Mee Siam

Azlin Bloor’s mee siam kuah is a Singapore hawker-style bowl of lightly fried rice vermicelli and sour-sweet gravy. Her selected version uses ground peanuts, taucheo and shrimp ingredients in the gravy, with toppings arranged over the noodles at the table.

Dried chillies and the gravy’s dried shrimp soak separately in very hot water. Onion, garlic, chillies, shrimp, shrimp paste, taucheo and roasted peanuts are chopped finely, then sautéed in oil.

Tamarind, sugar and water join the gravy, which simmers uncovered before its seasoning is checked. It rests for a few hours while a separate paste of onion, garlic, fresh red chilli and dried shrimp is prepared for the noodles.

That second paste fries in a wok before fresh rice vermicelli, bean sprouts and salt are tossed through it. Chopped chives enter at the end, leaving the noodles lightly seasoned for the gravy that follows.

For serving, the gravy is reheated and ladled over noodles in individual bowls. Diners choose among boiled eggs, fried tofu, fishballs, crispy shallots, chives and sambal, with lime juice squeezed over the assembled bowl.