Curry Mee (Curry Noodles)

Recipe by: http://www.malaysianfood.net/recipes/recipecurrymee.htm

Prep Time: 1.5 hrs
Cook Time: 1.5 hrs
Serving Size: 4

Tools: Pots

Ingredients:
1 lb yellow egg noodles [chow mein noodles]
1 lb thin rice noodles or rice vermicelli, [meifun noodles, also called beehoon]
1½-2 lb shell-on fresh shrimp or prawns [parboiled & allowed to cool]
1½ lb fresh cockles [blanched & shelled] [Substitute: canned cockles] [optional]
3 to 4 pieces dried cuttlefish [reconstituted & sliced] [Substitute: fresh squid] [optional]
½ lb blood cake [cooked pig's blood], cut into 1-inch cubes [optional]
1-1½ lb boneless chicken breast or thighs [cooked & shredded]
1 lb firm tofu or soy bean curd [fried & cut into 1/2 inch slices]
½ lb deep fried tofu [tow pok, tao pok, tau foo pok or tofu pok], halved or quartered
½ cup peanut or vegetable oil
3-4 lemongrass stalks, lightly bashed
2 cans coconut milk
6-8 cups water [less water for thicker soup]
6 cups chicken stock
3 tbsp palm sugar [Substitute: dark brown sugar]
salt
15 shallots or small red onions
5-6 tbsp, or to taste chili paste
2 tbsp coriander powder
2 tbsp lemongrass, chopped
10 peppercorns

[Items in italics to be ground or blended]

Ingredients for pan-roasted Chili Sauce :
1 cup peanut or vegetable oil
1 inch piece belacan, also spelt belachan or blacan [dried shrimp paste]
8 large cloves garlic
½ cup Dried Shrimp [Udang Kering]1 cup chili paste

[Items in italics to be ground or blended]

FYI : This noodle soup dish is 'Penang' Curry Mee. Elsewhere [KL/Spore], it is often mistakenly called 'Curry Laksa' - which is altogether a different noodle dish in Penang called 'Laksa Lemak' or sometimes 'Laksa Siam'.

Steps:

To Prepare pan-roasted Chili Sauce :

1. Using a mortar & pestle or blender, grind garlic, dried shrimp and chili paste
2. Heat wok on high, add peanut or vegetable oil, add ground paste, belacan, stir-fry, then bring to a rapid boil
3. Reduce heat to low, pan-roast until color darkens, and oil starts to ooze from paste - be careful not to burn!
4. Immediately pour the pan-roasted chili paste into a small bowl, set aside

To Prepare curry mee:

1. Using a mortar & pestle or blender, grind shallots, chili paste, coriander powder, lemongrass and peppercorns into a paste
2. Shell the parboiled shrimp and reserve the shells and shrimp heads. Set the peeled shrimp aside for garnish
3. Using a blender or food processor, blend the shells and heads with 2 cups of water
4. Strain well through a fine mesh sieve, add the prawn stock to the chicken stock and mix well to combine
5. In a stockpot, heat oil, add lemongrass stalks and ground paste, stir-fry until quite toasted and oil starts to ooze from paste - be careful not to burn!
6. Stir in half of the coconut milk, and half of the prawn/chicken stock, mix well
7. Add palm sugar and salt to taste
8. Bring slowly to a boil, then add the rest of the coconut milk, mix well
9. Add blood cake cubes and fried tofu slices, bring slowly to a boil again, then add the rest of the prawn/chicken stock
10. Stir well, bring slowly to a boil once again, reduce heat to gently simmer for 20-30 mins [to avoid curdling], stir often
11. Taste soup, add salt or palm sugar if necessary, reduce heat to very low to keep soup hot for serving
12. To serve - add to each individual serving bowl, bean sprouts, thin rice noodles [meifun] and yellow egg noodles [chow mein]
13. Garnish with cooked shrimp, cockles, cuttlefish, shredded chicken and deep fried tofu
14. Pour piping hot soup over, ladling some fried tofu slices and blood cake cubes
15. Serve with a spoonful of extra pan-roasted chili sauce, to add to your taste!

Cook's Note : If you like your Curry Mee soup more 'lemak' i.e. richer in coconut creaminess - add more coconut milk, and if you prefer it less 'lemak', add additional chicken stock or water.