Anyone who has been to Indonesia is familiar with Mie Goreng, a famous noodle street food. Mie Goreng literally means ‘fried noodles’ and as the name suggests egg noodles are stir fried in a sticky sweet and salty sauce with chicken, prawns, and vegetables. The best part of this dish are ‘egg ribbons’ made by cutting an omelette into thin strips.

The secret to Mie Goreng’s signature sweet sticky glaze is ‘Kecap Manis’, a sweet Soy Sauce that has a syrup-like consistency. Kecap Manis is easily available at most Asian Stores and Super Markets but if you cannot get your hands on it do not fret. Scroll down to the FAQs section for an easy recipe to make ‘Kecap Manis’ at home.

You can make this recipe using any egg noodles. I am using an Indonesian brand of noodles used specifically for Mie Goreng. These noodles are flat like ribbons and springy like the Mie Goreng sold on Indonesian streets. Instant Ramen noodles (seasoning discarded) are also a great substitute if you cannot find egg noodles. There are many variations of this recipe so feel free to use your desired vegetables and protein. The heart of this recipe is the sauce, which caramelizes as the noodles are fried in a sizzling hot wok, giving the noodles a rich dark glaze. A fair warning, these are super addictive, you will find yourself making this all the time!

FAQ:

How can I substitute Kecap Manis?

Even though Kecap Manis or Sweet Soy Sauce is easily available at most Asian stores and leading supermarkets, you can easily make a substitute at home. All you need are equal quantities of Soy Sauce and Brown Sugar. The ratio that works for me is ¼ cup of Soy Sauce mixed with ¼ cup of brown sugar. Heat over high heat until the mixture boils then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sauce begins to thicken. Once the sauce reaches a syrup like consistency, remove from heat and allow it cool down. Once cooled your homemade Kecap Manis is ready to use.

Ingredients:

• Egg Noodles
• Vegetable Oil 2 tbsp.
• Eggs 2; whisked
• Garlic Cloves 3; minced
• Prawns 200 grams
• Mixed Wok Vegetables 2 Cups; thinly sliced (I used a frozen mix including sugar snap peas, leeks, carrots, bamboo shoots, peas, cabbage, parsnips, peppers, mung bean sprouts, and mushrooms)
• Green Onions 3; chopped
• Fried Onions 1 tbsp. (Optional)
• Tomato Wedges 2 (Optional)

for sauce:

• Soy Sauce 1 tbsp.
• Oyster Sauce 1 tbsp.
• Tomato Sauce 2 tbsp.
• Sambal Oelak or Chilli Paste 1 tsp.
• Kecap Manis 1 tbsp.
• Sesame Oil 1 tbsp.

Instructions:

In a small bowl combine all the ingredients listed under ‘sauce’ and keep aside. Prepare noodles as per instructions given on the pack.

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a wok or wide pan. Pour in whisked eggs and move the pan around to ensure you have a thin omelette. Once the omelette is cooked, flip it over and fry for 30 seconds. Transfer Omelette to a chopping board. Roll the omelette into a swiss roll and cut into thin strips.

In the same pan/wok heat the remaining oil and minced garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add prawns and fry until cooked. Remove prawns to a plate. Add vegetables and stir-fry on high heat until the vegetables start to wilt. Add noodles, green onions and prepared sauce to the wok and continue to stir fry until sauce reduces and begins to caramelize. Add the prawns back along with egg ribbons. Stir until everything is well combined.

Serve immediately sprinkled with fried shallots and tomato wedges.