Thailand | Pasta & Noodles | Pork | Shrimp | Tofu

Mee Krob

(Thai fried noodles in sweet-sour sauce)

Yield: 4-6 portions


INGREDIENTS PREP AMOUNT
Rice vermicelli noodles (see notes) broken into pieces 1/2 lb
Eggs beaten with 1 Tbsp water 2 each
Tofu, firm sliced thin 1/4 lb
Oil for deep frying
 
Oil 2 Tbsp
Pork, ground 1/4 lb
Shrimp peeled, deveined 1/4 lb
 
Garlic or garlic pickle minced 1 Tbsp
Scallions or shallots minced 2T
Tomato paste 1 Tbsp
Fish sauce   2 Tbsp
Brown sugar or palm sugar   2 Tbsp
Lime juice   3 Tbsp
Red pepper flakes   1/2 to 1 tsp
     
Scallions chopped 2 each
Cilantro   1/2 bunch
Bean sprouts   1 cup
Chile, red or green sliced into thin discs 3 each

METHOD

Basic Steps:  Fry Garnishes → Sauté → Simmer → Mix → Garnish
  1. Bring deep frying oil to 375° in a wok. Add noodles and turn to puff up. This should take just a few seconds. Remove, drain on paper towels and set aside.
  2. Dip fingers into the egg and then drip into the hot oil to make lacey strings. Remove immediately with a slotted spoon to paper towels. Repeat till all egg is used. Chop into small pieces, and set aside.
  3. Deep fry the sliced tofu till it browns. Remove. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
  4. Pour all but 2 Tbsp of oil out of the wok. Add pork, break up and cook through. Remove to a plate. Add a little more oil if needed and sauté shrimp till cooked through. Remove to plate with pork.
  5. Add the garlic and scallions or shallots. Sauté 1-2 minutes over medium-low heat. Add tomato paste and stir in well.
  6. Add the fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice and red pepper flakes. Simmer over low heat till reduced to a syrup.
  7. Stir half the noodles into the sauce well. Then stir in the pork, shrimp and the rest of the noodles. Mound noodles on a platter.
  8. Top the noodles with the garnish of egg strips, tofu, scallions, cilantro, sprouts and chiles. Serve immediately.

VARIATIONS

  • For vegetarian mee krob, substitute soy sauce for the fish sauce, and eliminate the pork & shrimp.
  • Eliminate some of the garnishes if you like. It is not necessary to have all of them.

NOTES

  • Most of this dish's components can be prepared ahead through Step 6. At service time just reheat the sauce and continue with the recipe. The noodles will get soggy if you stir them into the sauce too soon before serving.
  • Rice vermicelli is also known as sen mee, rice stick noodles, mai fun or pancit bihon.