Mum's XO Mee Tai Bak Stir Fry | XO酱炒米台目 Recipe
- Daniel
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
This is one of those dishes that instantly reminds me of home. My mum used to make mee tai bak stir fry whenever she wanted something hearty but quick to put together. A bit of fish cake, Chinese sausage, eggs, vegetables, and whatever sauce was already sitting in the fridge.
It was never overly complicated, but somehow the chewy noodles soaked up all the flavors beautifully. The version here pushes it slightly further with XO sauce, giving the dish an extra layer of depth and savoriness.
Mee tai bak, also known as mee tai mak or 老鼠粉 (rat tail noodles), has roots in Southern Chinese cuisine and became especially popular in Singapore and Malaysia through hawker culture.
The noodles themselves are short, thick, and chewy, sitting somewhere between noodles and pasta. Traditionally, they are often stir fried with soy sauce or served in soup. In hawker stalls, wok hei plays a huge role, which is why a hot wok is important for this dish.
What I love about this stir fry is how balanced it feels. The sweetness from Chinese sausage, the slight smokiness from the wok, the crunch from bean sprouts, and that little hit of XO sauce at the end.
It’s comfort food more than anything else. If you already have XO sauce in the fridge, this is honestly one of the best ways to use it.
Ingredients:
(Serve 4)
Rapeseed / Sunflower / Canola / Peanut Oil, 2 TBSP + 2 TBSP
Eggs Lightly Beaten, 3
Red Onion Thinly Sliced, 1
Sea Salt, Pinch
Black Pepper, Pinch
Carrot Finely Diced, 1/2
Chinese Sausage Thinly Sliced, 1
Fish Cake Finely Diced, 1
Garlic Finely Minced, 3 Cloves
Fresh Mee Tai Bak, 420g
Brown Sauce Homemade, 1/4 Cup
Dark Soy Sauce, 1 TBSP
XO Sauce Homemade, 1 TBSP + 1 TBSP
Bean Sprouts, A Large Handful
Scallions Sliced Into Sections, 2 Stalks + More For Garnishing
Black Vinegar, 1 TBSP
Toasted Sesame Oil, 1 TBSP
Equipment:
Cast Iron Skillet / Carbon Steel Wok
Directions:
Please visit my "Brown Sauce" page for the recipe.
Please visit my "XO Sauce" page for the recipe.
Prepare the eggs
Heat a wok over medium-high heat and add oil.
Pour in the beaten eggs and scramble gently until almost cooked through.
Remove and set aside.
Cook the aromatics and vegetables
In the same wok, add more oil.
Add onions and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Stir fry until softened and translucent.
Add carrots and continue stir frying until slightly softened and the onion is lightly caramelized.
Add Chinese sausage and fish cake.
Cook until lightly browned and aromatic.
Add garlic and stir fry briefly until fragrant.
Cook the noodles
Add the mee tai bak into the wok.
Toss well over medium-high heat.
The wok needs to stay hot or the noodles may stick.
Build the sauce
Add brown sauce, dark soy sauce, and XO sauce.
Pour in about 1/2 cup of water to loosen everything and help coat the noodles evenly.
Continue stir frying until the sauce thickens slightly and the noodles absorb the flavor.
Finish the dish
Add bean sprouts, scallions, and the scrambled eggs back into the wok.
Toss briefly until everything is heated through.
If the noodles begin sticking, add a small splash of water and continue tossing.
Final seasoning
Turn off the heat.
Add black vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and another spoonful of XO sauce.
Mix quickly to combine.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Serve
Transfer to serving plates and garnish with more scallions.
Serve immediately while hot.
Nostalgic and yummilicious...
Important Wok Tip
When using a newly seasoned carbon steel wok, avoid cooking acidic or very wet dishes during the first few uses. Tomato sauces, vinegar-heavy dishes, soups, and stews can weaken or strip the fresh seasoning layer. Start with oil-based stir-fries, fried rice, scallions, ginger, or proteins instead. This helps strengthen the seasoning naturally over time.
Tip
Mee tai bak is actually very forgiving.
You can use almost any ingredients you have on hand:
different vegetables
different proteins
leftover roast meats
mushrooms
seafood
tofu
The concept remains the same. A hot wok is extremely important. If the wok is not hot enough, the mee tai bak will stick and turn mushy instead of lightly charred and chewy.
Another important trick is adding a splash of water during stir frying. Mee tai bak absorbs liquid very quickly. The added water helps the noodles plump up while preventing them from sticking to the wok. As the liquid reduces, the noodles will soak up all the flavor from the sauces beautifully.
This is one of those dishes where technique matters more than exact ingredients. Once you understand the rhythm of the wok, you can freestyle the rest.
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