SINGAPORE mee hoon is one of those dishes we assume comes from a specific place but turns out was only named after it and doesn’t exist there.
It dates back to the Colonial era, when British merchants brought spices from Malaya to Hong Kong, and chefs there tried to invoke Singapore’s flavours by incorporating them into a dish.
With just a hint of curry powder, without overwhelming it, the chefs transformed a stir-fried dish of rice vermicelli into an exotic creation that has since become a permanent fixture in a Cantonese chef’s repertoire.
Besides the curry powder, the distinguishing ingredients in the dish are red onions, baby prawns and char siew.
Some outlets may opt for mock char siew, other meats or omit the ingredient altogether.
It is recommended that different components of this dish be cooked separately before combining them with the noodles.
This ensures the ingredients cook evenly and maintain their crunchy texture.
If you master the technique, you can stir-fry any type of mee hoon without breaking the noodles too much or the dish becoming mushy.
A crucial step for springy noodle texture is to soak the vermicelli in boiling water for no more than two minutes, loosening the strands while they are soaking.
Then, drain off the excess water and cover the noodles with a pot lid or plate so that they continue to cook in the residual steam for about 10 minutes.
After cooking the vermicelli using the passive steaming method, pull the strands apart while searing the noodles in oil.
Instead of a spatula, a pair of tongs work very well for stir-frying noodles, particularly rice vermicelli.
Singapore mee hoon is more than just a dish – it’s a celebration of cultural fusion and culinary innovation.
Its journey from a misnomer to a global favourite reflects the ever-evolving nature of food and its ability to transcend borders.
So delight in vibrant flavours that pay homage to Singapore as it celebrates National Day on Aug 9.
Singapore mee hoon was created by Hong Kong chefs when the British introduced curry powder from its South-East Asian colonies. — Photos: AZLINA ABDULLAH/The Star
Singapore mee hoon
Ingredients
250g rice vermicelli
2 eggs, beaten
1 bulb red onion, finely sliced
60g carrots, julienned
65g shiitake mushrooms, julienned
3 stalks spring onions, split and cut to 4cm lengths, separating whites from greens
4 cloves garlic, minced
150g prawn meat
150g char siew, julienned
90g choy sum, cut lengthwise
150g bean sprouts, cleaned
2 red chillies, julienned
10 tbsp cooking oil
salt to taste
Meats, julienned.
Marinade
150g chicken thigh, cut into thin strips
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp cold water
Seasoning
1 tsp curry powder
2 tbsp oyster sauce1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp sesame oil
4 tbsp prawn broth if available, or cold water
Cook prawns until they turn pink.
Directions
Cut chicken into thin strips and marinate with cornstarch and water for about 20 minutes.
Stir together all the seasoning ingredients and set aside.
Soak rice vermicelli in boiling water for two minutes, simultaneously loosening the strands in the water.
Drain off immediately in a colander or wire mesh and cover with a pot lid or plate to let it stand in the residual steam for 10 minutes.
Heat the wok to medium high and add two tablespoons of cooking oil to fry the eggs, breaking into strips as it solidifies.
Season with a pinch of salt and remove from the wok and set aside.
Heat two tablespoons of cooking oil to saute onions, spring onion whites, carrots and mushrooms for about two minutes until cooked but remain crunchy.
Season with salt and remove from the wok and set aside.
Choy sum, bean sprouts and chillies are tossed until cooked but still crunchy.
Heat two tablespoons of cooking oil to saute the garlic and chicken until lightly seared.
Add prawns and char siew to saute until prawns turn pink. Add choy sum, bean sprouts and chillies and toss until cooked but still crunchy.
Season with a pinch of salt and remove from the wok and set aside.
In a clean wok, heat four tablespoons of oil over high.
Add the soaked vermicelli and, using a pair of tongs, toss the noodles into loose bunches as they are searing in the wok so that they can be turned over and fry more evenly.
Drizzle the seasoning sauce over the noodles, continue tossing them so that they are evenly coated in the sauce.
Return the eggs, meat and vegetables to the wok, tossing them together until well incorporated. Serve immediately.
