 A plate of mee siam with egg andsambal | |
| Type | Noodle |
|---|---|
| Course | Breakfast, lunch and dinner |
| Place of origin | Penang,Malaysia[1][2][3] |
| Region or state | Southeast Asia |
| Associatedcuisine | Malaysia,Singapore[4] |
| Main ingredients | Rice noodles (vermicelli), light gravy |
Mee siam is a dish of thinrice vermicelli of hot, sweet and sour flavours, originating inPenang but popular among theMalay andPeranakan communities throughoutPeninsular Malaysia andSingapore, although the dish is called "Siamese noodle" inMalay and thus appears to be inspired by or adapted from Thai flavours whenThailand was formerly known as Siam. Mee siam is related to kerabu bee hoon although there is a significant difference between the recipes.[3]
According toWendy Hutton, due to the Thai influence on Northern Malaysian cuisine, it is believed that the dish originates from Penang, where Thai influences on Malay and Peranakan dishes are common.[1] Dishes from Penang possess Thai influences, such as more liberal use of tamarind and other sour ingredients including dishes like mee siam and asam laksa.
As Singapore was established in the early 1800s, many straits Chinese families from Penang moved to Singapore, thus introducing the dish to Singapore.[2]
There are many known variants of Mee Siam in Malaysia such as the dry-fried version in Johor, the wet version in Malacca, as well as other places like Kuala Lumpur, Mersing, Kedah and Perlis.[1] The "dry" version is more commonly found, which is essentiallystir frying the rice noodles with the same ingredients used in the wet version.[5] Mee siam is a common dish breakfast, brunch or lunch dish in Malaysia. It is usually served along any of the following sides:fried chicken,fried orboiled egg,sambal,otak-otak (grilled fish cake made of groundfish meat mixed with tapioca starch and spices), and luncheon meat.
In Singapore, it is served with spicy, sweet and sour light gravy. The gravy is made from arempah spice paste, tamarind and taucheo (salted soybean). Mee Siam is typically garnished with a hard boiled egg, scallions, bean sprouts, garlic chives, and lime wedges. A "dry" version is sometimes more commonly found, which is essentiallystir frying the rice noodles with the same ingredients.[6]
In Thailand, a very similar dish is known asMi Kathi (noodles with coconut milk), a noodle dish that is popularly eaten as lunch in the Central Region. It is made by stir-frying rice vermicelli noodles with a fragrant and thick sauce that has a similar taste profile as Mee Siam.
The sauce is made from coconut milk mixed with minced pork, prawns, firm bean curd, salted soybean, bean sprouts, garlic chives, and tamarind. It is served with thinly sliced egg omelette, fresh bean sprouts, fresh garlic and banana blossom.[citation needed]
A similar noodle dish inLaos is known asmee ka tee.[citation needed]
Another similar dish found inMyanmar is known asMohinga.[citation needed]
Yet another similar dish found in thePhilippines is known aspancit palabok, and features a much saltier gravy made withannatto seeds and additional shrimp.
Food writer and editor Wendy Hutton believes the dishoriginates from Penang, where Thai influences on Peranakan dishes are common.
Of course, Penang is so much closer to Thailand When I make laksa, I use santan (coconut milk) for the gravy, whereas a Penang Nonya will follow Thai cooks and make a thin sour fishy gravy. Butwe Singapore Nonyas often borrow dishes from our Penang cousins and we all love me siam or Thai-style noodles.
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