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Mee rebus is my go-to comfort food, with yellow noodles coated in a rich, spicy potato-based gravy that’s full of flavor. I love piling on crispy prawn fritters, fried beancurd, and hard-boiled eggs—it’s always the perfect hearty meal when I need something satisfying.
Authentic Mee Rebus Recipe
Mee rebus is one of my all-time favorite Malaysian noodle dishes, known for its rich, flavorful gravy made from a blend of spices, potatoes, and tamarind. The savory, slightly tangy gravy coats yellow noodles, and I love topping it with boiled eggs, fried beancurd (firm tofu), crispy fried shallots, and sambal for that extra kick. A squeeze of lime finishes it off, making it a comforting and satisfying meal at any time of day.
The homemade spice paste for the gravy in my recipe is what really makes this dish special, adding a fresh, aromatic depth of flavor that store-bought pastes just can’t match. I love serving it with cucur udang (Malaysian prawn fritters) and fried shallots, which soak up the gravy perfectly.
Don’t forget to check out my tips below to make sure your mee rebus tastes just like the ones sold at hawker stalls. If you love this dish, you’ll definitely love my Mee Udang recipe too!
Why This Recipes Stands Out
- Malaysian hawker stall vibes. My tried and tested mee rebus recipe tastes just like the authentic version from the best street food stalls.
- Homemade spice paste. I use a fresh, homemade spice paste that really boosts the flavor. It gives the dish a depth and richness that store-bought pastes just can’t match.
- Gravy that’s just right. The gravy is thick, savory, and just the right amount of tangy and creamy, thanks to the tamarind, coconut milk, and sweet potatoes. It coats the noodles perfectly, making every bite super satisfying.
- Easy to make. Even though it might seem complicated, my recipe is actually super simple and quick, giving you all the great taste without the hassle!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Yellow noodle – Yellow noodles are the traditional choice for this dish, but if you can’t find them, you can substitute with egg noodles for a similar texture.
- Beansprouts – If you’re not a fan of beansprouts, you can try shredded lettuce or thinly sliced cucumber as an alternative.
Spice Paste For The Gravy Ingredients
- Dried red chilies – Soaking them before using helps to soften them up and make blending easier. If you prefer a milder paste, you can use fewer chilies.
- Ground coriander
- Fennel
- Ground cumin
- Shallots – Asian shallots (often called red shallots) are typically used. If you can’t find Asian shallots, you can substitute with small red onions, though the flavor will be a bit stronger.
- Ground turmeric
- Ginger – Make sure to use fresh ginger for its vibrant flavor, which ground ginger can’t quite match.
Gravy Ingredients
- Cooking oil
- Cinnamon stick
- Sweet potatoes – Use orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. The secret ingredient that gives the right level of sweetness and helps thicken the gravy.
- Chicken stock and prawn stock – Using both chicken and prawn stocks gives the gravy a rich, full-bodied flavor that’s iconic to this dish. If you can’t find prawn stock, you can substitute it with fish stock.
- Tamarind concentrate – Look for one that is unsweetened and made with tamarind pulp.
- Coconut milk – Canned full-fat coconut milk is preferred. Don’t use beverage coconut milk, as it’s too thin and not suitable for cooking.
- Salt
Topping Ingredients
- Hardboiled egg
- Prawn fritters – Check out my Shrimp Fritters recipe to learn how to make them!
- Fried beancurd
- Fried shallots
- Red chilli
- Lime
Please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full details on each ingredient.
How To Make Mee Rebus
Step 1: Blend spice paste ingredients using a food processor or a blender. Set aside.
Step 2: Heat a pan with oil over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick and spice paste, cooking until aromatic.
Step 3: Loosen the mashed sweet potatoes with 2 cups of chicken stock, then add them to the pan. Pour in the remaining chicken stock and add the prawn stock. Stir and cook with the spice paste. Let it simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the tamarind concentrate and coconut milk, and continue simmering until the gravy thickens. Season with salt to taste.
Step 4: To serve, place the noodles and beansprouts in a bowl, then garnish with a halved hard-boiled egg, prawn fritters, beancurd, fried shallots, red chilies, and lime. Serve immediately with your favorite sambal.
Secrets To Perfect Mee Rebus Every Time
- I always make the homemade spice paste because it’s worth the effort. It gives my mee rebus the authentic flavor I love, adding a rich depth that store-bought pastes just can’t match.
