Dry Mee Siam Goreng | Malay stir fried vermicelli

Mee Siam Goreng, or Stir-Fried Rice Vermicelli, is one of those dishes that instantly feels like home. It’s a Malay staple that’s loved across Singapore and Malaysia: tangy, slightly sweet, a little spicy, and always comforting.

I first made Mee Siam with gravy some time ago, but today I want to share its close cousin: the dry version, Mee Siam Goreng. Don’t think of it as just a shortcut, though! I think it’s a dish in its own right.

While Mee Siam is usually eaten as a breakfast staple, Mee Siam Goreng feels more versatile. You’ll find it at breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and it’s the kind of noodle dish that almost always makes an appearance at house parties and potlucks.

Personally, I find myself reaching for Mee Siam Goreng more often. It’s lighter than a heavy stir-fry like Mee Goreng, but still packs in that irresistible sweet-sour-spicy balance. Plus, it’s much easier to whip up at home without a laundry list of ingredients — perfect for a quick meal that still tastes festive.

What is Mee Siam Goreng?

Mee Siam Goreng literally translates to “Fried Siamese Noodles.” Despite its name, it’s not Thai but a Malay dish with clear Thai influences — mainly the sweet-sour-umami flavour profile from tamarind, taucheo, and chillies.

Thin rice vermicelli or bee hoon noodles are stir-fried in a spice paste of aromatics, dried shrimp, fermented soybean paste (taucheo), and tamarind. It’s umami-central!

The noodles are then tossed with bean sprouts, chives, and usually topped with strips of omelette, boiled eggs, fried tofu, or even prawns if you want to make it more luxurious.

The key difference between Mee Siam and Mee Siam Goreng is the sauce:

• Mee Siam comes with a tangy, spicy broth poured over the noodles.

• Mee Siam Goreng skips the broth for a dry stir-fry, making it simpler and faster, but still with that iconic sweet-sour-spicy balance.

Key Ingredients to Make Mee Siam Goreng

Rice Vermicelli (Bee Hoon Noodles)

The key ingredient for Mee Siam Goreng, would be rice vermicelli or bee hoon noodles. Vermicelli is sold dry, and will need to be prepared before use.

To prepare vermicelli, place the dry noodles in a bowl. Then add warm water and allow it to soak for about 15 minutes, or until the noodles become soft and pliable. I usually do this right at the beginning, so by the time I’m done with ingredient prep, the noodles are ready to go!

Do not leave it for too long though because it can get brittle and break. Setting a timer would be a good idea.

You can also use cold or room temperature water to soften the noodles. It will take longer, perhaps 40 minutes or so. If your ingredient prep will take a longer time, this would be a good option.

Want to shortcut it? Add hot, freshly boiled water. Your noodles will be soft in just 5 minutes. Immediately drain once the noodles are soft because you do not want to oversoak these.

These can’t quite be replaced by any other noodle types – it just wouldn’t be the same effect! Of course, if you want to, you absolutely can. This is essentially Mee Goreng with taucheo.

Taucheo or Taucu for Mee Siam Goreng

Mee Siam Goreng is spicy, sweet and has the same umami flavour that comes from the taucheo or taucu. Taucheo is fermented salted soybeans. It’s easily available in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

Depending on brand, taucheo has varying levels of saltiness. I do not do this, but you can remove most of the saltiness by rinsing it under water. This gives you more control to add salt later on.

To prepare the taucheo, roughly mash the soybeans with a fork. The soft soybeans should mash easily. If you want an even quicker meal, then simply blend the taucheo with the base paste. Doing this will finely mash the taucheo, so that you can’t see the soybeans in the dish. I like to see the soybean bits – and this is the way my Mom makes it – so I prefer mashing it separately.

If you can’t find taucheo, there are some alternatives:

• Miso paste: Japanese fermented soybeans.

• Doenjang: Korean fermented soybean paste.

• Doubanjiang: Chinese bean sauce, the non-spicy version will work best.

The Tang: Tamarind

Mee Siam is tangy, and this is provided by the copious amount of tamarind paste. Tamarind in Mee Siam is essential, without it, it simply is not Mee Siam! Unlike Mee Siam however, Mee Siam Goreng does not include tamarind paste. Or at least the Malay versions of it. I’ve seen recipes floating around that include tamarind paste in Mee Siam Goreng, but I honestly have never detected tamarind at all in the local versions I’ve had. My mom also does not include tamarind.

If there is a sour tang, it comes solely from the squeeze of lime juice at the end. I used calamansi limes in this recipe, as it is what is commonly used. You can use regular lime, or lemon juice – these work perfectly as well.

If you do want to include tamarind, you can – simply add tamarind paste into the sauce, before adding the vermicelli.

