Mee Siam

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Sweet, sour and spicy, you’ll love this Mee Siam recipe! It’s a Malaysian dry noodle dish consisting of stir fried vermicelli noodles, shrimp, fried tofu and eggs, all coated in a homemade spice paste!

We’re big on Malaysian flavors in our house, and love it when these flavors come together quickly for a satisfying meal! (This mee rebus, prawn laksa and Malaysian butter prawns are always on our list to make)! 

My version of mee siam can be made in about 30 minutes and topped with limes, cilantro, Thai chilies, hard boiled eggs and sambal! (I sometimes use this homemade sambal belacan).

Why this recipe works

1. The recipe includes an easy homemade spice paste that comes together quickly in your blender/food processor.  
2. It’s big on flavor, thanks to the spice paste as well as the tamarind concentrate that adds a tangy note to the noodles.
3. It’s ready in about 30 minutes so it’s the perfect dinner for busy weeknights.

What is mee siam?

Mee Siam, sometimes also called siamese noodles, is a stir fried noodle dish that has sweet, sour and spicy flavors. It’s popular in Malaysia and Singapore and the flavors definitely have Thai influence.

The dish consists of vermicelli noodles and various add-ins including shrimp, fried tofu and sliced omelet. 

While the Malaysian version is a dry noodle dish, in Singapore, the noodles are served with a gravy for a wet version, and normally topped with hard boiled egg instead of the omelet.

Ingredients

For a full list of ingredients and quantities used, please refer to the recipe card below.

You’ll need 8 ounces of vermicelli noodles, prepared to package instructions. Vermicelli noodles are thin rice noodles that can be found dried or fresh.

The recipe calls for 8 ounces of shrimp, peeled and deveined. You can buy them peeled and deveined or do this yourself. Make sure you buy raw shrimp and not pre-cooked.

For added protein, you’ll also need 6 ounces of fried tofu, cut in 1" pieces. You can normally find fried tofu at Asian supermarkets or online.

To add a tangy flavor to the noodles, the recipe calls for 1 ½ teaspoons of tamarind concentrate. This ingredient has an intense flavor and syrup-like texture. 

For the spice paste, you’ll need fermented bean paste, Thai chilies, shallots, garlic cloves, coconut sugar, fish sauce and shrimp paste

Thai chilies add a pop of heat, while the coconut sugar balances this out with a little sweetness. You can substitute brown sugar if you need to.

Both the fish sauce and shrimp paste add a unique umami flavor to the paste. I don’t recommend substituting for these ingredients.

For the fermented soybean paste, you can use doenjang or Taucheo.

Step by step instructions

Place all the spice paste ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until a paste forms. Add water if the paste is too thick.

Heat 1 teaspoon of the coconut oil over medium-low heat in a nonstick skillet and pour in the eggs.

Cook 1-2 minutes until the egg has set. Gently flip one end over on to the other to form an omelet.

Remove from heat and set aside. Once cool, slice into strips.

Heat the remaining coconut oil in a high sided sauté pan and add the spice paste.

Cook, stirring often, until it starts to turn a very light brown.

Add the tofu and shrimp and cook until the shrimp are pink (cooked through).

Add the green onions, vermicelli, soy sauce, tamarind concentrate and bean sprouts (optional). Toss well to combine.

Cook for 1-2 minutes. Mix in the egg strips and remove from heat.

Serve with fresh limes, sambal, sliced Thai chilies, hard boiled eggs (optional), cilantro (optional). 

Expert tips

1. If the spice paste is too thick for you, just add some water.
2. If you can’t find fried tofu, you can leave it out. 
3. Instead of shrimp, feel free to use prawns.
4. You can also add chicken instead of the shrimp or in addition to it.
5. Shrimp cook quickly so be careful not to over cook them or they will end up tough and chewy.
6. If you can’t find doenjang or Taucheo, you can use another type of soybean paste.
7. In order to fit all of the ingredients in the same pan, use a wok or a high-sided skillet.

Common questions

Storage and reheating

Mee siam is best enjoyed hot and fresh. I find that reheated leftovers don't have the same texture. The shrimp can be tough and the noodles a little mushy.

With that said, if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To reheat, just warm in a skillet on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through. 

I don’t recommend freezing leftovers as the shrimp and noodles will not have the best texture once thawed and reheated.

More Southeast Asian inspired recipes

• Sambal Eggplant
• Chicken Rendang
• Beef Rendang
• Singapore Laksa

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out!