Mee Rebus
A savory Southeast Asian noodle dish featuring yellow noodles topped with a thick sweet potato and prawn-based gravy, garnished with eggs, beancurd and fried shallots.
Servings: 5 servings
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 packyellow noodles blanched
- beansprouts blanched
- 8 dried red chillies soaked to soften
- 1/2 tablespoonground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoonfennel
- 1/2 teaspoonground cumin
- 10 shallots chopped
- 1/2 teaspoonground turmeric
- 1 inch 2 cmginger
- 1 tablespooncooking oil
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 350 gramsweet potatoes skinned, steamed and mashed
- 7 cupschicken stock
- 1 cupprawn stock
- 1 tablespoontamarind concentrate
- 1/2 cupcoconut milk
- salt to taste
- hard-boiled eggs shelled and halved
- fried beancurd sliced
- prawn fritters
- fried shallots
- limes
- lettuce shredded
Instructions
Instructions
- Ensure the yellow noodles and beansprouts are blanched, drained and set aside.
- Make the spice paste: place the soaked dried red chillies, 1/2 tablespoon ground coriander, 1/2 teaspoon fennel, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 10 chopped shallots, 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric and 1 inch (2 cm) ginger in a food processor or blender and blend to a smooth paste. Add a little chicken stock if the blender needs liquid to process.
- Heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil in a large saucepan or wok over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick, then add the spice paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant (about 2–3 minutes).
- In a bowl, loosen the 350 grams mashed sweet potatoes with 2 cups of the chicken stock, stirring until smooth. Add this sweet potato mixture to the pan and stir to combine with the spice paste.
- Pour in the remaining chicken stock (the other 5 cups) and the 1 cup prawn stock. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate and 1/2 cup coconut milk. Continue to simmer until the gravy thickens to your desired consistency (a few minutes), stirring occasionally.
- Taste and season the gravy with salt to taste. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick.
- To serve: divide the blanched yellow noodles and blanched beansprouts among bowls. Ladle the mee rebus gravy over the noodles. Top each bowl with halved hard‑boiled eggs, sliced fried beancurd, prawn fritters, fried shallots and shredded lettuce. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing.
Equipment
- Food processor or blender
- large saucepan or wok
- Bowl
- Ladle
Notes
I always make the homemade spice paste because it’s worth the effort. It gives my mee rebus the authentic flavor I love, adding a rich depth that store-bought pastes just can’t match.
For the perfect gravy texture, I always use orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. I don’t use other types of sweet potatoes like purple or white-fleshed ones because they don’t thicken the gravy as well and can affect the flavor and texture.
If the gravy is too thick, I add a bit more stock or coconut milk. If it’s too thin, let it simmer a little longer to thicken up. It should coat the noodles perfectly without being too heavy.
I make sure to let the gravy simmer for a good 15 minutes. This allows the flavors to blend together and gives the sauce a rich, aromatic finish.
For the perfect gravy texture, I always use orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. I don’t use other types of sweet potatoes like purple or white-fleshed ones because they don’t thicken the gravy as well and can affect the flavor and texture.
If the gravy is too thick, I add a bit more stock or coconut milk. If it’s too thin, let it simmer a little longer to thicken up. It should coat the noodles perfectly without being too heavy.
I make sure to let the gravy simmer for a good 15 minutes. This allows the flavors to blend together and gives the sauce a rich, aromatic finish.