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Singapore-style fried vermicelli

Sing chau chau mai (星洲炒米): curried rice vermicelli with char siu pork, prawns and peppers

Despite the name, nobody in Singapore grew up on this: sing chau chau mai was invented in Hong Kong's cha chaan teng and Cantonese kitchens, where a little curry powder and a hot wok turn thin rice vermicelli golden-yellow. It is tossed with strips of char siu (Cantonese barbecued pork), prawns, egg ribbons, peppers, onion and bean sprouts, and comes out dry, springy and fragrant with a gentle curry warmth. Diners order it for lunch with a glass of iced lemon tea. A classic misstep is soaking the vermicelli too long in hot water, so it breaks into short, mushy bits in the wok; soak it in cold water until just pliable. Chef's tip: toast the curry powder in the oil for a few seconds before the noodles go in, so it tastes rounded rather than raw and dusty.
Total time
25 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
3
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Ingredients

Serves3

For the noodles

  • 7 oz rice vermicellithin; soaked in cold water for 15 minutes until pliable, drained
  • 1 ½ tbsp mild curry powder
  • ¼ tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 ½ tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 4 tbsp water
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil

For the toppings

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What you'll need

Fresh ingredients (4)

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Method

0/8 done
  1. Step 1: Heat 1 tablespoon of 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok over a medium heat. Pour in 2 eggs and swirl into a thin omelette. When set, roll it up, slice into thin ribbons and set aside.

    2 min
  2. Step 2: Add another tablespoon of 1 tbsp vegetable oil and turn the heat to high. Stir-fry 5 ½ oz raw prawns until pink and opaque all the way through, then lift out.

    2 min
  3. Step 3: Stir-fry 1 onion, ½ red bell pepper and ½ green bell pepper for 1 minute until just softened, then add 5 ½ oz char siu (Cantonese barbecued pork) and toss for 30 seconds until hot. Lift everything out.

    2 min
  4. Step 4: Add the rest of 1 tbsp vegetable oil to the wok, then 1 ½ tbsp mild curry powder and ¼ tsp ground turmeric, and stir for 10 seconds until fragrant; don't let it burn.

  5. Step 5: Add 7 oz rice vermicelli and 4 tbsp water and toss with chopsticks or tongs, lifting and shaking the noodles, until evenly yellow and tender.

    2 min
  6. Step 6: Season with 1 ½ tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar and ½ tsp salt and toss until every strand is coated.

  7. Step 7: Return the prawns, vegetables, char siu and egg with 3 ½ oz bean sprouts and 3 spring onions and toss over a high heat until the sprouts are just wilted and everything is piping hot.

    1 min
  8. Step 8: Taste for salt and serve at once, piled high on warm plates.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
520 kcal
Protein
26 g
Carbs
66 g
Fat
17 g
Fibre
3 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does singapore-style fried vermicelli take?
About 25 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
What can I use instead of light soy sauce?
Tamari, same amount (gluten free).

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