Tuesday, April 7, 2009

MAMAK FRIED NOODLES - MEE GORENG MAMAK


It has been scorching and then raining sheets successively throughout the day almost everyday and we are all feeling sticky, sticky and sticky. Humidity's high, motivation's low and my kitchen is feeling pretty lonely all by itself in its sticky little corner. That's because I haven't been so friendly. In fact I've been quite brusque, I've flapped my hands, thrown my head back and short of laughing hysterically, I've cried 'be done with you!' and I would leave as soon as it's Cherryonacakely possible. These days I cook for survival.

Oh give us spring. Would I be cooking all day long if we had spring?

I don't think so. I would be out there singing with the birds and playing with the flowers. And probably rhyming silly words.

Would I be cooking all day if we had winter? Uh Uh I don't think so. I'd be in bed, drowned in quilts, cuddling up and with the hair dryer blasting me to a roast.

Would I be cooking if we had Autumn? Nope. 'Cause I'd be sitting by the window, all day long, sighing and swooning at my favourite colours.

So, then you ask me, what would get me cooking?

The answer my friend is not blowin' in the wind, soakin' in the rain or in the colour of the fallin' leaves. It's inside of me right now. It's in my helly belly. It is Hunger. A ravenous, howlin' Hunger. For mee goreng mamak.


How many pans must a woman dent before you call her a woman
How many times must a kettle blow before it's turned off for good
Yes, 'n how many times must a kitchen tap drip before the plumber comes along
The answer my friend is not blowin' in the wind
The answer is not blowin' in the wind

It's in my helly belly.

And mee goreng mamak is my one and only.

Mee goreng mamak has been living inside of my head for as long as I have known it. It got married when I got married , it screamed when I birthed, it shattered into a million pieces when I heaved-hoed my head in times of vain, it shriveled and stayed subdued to a point when I pondered on more 'important' things, in short, it's me in mee form. Earthy/down to earth, complicated/confused and hot/hot.

Nothing could beat the earthiness of a mamak mee goreng. It was conceived out of whatever was around, at hand and within reach. At the mamak (Indian Muslim)shop. So practically anything and everything went in. No planning, no strategising, no theorize-ing, no speculating, no cudgeling of their brains, Just plain 'if I can reach it it goes in', 'if I can see it it goes in', if it's there it goes in'.

That, it seems, would be the only reason why curry sauce (any curry sauce) went in, why potatoes went in, why it is a complex and confusing mix of a million ingredients for what was supposed to be a simple dish of fried noodles.

Naturally one wouldn't have curry sauce lying around or ready boiled potatoes, or fried soy bean curd cake or shredded cooked chicken. So to make a mamak mee goreng, contrary to the way it was conceived, some amount of planning and organization would come in handy........ Bleh.

But it is sooooo good.


The recipe.........

Fresh yellow noodles (or dried egg noodles, scalded n drained), enough for one person ( Iused pasta vermicelli)

2 shallots, sliced finely
2 garlic, sliced finely
2 tsp of curry powder, any
1-2 or 3 tbsp curry sauce,any (buy some curry from your nearest Indian restaurant/mamak shop)
2 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp of tomato sauce
2 tsp of fish sauce
1-2 tsp chillie paste (made from ground dried chillies)

some shredded cooked (fried or roasted) chicken
a couple of large prawns (halved sideways or anyway you like)
1 egg

a handful of bean sprouts
a handful of sliced cabbage
a handful of greens (any greens)
1 tomato, halved
a few slices of fried firm bean curd cake
slices of 1 small boiled potato
slices of prawn fritters (optional)

3 or 4 slices of fresh red chillies
1 small stalk of spring onions, chopped
2 kalamansi limes (limau nipis), halved
salt
about 2-3 tbsp of cooking oil

Before starting to cook, mix all the sauces, curry powder and chillie paste together.

Heat pan, heat oil and throw in the sliced shallots, garlic and stir till softened. Add the prawns, chicken meat and stir over very high heat. Add the mixed sauces.Stir over very high heat all the time. Add the cabbage, greens, bean sprouts, sliced potates, tomato, bean curd, sliced prawn fritter if using and stir, stir and stir. High high heat. Add salt. Add about 2 tablespoons of water if too dry. (it should be a little saucy). Add noodles, stir and push aside. Break an egg into the cleared portion of the pan, let it cook half way and scramble the noodle mixture over and into it; over high heat all the time. Mix well, the mixture should be wet (moist-moist wet) but no sauce. The noodles should be coated with all the sauce.

Dish into a plate or bowl, squeeze the juices of 2 limes over it, sprinkle with a few slices of fresh chillies. extra quarters of a tomato and the chopped spring onions. Serve. Enjoy. Yum!

This dish ends up being enough for 2 persons after everything has come together.


PS: My mamak mee goreng may not be the best but it comes close enough to stop me howling.

12 comments:

Denise ^ ChickyEGG said...

Arrrr... do you use to get A in Art subject ? ha ha ha, Look! especially from Kuih Dadar to this hot hot mee goreng mamak! so "artistic" & beautiful !( I mean how you put it nicely & decorate with backgrounds )

; D

GFAD said...

Ooooh.. now you've got me craving for mamak mee goreng!!

You know that candlestick holder in the first picture? For a moment there, I was wondering, "Why is there a toilet plunger next to your plate of mee??!!" :D

Zurin said...

GFAD, YES thats what i thot myself! hahahhahaha My eyes popped and I was thinking "Why did I put the toilet plunger there?!!!" LOLOLOL...then I figured ..hmmm I cld use a toilet plunger nxt time n pass it off as a candle stick holder..:D

Zurin said...

Denise, well I got a B but maybe they were wrong? a few pointers ...ahem...first, make sure all the colours match..2) make sure you take a million pics! and 3) NEVER post a post if u havent got a pretty picture!

Denise ^ ChickyEGG said...

GFAD! !!!!! U know what!!!!!!!!!! I also at first tot why in earth Zurin put a Toilet plunger in the pic!!!!! LOlz ! tot rude to ask, who knows, u also having the same tot as me! *high 5* ha ha ha

Zurin said...

Ok OK all....LOLOLOL maybe I shd change the pic huh? I was thinking twice too but thn I thot ' What the heck!" But now I think i'd better change it! :D esp b4 someone else comments!!

Mallory Elise said...

ah man i love that first photo! the layout it, i dunno it seems so different! and the colors. i think it must be the square affect. bravo you!

ila de cute said...

hi aunt, i am liza's sister. was reading your blog since the entry of Fir and Liza's wedding in Labis. I love the way u write and the way u present your food. OMG, such a lovely blog.

Zurin said...

Hi Ila, Thank u for the nice comments.R u the mother of the baby in the wedding post? He is sooo cute n made a lovely ending to the post. I just had to insert the foto. I hope u don't mind.My only regret was that I did not hv a foto of his adorable face..that wld have bn even better!:)

ila de cute said...

Hi aunt, yes am the proud mother of the boy (Rizq Hafiz) :). i dont mind for u to put up his photo. I uploaded numbers of his photo in my blog. Take care. Enjoy cooking and writing, as I am enjoy reading it... have a nice day!

Nadia said...

i just noticed the 'plunger' after reading the comments LOL

Nadia said...

and the last one (the most bottom)

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