Blended Spice Paste

• Dried Shrimp
  Pounded or blended into the spice paste, dried shrimp gives the noodles that unmistakable savory backbone. Toast them lightly before blending for extra aroma. If you want a vegetarian version, you can skip this and add a splash of soy sauce.

• Aromatics (Dried Chillies, Shallots, Garlic)
  These are the building blocks of flavour. Blend them into the paste to create the base for the noodles. Adjust the chili amount depending on how spicy you like it. If you’d like you can also add ginger and lemongrass to be blended paste, but I like to keep it as simple as possible.

Garnishes & Add-Ons

Mee Siam Goreng is never complete without its toppings! Common choices include:

• Omelette strips or boiled eggs – for protein! It’s a classic garnish that makes the noodles feel complete. To make it, just cook a simple omelette (I usually season mine with a pinch of salt, but it’s optional). Once cooked, roll it up, slice into thin strips, and you’re done! Traditionally, the egg is prepared separately as a garnish, unlike Mee Goreng where it’s often fried together with the noodles. That said, you can skip the garnish step if you prefer.

• Bean sprouts & chives – for crunch and freshness

• Tau pok (fried tofu puffs) – great for soaking up flavor

• Calamansi lime or regular lime wedges – to brighten up every bite

Key Steps to Making Mee Siam Goreng

1. Preparing the Rice Vermicelli / Bee Hoon

• Add dry vermicelli to a heatproof bowl.

• Pour warm water (not boiling!) over it. Allow to soak for 15 minutes to rehydrate. Once, noodles are soft and pliable, drain water and keep to one side.

NOTE: My mom’s shortcut to quickly softening vermicelli is to pour hot, boiling water to the noodles. Once noodles are soft, immediately drain. This step is quick, but it may result in brittle noodles that will break when stir-frying. My mom doesn’t mind the broken noodles!

2. Blending up the base paste

• If using dried chillies, pour in hot water and let soak for about 5 minutes. Once chillies rehydrate and soften, drain. Rinse the dried chillies and cut the chillies to small pieces.

• To another bowl, add dried shrimps. Give a quick rinse under water, and pour hot water over the dried shrimps to soften, which will also take about 5 minutes.

• To a blender, add the dried chillies, chopped onions, garlic, and the dried shrimps. Pour in the shrimp soaking water as well – this is full of umami flavour! Blend to a smooth paste. Add water bit by bit to blend easier, if needed.

3. Cooking the Mee Siam Paste

• To a pan add oil, and place over low to medium heat.

• Once hot, add the blended chilli paste. Stir fry for about 5 minutes, or until the paste has dried down and is fragrant. (See ‘pecah minyak‘ post for more information.)

• Add mashed taucheo and stir to incorporate.

• Add thinly sliced beef and prawns, or protein of choice next. Stir fry with the spice paste until protein is cooked through.

• Add water, beansprouts, tofu puffs, and season with sugar and salt. Stir to combine and allow the sauce to come to a boil.

4. Add Vermicelli Noodles

• Once it boils, add the softened rice vermicelli. Toss through to evenly coat noodles.

NOTE: Use a big wok to stir everything easily without mess! It helps to use two spatulas, or to toss with a pair of tongs for easier stirring.

• Add chives and toss through evenly.

• Once your noodles are evenly coated, your noodles are done!

5. Garnish and Serve

• To make the omelette topping, first season eggs with salt, and mix to combine.

• Add oil to pan, and place over medium heat. Once hot, pour in the eggs. Let the omelette cook, flipping it halfway for even cooking. Remove from the pan and let it cool down slightly.

• Roll omelette, and cut into strips.

• Garnish omelette strips over the Mee Siam Goreng. Serve and enjoy!

How to Serve Mee Siam Goreng

Mee Siam Goreng is best served hot, straight out of the wok or pan, while the noodles are still springy and coated with that tangy, spicy paste.

A squeeze of fresh lime or calamansi right before eating brightens up the flavours and makes the dish pop. For the full experience, garnish generously with omelette strips, bean sprouts, and fresh chives. Add boiled eggs or fried tofu puffs (tau pok) if you want to bulk it up, or top with prawns and chicken to turn it into a heartier one-dish meal.

For those who love some extra bit of spice, serve this with sambal on the side! Both my Nasi Lemak Sambal and Hawker-style Sambal go deliciously well with this Mee Siam Goreng.

Mee Siam Goreng is even better with a side of Ayam Goreng or Fried Chicken. At home, I also like pairing it with a simple side of sliced cucumbers for freshness and crunch.

It also works well as a make-ahead dish for potlucks — just keep the noodles slightly undercooked so they don’t soften too much when reheated.

Watch How to Make Mee Siam Goreng

More Recipes Like This

If you love this Mee Siam Goreng recipe, then you might love these other noodles:

• Macaroni Goreng
• Kolo Mee
• Singapore Hokkien Mee
• Mee Soto Ayam
• Mee Rebus