You know, one thing that's been bugging me lately is how a lot of eateries are churning out Mee Goreng that just doesn't taste like it used to. It seems like they're all about that bright red color, probably thanks to a generous dose of food coloring, but where's the depth of flavor?
That got me thinking—why not try to capture the essence of the dish but ditch the artificial stuff and those yellow noodles that I'm not too fond of?
That's where macaroni came into play. It might sound a bit out there, substituting macaroni in a classic Southeast Asian dish, but trust me, it works.
I focused on building those rich, authentic flavors from scratch—no shortcuts or food coloring here. Just real ingredients like dried chilies, tamarind, and a homemade spice paste to get that robust, can't-get-enough-of-it taste.
And cooking the macaroni just right so it soaks up all that saucy goodness? Game-changer.
No fake red food coloring or ketchup...
So if you're anything like me, craving that authentic Mee Goreng taste without the stuff you don't want, give this macaroni goreng a whirl. It's a little nod to tradition, a bit of personal preference, and a whole lot of flavor.
Perfect for shaking up your dinner routine without losing touch with the dish's vibrant roots. Plus, it's a great conversation starter about keeping food real and flavorful.
Ingredients:
(Serve 2)
Dried Chilies, 5g Adjust To Preference
Dried Shrimps. 5g
Coconut Oil, 3 TBSP
Yellow Split Peas, 5g
Red Onion Coarsely Sliced, 1
Garlic Crushed, 3 Cloves
Salted Soy Beans / Miso, 1/2 TBSP
Tamarind Paste, 1/2 TBSP
Peanut Butter, 2 TBSP
Sriracha, 3 TBSP
Kecap Manis Homemade, 3 TBSP
Light Soy Sauce, 2 TBSP
Oyster Sauce, 1 TBSP
Black Bean Soy Sauce Paste, 1 TBSP Or Light Soy Sauce
Sea Salt, Pinch
White Pepper, Pinch
Madras Masala Homemade, 1 TBSP
Cabbage Finely Sliced, 1/4
Macaroni, 200g
Tomatoes Seeds Removed Finely Diced, 2
Bean Sprouts, A Handful
Fresh Lime Zest, 1 Lime
Fresh Lime Juice, 1 Lime
Scallions Thinly Sliced, For Garnishing
Sunny Side Up, 2
Equipment:
Cast Iron Skillet / Pan
Blender
Directions:
Please visit my “How To Make Madras Masala" page for the recipe.
Please visit my "How To Make Kecap Manis" page for the recipe.
Soak dried chilies and dried shrimps in hot water until soft. Deseed the chilies if desired
Reserve the liquid.
In a skillet over medium heat, add oil.
Once the oil is heated up, add in the peas.
Saute until aromatic.
Transfer the peas and oil to a blender, along with the soaked chilies, shrimps, soaking liquid, onion and garlic.
Blitz until smooth paste forms.
*I am just using my stick blender.*
In a large bowl, combine salted soy beans, tamarind, peanut butter, sriracha, kecap manis, light soy, oyster and black bean soy sauce paste.
Set this sauce aside until ready to use.
Transfer the spice paste back into the same skillet.
Turn the heat up to medium.
Stir to combine well.
Continue stirring and cooking until the liquid has almost evaporated.
It should thicken and turn a dark shade of red.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add in the masala powder.
Saute until well combined.
Followed by the sauce mixture and cabbage.
At the same time, concurrently, add 800g of hot water and macaroni into another skillet.
Lightly season with salt and stir to combine well.
Cook until the macaroni is just under al dente and until the pasta water has almost evaporated.
Transfer the spice mixture to the macaroni mixture.
Saute until well combined, making sure the macaroni is well coated.
Add in tomatoes and sprouts.
Saute until well combined.
Taste and adjust for seasonings.
Sprinkle some lime zest and juice over the top.
Garnish with scallions and top with some sunny side up.
Serve immediately.
Yummilicious...