Believe it or not, pan mee – a beloved dish – has roots in Malaysia. It was created by the Hakka community that migrated here many generations ago, who came up with “ban mian”, which literally translates to “flat flour noodles”.
Typically served in a soup with ikan bilis, minced meat, mushrooms, and a leafy vegetable such as sweet potato leaves or cekur manis, it can also be served dry with a thick, black soy sauce, XO sauce, or sambal, like in this recipe.
Here’s a fuss-free and delicious step-by-step guide to try at home.
Ingredients
- 1 packet pan mee noodles
- 1 cup dried crispy deep-fried ikan bilis (anchovies)
- 1 handful dried anchovies for soup
- 2 tbsp bawang goreng (fried onions)
- 2 tbsp sliced spring onions
- 1 tbsp XO sauce
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp kicap pekat
- about 1 tsp cornstarch
- 100g brown minced lamb (optional), or meat of your choice.
- 1 bunch cekur manis
Method
- To prepare the noodles, first bring a pot of water to the boil.
- Blanch the noodles in the boiling water, then dish out using a colander.
- Poach the egg for about 3 minutes in salted, very lightly simmering water. You may use the same boiling water as with the noodles.
- To poach the egg, crack it into a small cup or bowl. Gently create a whirlpool in the simmering salted water, then slowly tip the egg into the water, white first. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
- Next, brown the minced lamb or meat of your choice in a hot pan without oil.
- Leave to cook until all water as evaporated and there’s only oil rendered from the mat, which should be nicely browned and slightly crispy.
- Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce and kicap pekat into the pan with the meat, as well as a pre-mixed slurry of water and cornstarch. Stir to mix well to create a nice, thick gravy for the meat.
- For the ikan bilis soup, simply boil the dried anchovies for 15 minutes in water. Use an approximate 1:10 anchovy-to-water ratio.
- Season the stock with salt and white pepper according to taste. You may remove the anchovies or leave it in the soup to be enjoyed with your meal.
- Add the cekur manis and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes until the leaves are dark and soft.
Assembling the dish
- Toss the cooked noodles with XO sauce and place it into a bowl.
- Add the browned minced meat, poached egg, and crispy deep-fried ikan bilis.
- Garnish with sliced spring onions and/or bawang goreng.
- In a separate bowl, pour the ikan bilis soup with cekur manis.
- Serve together and enjoy!
This article first appeared in butterkicap.com, a food and culture platform and community that enables anyone to experience Malaysia through stories of its people, food and places.