or vegetable oil) to the hot wok.

7. 7

   Stir-fry the eggs, then plate and cut into strips. Using the same pan, fry the carrot strips till soft and plate with the eggs. Similarly, pan fry the fish cake slices. Plate.

8. 8

   Add more oil to the same pan, followed by the blended rempah paste and stir-fry on medium heat in the same wok till it darkens, is fragrant and splits (i.e. the colour of the rempah changes and the oil separates out.) Leave the cooked rempah in the wok.Tip: I'm using a gas stove. Use medium-high heat if using an induction cooker.

9. 9

   --- Frying and assembling the noodles ---

10. 10

    Mix the ingredients for the sauce together then leave beside your cooker.

11. 11

    Add the drained bihun to the wok with the rempah, stir, then add the sauce ingredients. Stir fry till well-mixed, add the omelette, carrots and fish cake, stir a few times then switch off the fire.

12. 12

    Drizzle the sesame oil over the noodles and serve.