Mee Goreng Mamak

Method

1. Peel the potato, cut it into 1.5 cm cubes and boil it in a 16 cm pot of water on high heat for 10 min, until a knife slides in easily; drain. Meanwhile cut the tofu into 2 cm cubes, thinly slice the shallots, chop the garlic, cut the tomato into wedges and the cabbage into bite-size pieces. Peel and devein the shrimp. Put the noodles in a colander, pour hot water over them and shake to loosen the strands, then drain well.

   Add in this stepPotato 120 g

   high heat

2. In a small bowl, stir together the kecap manis, light soy sauce, ketchup, oyster sauce and water. Mixing the sauce now means nothing burns while you hunt for bottles at the stove.

   Add in this stepKecap manis (sweet soy sauce) 2 tbspLight soy sauce 2 tspTomato ketchup 2 tbspOyster sauce 2 tspWater 45 ml

3. Heat a 28 cm wok or large frying pan on medium-high heat, add part of the oil and fry the tofu for 3 min, turning, until golden and crisp on all sides. Lift it out onto a plate.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 0.9 tbspFirm tofu 100 g

   medium-high heat

4. Add the rest of the oil and lower the heat to medium heat. Fry the garlic and shallots for about 30 seconds until fragrant, add the chili paste and stir until the oil turns red, then add the shrimp. Cook for 2 min 30 sec in total, until the shrimp are pink and curled.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 2⅛ tbspGarlic cloves 3Shallots 2Chili paste (sambal) 1½ tbspShrimp, peeled and deveined 120 g

   medium heat

5. Turn the heat up to high heat. Push everything to one side, crack the eggs into the space and scramble until half set. Add the noodles, cabbage, tomato, boiled potato and tofu, pour the sauce around the edge of the wok and toss for 3 min 30 sec. Press some potato cubes with the spatula so they break and cling to the noodles; that is the mamak signature. The noodles are ready when every strand is glossy red-brown and lightly charred in spots.

   Add in this stepEggs 2Fresh yellow (alkaline egg) noodles 300 gCabbage or choy sum 100 gTomato 1

   high heat

6. Add the bean sprouts and toss on high heat for 1 min, just until they wilt but still crunch. Taste and add a dash more soy sauce if needed. Serve hot with lime halves to squeeze over.

   Add in this stepBean sprouts 80 gLime (or calamansi) 1

   high heat