Rice vermicelli in a distinctive sweet-tart spicy gravy built on a rempah of chilli, belacan and fermented soybean. Topped with tau pok, hard-boiled egg and chives. A Malay-hawker creation served across Geylang Serai, despite the name not from Siam.
Mee siam is a Malay-hawker creation of Singapore, served across the Geylang Serai stalls, despite the name not actually from Siam. Rice vermicelli (bee hoon) sits in a distinctive sweet-tart spicy gravy built on a rempah of chilli, belacan and taucu (fermented soybean), topped with tau pok, hard-boiled egg, beansprouts and chives. The gravy version (mee siam kuah) is the Singapore-Malay creation, distinct from Thai or dry-fried variants.
Bright, sweet, tart and spicy in one spoonful, the thin noodles drinking the gravy, the tau pok soaking it up, a crunch of beansprouts. Eaten with sambal, it is bright, complex and the Malay-Singapore noodle bowl.
The rempah of dried chilli, shallots, belacan and taucu is fried until the oil splits, which is the flavour base. Tamarind juice and palm sugar give the sweet-tart balance that defines the gravy. The bee hoon is blanched separately and the hot gravy poured over, so the noodles stay distinct rather than going mushy. The toppings are added at the end. The sweet-tart-spicy balance of the gravy is the dish's signature.
Variations
A dry version tosses the noodles without gravy. Some add prawns.
On the Palate
Where Mee Siam Singapore sits in the Singaporean flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4How it's made
6 steps · 35 min
- 18 min
Pound 6 dried chillies, 4 shallots, 1 tsp belacan and 2 tbsp taucu to a rempah.
- 28 min
Fry the rempah in 3 tbsp oil 6 minutes until the oil splits.
Watch outFry the rempah until the oil splits and pools red at the edges — that's the signal the paste is cooked out; underfried it tastes raw and harsh.
- 38 min
Add 300ml water, 4 tbsp tamarind juice, 2 tbsp palm sugar and salt; simmer 8 minutes into a gravy.
- 45 min
Blanch 300g rice vermicelli (bee hoon); drain; divide into 4 bowls.
- 56 min
Ladle the hot gravy over; top each with halved tau pok, egg quarters, beansprouts and chives.
Watch outBlanch the bee hoon separately and pour the hot gravy over at serving — cook it in the gravy and the noodles go mushy.
- 63 min
Serve hot with a side of sambal.
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