- For the perfect gravy texture, I always use orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. I don’t use other types of sweet potatoes like purple or white-fleshed ones because they don’t thicken the gravy as well and can affect the flavor and texture.
- If the gravy is too thick, I add a bit more stock or coconut milk. If it’s too thin, let it simmer a little longer to thicken up. It should coat the noodles perfectly without being too heavy.
- I make sure to let the gravy simmer for a good 15 minutes. This allows the flavors to blend together and gives the sauce a rich, aromatic finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can make the spice paste ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Tamarind concentrate is much more concentrated and has a stronger, more intense flavor than tamarind paste. If you’re using tamarind paste, use about 2 to 3 tablespoons to match the tanginess of 1 tablespoon of tamarind concentrate.
Blanch them just before serving and drain well. You can also rinse them with cold water after cooking to stop the cooking process.
If you have leftovers, store the gravy and noodles separately in airtight containers. The noodles will get soggy if stored in the gravy. The gravy can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
This recipe is 310 calories per serving.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Here are other street food and noodles found in Malaysia:
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Mee Rebus
Ingredients
- 1 pack yellow noodles, blanched
Spice paste for gravy:
- 8 dried red chillies, soaked to soften
- 1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 10 shallots, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
Gravy
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 350 gram sweet potatoes, skinned, steamed and mashed
- 7 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup prawn stock
- 1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- salt, to taste
Garnishings:
- hard-boiled eggs, shelled and halved
- prawn fritters
- fried shallots
- beansprouts, blanched
- sambal
- limes
- fried beancurd , sliced
Instructions
- Blend spice paste ingredients using a food processor or a blender. Set aside.
- Heat a pan with oil over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick and spice paste, cooking until aromatic.
- Loosen the mashed sweet potatoes with 2 cups of chicken stock, then add them to the pan. Pour in the remaining chicken stock and add the prawn stock. Stir and cook with the spice paste. Let it simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the tamarind concentrate and coconut milk, and continue simmering until the gravy thickens. Season with salt to taste.
- To serve, place the noodles and beansprouts in a bowl, then garnish with a halved hard-boiled egg, prawn fritters, beancurd, fried shallots, red chilies, and lime. Serve immediately with your favorite sambal.
Notes
- I always make the homemade spice paste because it’s worth the effort. It gives my mee rebus the authentic flavor I love, adding a rich depth that store-bought pastes just can’t match.
- For the perfect gravy texture, I always use orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. I don’t use other types of sweet potatoes like purple or white-fleshed ones because they don’t thicken the gravy as well and can affect the flavor and texture.
- If the gravy is too thick, I add a bit more stock or coconut milk. If it’s too thin, let it simmer a little longer to thicken up. It should coat the noodles perfectly without being too heavy.
- I make sure to let the gravy simmer for a good 15 minutes. This allows the flavors to blend together and gives the sauce a rich, aromatic finish.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have to agree with Nabil
This is not the real mee rebus !
I have always liked Rasa Malaysia’s recipes but this one on mee rebus is a big disappointment!
I am sorry to hear that. This mee rebus recipe was contributed by a guest blogger.
This is NOT proper mee rebus. Not even close…You are disgracing yourself and Malaysian food. Wake Up!
Nabil, there is NO NEED for you to be so mean to my guest contributor who contributed the recipe. Please be graceful.
You’re a very nasty person.
This guy is not a proper human being. NOT EVEN CLOSE! Your family should be ashamed of you. God bless your innocence soul.
This is one of the easiest recipe for Mee Rebus, thanks you. It’s so easy I have to try to make it this coming weekend – no excuse! Also luckily A1 chicken curry is easily available from the nearest oriental store.
Which instant chicken curry paste did you use?
A1.
Mi Rebus Medan is the same as malaysian taste noodle dish. Suitable for my dinner
It’s an easy recipe to follow. I use Tean’s curry laksa paste instead of A1 curry chicken paste. I also added some sweet potatoes and potato for the soup. Its delicious with the cucur udang! Whenever I’m looking for a recipe, I always search from your website first. Most recipes have a great outcome. Thanks! ?
I didn’t see the instructions on how to make the paste for mee rebus except for the prawn fritters.
Was it somewhere else???
I also can’t find it! :(