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Craving a flavorful dish that's both tangy and spicy? Mee Siam is a popular noodle dish in Malaysia and Singapore, with rice vermicelli and a rich, spicy tamarind gravy. This recipe is perfect for any occasion and easy to prepare at home!
What Is Mee Siam
Mee Siam, or “Siamese noodles,” is basically spicy fried rice vermicelli with various toppings such as shrimp, chicken, fried firm tofu, and shredded omelet.
This fried rice vermicelli noodles is usually served with a piece of calamansi lime (the juice gives an extra tangy kick to the noodles) and a dollop of sambal on the side.
In my research on this dish, I discovered two distinct variations: dry and wet. The Malaysian version is dry, while the Singapore version is often wet and topped with gravy.
Regardless of the regional adaptations, this dish is a popular rice noodle dish in Malaysia and Singapore. It’s delicious, appetizing, and a real crowd-pleaser.
Best Mee Siam Recipe
The version I’m sharing today is a Malaysian Mee Siam recipe that’s both vibrant and flavorful, with its savory base, spicy kick, and a delightful mix of toppings.
With my easy spicy fried rice vermicelli noodles recipe, you’ll be able to enjoy this delicious meal in just 4 simple steps. It’s perfect for a quick and tasty meal!
For more popular Malaysian noodle recipes, check out my Char Kuey Teow, Mee Goreng and Laksa recipes!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy. Ready in just 4 simple steps, this fried rice vermicelli noodles recipe is perfect for busy weeknights or last-minute meals.
- Versatile toppings. You can mix and match toppings like shrimp, chicken, or tofu with this recipe, so it’s easy to customize for everyone’s tastes and dietary needs.
- Great for meal prep. This dish keeps well in the fridge, making it a perfect option for meal prep or leftovers.
- Customizable. You can easily adjust the spice level to your liking, whether you like it mild or fiery hot.
Dry Mee Siam Recipe Ingredients
- Vermicelli – Also called rice noodles or rice stick, these noodles form the base of the dish and soak up all the delicious flavors.
- Bean sprouts – Add a fresh, crunchy texture.
- Chinese chives – Add a mild oniony flavor and a bit of green crunch.
- Red chilies – For that spicy kick.
- Taucheo (fermented yellow bean sauce) – Gives the dish its signature earthy and savory flavor.
- Lime or calamansi lime – if you can get calamansi lime, please use it for this recipe.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
How To Make Mee Siam
Step 1. Soak the vermicelli in warm water for about 30 minutes, or until they become soft. Drain and set aside. In a food processor, grind the spice paste and set aside. Heat a wok with some oil and cook the beaten eggs into an omelet. Fold and slice the omelet thinly, then set aside.
Step 2. Heat the wok and add 3 tablespoons of oil. Once the oil is hot, fry the spice paste until aromatic and the oil separates. Add the shrimp and chicken, stir-frying until half cooked, then add the fried tofu pieces.
Step 3. Add the vermicelli and keep stirring until the spice paste is evenly distributed. Add sugar and salt to taste, followed by the bean sprouts and chives. Continue to stir-fry until the vegetables are cooked. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding more salt or sugar as needed. If the noodles taste bland, add a little soy sauce or fish sauce to taste.
Step 4. Transfer the Mee Siam to a large serving bowl and garnish with the omelet strips, chopped scallions, chili, and lime wedges. Serve immediately.
Cooking Tips For Home Cooks
- Make sure to soak the vermicelli in warm water until it’s nice and soft. If you don’t soak it enough, the noodles might turn out too chewy.
- Give your spice paste a taste and adjust the level of heat to suit your taste. Add more chilies if you like it spicy, or use fewer if you prefer a milder kick.
- Cook the spice paste over medium heat to prevent it from burning.
- Don’t overcrowd the wok—cook in batches if you need to. If you add too much at once, it can cause uneven cooking and end up steaming instead of frying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can easily make this dish vegetarian by swapping out the meat for tofu or tempeh and a veggie-friendly sauce instead of fish sauce.
Yes, you can make it ahead of time. Just keep it in an airtight container in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, give it a quick stir-fry to heat it up and mix the flavors back together.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
You can store leftover spice paste in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or freeze it for up to 3 months. Just thaw and reheat before using.
This recipe is only 447 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Mee Siam
For a traditional Malaysian meal, I recommend the following recipes.
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.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Mee Siam
Ingredients
- 12 oz (375g) vermicelli, rice sticks
- 4 tablespoons oil
- 12 shrimps, shelled and deveined
- 4 oz (125g) chicken, cut into thin strips
- 3 pieces fried bean curd/firm tofu, cut into pieces
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- salt to taste
- 12 oz (375g) bean sprouts
- 3 stalks Chinese chives, chopped into 1-inch length
- soy sauce or fish sauce, to taste, optional
Spice Paste:
- 4 fresh red chilies
- 5 shallots
- 5 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons taucheo, fermented yellow bean sauce
Garnish:
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten, seasoned with a pinch of salt
- 2 stalks scallions, chopped into 1/2-inch length
- 1 red chili, thinly sliced
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Soak the vermicelli in warm water for about 30 minutes, or until they become soft. Drain and set aside. In a food processor, grind the Spice Paste and set aside. Heat a wok with one tablespoon of oil and cook the beaten eggs into an omelet. Fold and slice the omelet thinly, then set aside.
- Heat the wok and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil. Once the oil is hot, fry the spice paste until aromatic and the oil separates. Add the shrimp and chicken, stir-frying until half cooked, then add the fried tofu pieces.
- Add the vermicelli and keep stirring until the spice paste is evenly distributed. Add sugar and salt to taste, followed by the bean sprouts and chives. Continue to stir-fry until the vegetables are cooked. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding more salt or sugar as needed. If the noodles taste bland, add a little soy sauce or fish sauce to taste.
- Transfer the Mee Siam to a large serving bowl and garnish with the omelet strips, chopped scallions, chili, and lime wedges. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Make sure to soak the vermicelli in warm water until it’s nice and soft. If you don’t soak it enough, the noodles might turn out too chewy.
- Give your spice paste a taste and adjust the level of heat to suit your taste. Add more chilies if you like it spicy, or use fewer if you prefer a milder kick.
- Cook the spice paste over medium heat to prevent it from burning.
- Don’t overcrowd the wok—cook in batches if you need to. If you add too much at once, it can cause uneven cooking and end up steaming instead of frying.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thanks for the explanation about the two types of mee Siam. I think my Mum used to pound buah keras and add to the bee hoon. It would be interesting to see if anyone remembers this.
Yes buah keras is an authentic ingredient to add into many dishes.
Yes .. my grandmother use to do that too ..
Hi! What is taucheo and what other names does it go by so that i can try and find it in my supermarket? Thank you!
Im in a part of Australia with very little asians so the asian grocers here are not very well stocked :(
Yellow bean sauce.
Can I make this using sphagetti ? TQ.
Sure you can!
I tried your Rendang recipe and it was great, just how I remembers it to be when I was growing up in Singapore in the 1960tys thanks
S. Middleton
Great to know. Thanks.
I tried your mee Siam recipe …it was so good!! Thank you!
i made this Mee Siam based on your recipe but it is missing the tamarind water to give it a tangy taste. And also to make it moist. On the whole, it was very good with the lime. I had it with sambal belacan and it so delicious!
I made this Mee Siam today and it’s yummy. This is definitely a keeper!
What I did was I added some crushed dried shrimps.
Thanks so much. Will cook this again soon.
That’s a great idea.