Sweet, spicy, savory and so flavorful, this Malaysian yellow noodles stir-fry (mee goreng mamak) will blow your tastebuds away!
About 3 years ago, around this time, I traveled around Southeast Asia to research recipes and dishes to include in my cookbook Rice. Noodles. Yum. (Everyone’s Favorite Southeast Asian Dishes). I went to the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.
It was an amazing trip and truly a once-in-lifetime unforgettable experience. I have enjoyed not only learning about the culture of my region and our wonderful neighbors, eating the best food in the world but, most of all, interacting with so many kind and generous people everywhere I went.
When I visited Kuala Lumpur, I asked a local what noodle dish she would recommend that I try first. Without hesitation, she said, “mamak”. “You can find it everywhere,” she continued, and “It’s so delicious.” Immediately, my sister (who accompanied me during the trip) and I went to the nearest restaurant we could find and ordered Mee Goreng Mamak!
Below was the exact mee goreng mamak we ate in Kuala Lumpur. It was crazy good!
She was right indeed! Sweet, spicy, savory and so flavorful, this mee goreng mamak noodle dish truly blew our taste buds away! I knew right then and there that it had to be included in my cookbook!
This mee goreng mamak or Malaysian (also Singaporean) yellow noodles in sweet and spicy sauce is just one of the many delicious rice and noodles dishes you would find in our cookbook.
All the 75 rice and noodle recipes included in the book are authentic because I wanted our readers to experience and taste these dishes exactly how they’re cooked and eaten in Southeast Asia.
Thankfully and by God’s grace, all the hard work paid off as we received great reviews for the cookbook including even a coveted starred endorsement from Publishers Weekly which I quote below:
Rice. Noodles. Yum. Everyone’s Favorite Southeast Asian Dishes
“Manila Spoon blogger Raines delivers on her promise of flavorful dishes built around noodles and rice. Raines offers such popular standbys as pad Thai, pad see ew, pho, and fresh spring rolls, but offers plenty of surprises. There’s moo sarong, a visually impressive dish of fried pork meatballs wrapped in noodles; serabi, Indonesian coconut pancakes drizzled with a coconut caramel sauce (rice flour is the titular connection); and soto ayam, a rich and restorative chicken noodle soup with turmeric and ginger. Raines includes cultural mashups, such as beringhe, a Filipino riff on classic Spanish paella that incorporates turmeric, coconut milk, fish sauce, chorizo, and raisins; a craveable mee goreng mamak (egg noodles in a sweet and spicy sauce) from Kuala Lumpur; rice noodles with curried beef gravy (“the Asian version of the Italian classic spaghetti and meatballs”); and carioca, a Filipino treat of fried sticky rice balls in a coconut caramel sauce. Raines’s instructions are clear, and nearly all ingredients are easily sourced. This is an outstanding assembly of dishes, and a book sure to get plenty of use.” (June)
Before we go any further and in case you’re wondering, the cookbook is still on sale right now and I do encourage you to check it out in the following outlets.
RICE. NOODLES. YUM. (Everyone’s Favorite South East Asian Dishes). 75 delicious rice and noodle dishes, savory and sweet all in full color!
➡️ Amazon > https://www.amazon.com/Rice-Noodles-Yum-Everyones-Southeast/dp/1624147712
➡️Barnes & Noble > https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rice-noodles-yum-abigail-sotto-raines/1130683403
➡️Books-A-Million > https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Rice-Noodles-Yum/Abigail-Raines/9781624147715
➡️IndieBound > https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781624147715
With a variety of authentic popular fried rice dishes, noodle favorites like Pad Thai, Pansit, Pho Bo, Mie Goreng and so much more, plus the yummiest street food and sweet treats – this cookbook has a recipe for everyone! It’s like traveling to South East Asia without having to leave home.
The video below would give you a sampling of what you can find in the book.
Now to the recipe at hand!
With the pandemic, lockdowns, and quarantine rules still in place, you’d still be able to re-create this delicious mee goreng mamak in the comfort of your home without having to travel all the way to Kuala Lumpur.
I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do!
Yellow Noodles in Sweet and Spicy Sauce (Mee Goreng Mamak)
Ingredients
- 8 oz dried yellow egg noodles, (or 1 pound fresh yellow noodles like lo mein)
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 3 tbsp sweet soy sauce
- 3 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp brown sugar,
- 3 tbsp cooking oil of choice, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 8 oz chicken breast, halved then thinly sliced
- ½ cup pressed or fried tofu, cubed
- 1 tbsp sambal or chili paste (see note)
- 1 long hot green chili, sliced diagonally
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 cups choy sum or small mustard greens, (about 8-10 pieces), chopped but leave out the tough ends
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- If using dried noodles. cook for 3-4 minutes in boiling water. Rinse with cold water then drain. Set aside. If using fresh noodles. quickly blanch in boiling water for about 45 seconds, stirring to separate the strands. Drain then immediately rinse with cold water. When using fresh noodles, it's best to blanch them just before cooking so the noodles don't stick together.
- To make the seasoning sauce, combine the dark soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, ketchup and brown sugar. Set aside.
- In a wok or large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat, then add the garlic and shallot. Stir-fry for about 1 minute or until aromatic. Add the chicken and cook until it turns white. Add the tofu, sambal, and the chopped green chili, and cook for another minute. Push the ingredients to one side. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan and then add the beaten eggs. Allow the eggs to set for a few seconds then scramble.
- Add the noodles and the seasoning sauce and toss the ingredients, cooking for 2-3 minutes or until the noodles are tender and are fully coated with the sauce.
- Stir in the choy sum and the bean sprouts and cook briefly, less than a minute, just until they are beginning to wilt but still retaining some crispness. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if desired. It should be spicy, sweet, and savory. Transfer to a plate and serve immediately.
Notes
I’m from Singapore and had been in the State for almost 40 years. Love that noodle recipe. I miss Asian food a lot and I will definitely get your cookbook. I follow you on Pinterest and Facebook. You are very dedicated to your fans. Thank you! Best of luck. Well done. Linda Hom.
Author
Thank you so much Linda! You are ever so kind and appreciate your sweet support. Hope you enjoy the recipes there. Thanks!
Sweet, spicy, savory, flavorful is so right! These Yellow Noodles in Sweet and Spicy Sauce (Mee Goreng Mamak) were so good!
Yum! These Yellow Noodles in Sweet and Spicy Sauce (Mee Goreng Mamak) looks amazing and so tasty! I’m so excited to give this a try! Going to the store now!
What a perfect weeknight recipe! Going to make these yellow noodles very soon.
What an amazing experience in preparation for the cookbook! I love Mee Goreng Mamak! Yours looks absolutely incredible and so easy too.
Love this Malaysian noodle stir fry! Love the ingredients and the spiciness!
Hi, this recipe looks delicious. I’ve had it with a spicy peanut and shrimp sauce, how would I incorporate peanuts in the sauce?
Author
If I want to add peanuts to this, I’d simply crush toasted peanuts and sprinkle them all over the dish just before serving for extra texture, flavor, and crunch. You can add it to the seasoning sauce but it might get lost there so adding it as topping I think is better.