Recipe courtesy of Andy Liang for Food Network Kitchen

Singapore Mei Fun

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  • Level: Intermediate
  • Total: 50 min
  • Active: 50 min
  • Yield: 4 servings
Singapore mei fun, a classic noodle dish in Chinese restaurants around the world, did not originate in Singapore--and many Singaporeans have not even heard of the dish that bears their country’s name. It was created in Hong Kong when it was a British colony and curry powder was readily available. Mixed with rice noodles and a variety of proteins and vegetables, it is the perfect seasoning for this satisfying stir-fry. This version of the dish features chicken, shrimp and char siu, but any protein will work. Or substitute mushrooms for a vegetarian version (you can sub vegetarian oyster sauce for regular oyster sauce). Feel free to change up the vegetables too, just keep them thinly sliced for easy eating with the noodles. We prefer a carbon steel wok for this recipe because it adds a charred flavor from the high heat.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and cook until just softened and separated, about 1 minute. Drain the noodles and toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil; set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, mix the chicken strips with 1/2 teaspoon of the sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until both are dissolved. Add the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon cold water. Massage the cornstarch slurry into the chicken strips until coated evenly. Set aside to marinate.
  3. Mix the curry powder, oyster sauce, soy sauce, remaining 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl until combined; set aside.
  4. Gently separate the noodles with chopsticks or tongs by repeatedly lifting and dropping small bunches of them. Set aside.
  5. Heat a wok over high heat until a wisp of smoke appears, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon oil, swirl to coat the wok and let heat until shimmering, about 1 minute.
  6. Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a small bowl with 1 teaspoon salt until smooth. Pour the eggs into the wok and swirl until a thin sheet of egg is formed. Cook until the top side is set, about 1 minute. Flip with a wok spatula and cook for 30 seconds, then cut the egg sheet into bite-size pieces with the spatula. Transfer the egg to a small bowl.
  7. Heat another tablespoon of oil until shimmering. Add the chicken and stir-fry until no longer opaque, about 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and cook about 30 seconds. Add the char siu and stir-fry until everything is heated through and cooked, another 2 minutes. Set aside on a large plate.
  8. Heat another tablespoon of oil until shimmering. Add the onions and cook until lightly browned, about 30 seconds. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the red and green bell pepper strips, cabbage and 1/4 teaspoon salt and stir-fry until the cabbage begins to wilt, about 1 minute. Transfer the vegetables to the same large plate.
  9. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil until shimmering. Gently lift and loosen the noodles again and add them to the wok. Stir-fry the noodles, tossing them, until they start to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the curry sauce over the noodles and mix and toss until evenly combined, about 2 minutes. Toss in the chicken, shrimp, char siu, stir fried vegetables, bean sprouts, scallions and eggs until evenly distributed.

Cook’s Note

The curry powder used for Singapore noodles typically isn’t spicy, but feel free to use any curry powder you have on hand, such as madras curry powder or homemade curry powder that has a kick in it. Any size shrimp works for this recipe--just make sure to cut them into bite-size pieces. Or use small shrimp to cut down on prep. Stir-frying goes very quickly, so it's best to prep all your ingredients before you start cooking.