AI-generated image
Meeshay
Rice noodles with pork sauce
Meeshay (မြီးရှည်): rice noodles with savoury pork sauce, rice jelly and bean sprouts
Two places claim meeshay: Mandalay, where it is a teatime and late-afternoon snack sold from carts near the moat, and the Shan hills, where markets serve it in the morning. Soft rice noodles are dressed with soy, a splash of vinegar and garlic oil, then topped with a savoury minced pork sauce, crunchy bean sprouts, pickled mustard greens and strips of wobbly rice jelly that soak up the dressing. It tastes tangy, garlicky and comforting, with chilli oil and a cup of clear broth on the side. The most common slip is cutting the rice jelly before it has set; give it a full 30 minutes to cool so it slices cleanly. Chef's tip: dress the noodles at the table, not ahead: vinegar and soy added too early make the noodles soft and the jelly slippery.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the rice jelly
- 2 ⅛ oz rice flour
- 1 ¾ cups water
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vegetable oilfor greasing
For the pork sauce
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 8 garlic clovesfinely chopped
- 3 shallotsfinely chopped
- 14 oz pork mince
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 ripe tomatofinely chopped
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¾ cup water
For the noodles and dressing
- 10 ½ oz flat or round dried rice noodles
- 7 oz bean sprouts
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 ¼ cups chicken or pork stock
To serve
- 3 ½ oz pickled mustard greenschopped
- 1 handful fresh corianderchopped
- 4 tsp chilli oil (optional)
- 1 ⅜ oz roasted peanuts (optional)crushed
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (4)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/11 doneStep 1: Lightly grease a small tin or dish (about 15 cm square) with 1 tsp vegetable oil.
Step 2: Whisk 2 ⅛ oz rice flour, 1 ¾ cups water and ¼ tsp salt together in a saucepan until smooth, with no lumps.
Step 3: Cook over a medium heat, stirring all the time, for 6–8 minutes. It goes cloudy, then suddenly thickens; keep stirring until it is a thick, glossy, translucent paste that leaves the sides of the pan.
8 minStep 4: Scrape it into the tin, smooth the top and leave to cool and set for at least 30 minutes, until it is firm and wobbly. Turn out and cut into 1 cm strips.
30 minStep 5: For the sauce, heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry 8 garlic cloves and 3 shallots for 3 minutes, until pale golden. Spoon out 2 tbsp of the garlic oil for dressing the noodles.
3 minStep 6: Add 14 oz pork mince and fry over a medium-high heat for 6–8 minutes, breaking it up, until it is no longer pink and starting to brown.
8 minStep 7: Stir in 1 tsp sweet paprika and 1 ripe tomato and cook for 3 minutes until the tomato softens. Add 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp dark soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar and ¾ cup water and simmer for 10 minutes, until saucy but not runny. The pork must reach 160°F.
13 minStep 8: Blanch 7 oz bean sprouts in boiling water for 30 seconds, then drain. In the same water, cook 10 ½ oz flat or round dried rice noodles following the packet until just tender; drain and rinse under warm water.
8 minStep 9: Heat 3 ¼ cups chicken or pork stock and season it lightly; this is served on the side.
Step 10: Mix 3 tbsp light soy sauce and 2 tbsp rice vinegar with the reserved garlic oil.
Step 11: Divide the noodles between bowls, add bean sprouts and rice jelly strips, spoon the pork sauce over and top with 3 ½ oz pickled mustard greens and 1 handful fresh coriander. Serve with the dressing, 4 tsp chilli oil, 1 ⅜ oz roasted peanuts and the broth so everyone can toss and season their bowl.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 610 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 76 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does meeshay take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Boiled pasta
The basic method for any dried pasta, from penne to spaghetti. A large pan of salted boiling water keeps the pasta from sticking, and you cook it only until just done, with a little bite left. Use it in salads, bakes or with any sauce.
Italian
Mint pistachio pesto
A fresh, fragrant pesto made with mint leaves and toasted pistachios. It is lovely tossed through hot pasta or spooned over roasted vegetables, and a spoonful lifts a plain vegetable soup.
Kyar zan hingaGlass noodle soup with chicken
Lighter than mohinga and a favourite with children, kyar zan hinga turns up at Yangon donation feasts, at evening noodle stalls and on the family table when someone needs something soothing. Slippery glass noodles swim in a clear, peppery chicken broth with shredded chicken, crunchy wood-ear mushroom, chewy knots of dried lily buds, bouncy fish balls and whole quail eggs. Each bowl is finished at the table with lime, chilli flakes, fried garlic and coriander, and crisp split-pea fritters are often torn in on top. Simmering the glass noodles in the pot is the classic error: they swell, go soft and drink up the broth, so add them straight to the bowls instead. Chef's tip: knot each softened lily bud before it goes into the soup; it keeps them from shredding and gives every spoonful a little chewy bite.