I am a firm believer that adapting a recipe from its traditional version is what cooking is all about. It is how food evolves and improves and while there is nothing quite like the original, a new take is always a welcome change. Change is good. My version of Pork Mee Goreng is a long way from the traditional version but in mine and my families eyes, it delivered on every level. A huge variety of textures and flavours elevated this favourite Indonesian street food to new heights and we were all completely chuffed with the results.
Whenever I cook a stir fry, I really like to have everything ready to go so that the cooking process takes just minutes and the ingredients are perfectly cooked. I tend to place things in bowls so I can just throw them in the wok. It does make more washing up but that is what the kids are for.
Prep time: 20 Minutes
Cooking time: 15 Minutes
$$ Medium Budget
Serves 4
Peanut oil for frying (or vegetable if allergic)
600gm pork fillet, thinly sliced
4 portions of egg noodles
1 red onion, peeled, halved and sliced top to bottom
1 bunch of broccolini, sliced diagonally into 3cm pieces
1 bunch of asparagus, woody ends removed, sliced diagonally into 3cm pieces
1 large carrot, peeled and finely julienned or grated
2 large handfuls of fresh bean shoots
4 spring onions, sliced into batons and green ends reserved for garnish
1 cup of coriander leaves
1/2 a cup of mint leaves
1 Lebanese cucumber, halved and seeds scraped, then sliced
1 long red chilli, sliced diagonally
1/2 cup of toasted unsalted peanuts
4 eggs
For the Mee Goreng Sauce:
3 tbs of Em’s Asian Chilli Jam (store bought is fine but link to homemade is below and is way better)
3 tbs of kecap manis
2 tbs of light soy sauce
2 tbs of tomato sauce (ketchup)
1 tsp of shrimp paste (its smelly but so worth it)
1 tbs of sesame oil
To make the Mee Goreng sauce, place all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined. You may need to crumble the shrimp paste with your fingers to dissolve it properly. It is a bit smelly but a bit of soap and water will get rid of the smell.
Take the green ends of the spring onions and slice them finely on the diagonal. Pop them in a bowl of iced water with the coriander and mint leaves and set aside. Drain just before serving for maximum freshness and crunch.
Cook the egg noodles according to packet instructions. Drain and refresh with a rinse of water to loosen before adding to the wok if need be. It is best to do them slightly underdone as they will cook further in the wok. If the instructions say 10 minutes, cook them for 9 minutes.
Heat your wok or frypan to really hot and add a little oil. Fry the pork fillet in batches until just cooked. It is really important to have the wok super hot as it will seal the meat and prevent the juices running out and stewing the meat. It will also ensure the juices stay in the meat making it super tender. It is equally important not to overcrowd the wok at this point as the pork will cook more evenly and you can flip it easily to make sure it is cooked on both sides. Set the pork aside once it is all done.
Add a little more oil to the wok and fry the onions. Keep the heat nice and high and when they have softened slightly add the spring onion, asparagus and broccolini. Stir fry until they are just have just started to change colour then add the pork, noodles, carrot and bean shoots. Pour over the sauce and keeping the wok super hot, toss everything until it is coated in the sauce and sizzling and continue cooking and tossing for around 2-3 minutes. I like to use two large spoons to toss as I can get a good grip on the ingredients and move the stir fry around the wok easily.
Heat a small fry pan to a sizzling heat and add a little oil. Fry the eggs with a lid on as this will ensure they cook quickly and evenly. Be careful not to overcook them as you want the runny yolk to go right through the noodles once you have plated.
To serve the Mee Goreng, divide the noodles between 4 serving bowls, making sure the other ingredients are evenly dispersed. Top each bowl with a fried egg and a good handful of the herbs. Divide the cucumber slices and scatter over the peanuts and chilli slices and spoon over any remaining wok juices. Serve with lime wedges if you wish.
Chilli Jam recipe is below…….