Mie Goreng

(Indonesian stir-fried noodles with vegetables)
Image by Wikipedia: Midori
For a quick, nourishing meal, Indonesian mie goreng is a great choice. Also spelled mi or mee goreng, this stir-fried noodle dish is a great way to use up items in the fridge. Use your imagination! Popular in Malaysia and Singapore too.
4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
- Asian egg noodles -- 1 pound
- Oil -- 3 tablespoons
- Onion, thinly sliced -- 1
- Red chile peppers, finely chopped -- 2 or 3
- Garlic, minced -- 2 or 3 cloves
- Shrimp, peeled and deveined -- 1 pound
- Cabbage, shredded -- 1/2 head
- Scallions, chopped -- 3 or 4
- Tomatoes, seeded and chopped-- 1 cup
- Light soy sauce, or kecap manis -- 2 tablespoons
- Beans sprouts -- 1 cup
- Salt -- to taste
Method
- Cook the noodles according to package directions, taking care not to overcook them. Drain the noodles, rinse them with cool water, drain again and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high flame. Add the onion, chiles and garlic and stir fry until the onion is translucent, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the shrimp and stir fry for another minute or two, or until the shrimp is almost cooked through and pink.
- Add the cabbage and scallions and stir fry for 2 or 3 minutes more, or until the vegetables are tender but still crispy.
- Stir in the tomatoes and soy sauce or kecap manis, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in the sprouts, adjust seasoning with salt and serve hot.
Mie Goreng Variations
- Meats: Thinly sliced chicken, beef, lamb or pork is also popular. For a vegetarian version, use cubed firm tofu or deep-fried tofu.
- Vegetables: Try using thinly sliced bell peppers, thinly sliced and blanced carrots or broccoli, chopped bok choy, celery sliced on a bias.
- Seasonings: Substitute 3 or 4 minced shallots for the onions. Saute some minced ginger or galangal with the onions. Add a teaspoon of shrimp paste toward the end of sauteing the onions. Add a squirt of sambal oelek chili paste for extra heat.
- Garnishes: Lots of options are available for garnishing your mie goreng: fried onion flakes, thinly sliced cucumber, pickled shallots. Or make a thin omelet with a couple of eggs, shred it and use it to top the noodles.