Dry Fried Mee Siam (Spicy and Tangy Siamese Noodles)

A dish that's very very popular in S'pore n Malaysia :)

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 5

Ingredients

• 250  g  thin  rice vermicelli (soaked in water for 10 minutes, then drained)
• 200  g bean sprouts
• 250  g  prawns
•  oil
• 1  tablespoon tamarind pulp (Dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water, then strained)
• 2  cups water (for cooking prawns)
• 3  garlic cloves
• 6  shallots
• 1  tablespoon  preserved soybeans (tau cheong)
• 50  g  dried shrimp
• 12  dried chilies, soaked
• 2  candlenuts
• 1  stalk lemongrass (sliced)
• 1  inch shrimp paste
• 1  tablespoon sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
• 1  tablespoon fish sauce

Directions

1. Bring the 2 cups of water to a boil and add the prawns,removing them as soon as they are cooked.Put them in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. When cooled, peel the prawns and leave aside for garnishing.
2. Blend garlic, shallots, preserved soy beans, dried prawns, dried chillies, candlenuts, lemongrass and shrimp paste into a paste.
3. Fry paste in 1/3 cup oil, till fragrant.Add tamarind juice and 1 cup of stock from cooking the prawns.Bring to a boil and simmer for five minutes.
4. Add noodles and stir-fry. Mix in tofu and toss well. Add sugar, pepper, fish sauce and a squeeze of lime juice.
5. Lastly add in the beansprouts and the chives toss until breansprouts and chives are just limp.