40 dried chilies - seeded, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes and drained
3 large onion - peeled and sliced
12 garlic - peeled
Once blended, divide the spice paste into 2 portions.
For the vermicelli
1 portion of the spice paste
1 packet of rice vermicelli - soaked in warm water for 20-30 minutes and drained
2 tbsp fermented/salted soybeans (tauco) - Washed well to get rid of access salt and drained
300 g fresh shrimps, peeled and deveined
2 cups of beansprouts (tauge)
Salt to taste
For the gravy
1 portion of the spice paste
3 tbsp fermented/salted soybeans (tahuco) - Washed well to get rid of access salt and drained
1 stalk of lemongrass - bruised
½ inch of galangal - peeled and bruised
⅔ cup of roasted peanuts, skin removed and grounded till semi-fine.
50 g assam jawa (tamarind paste) mixed with 1.5 litres of water
⅓ to ½ cup of sugar (according to taste)
Salt to taste
For the garnishing
8 hard-boiled eggs
Puffed Tofu squares - cut into cubes (You can also deep fried fresh beancurd that has been cut into 1 cm cubes.
Chinese chives - washed and cut 1.5 cm long
8 calamansi limes, halve crosswise and discard seeds
Instructions
Cooking the vermicelli
Heat a few tablespoon of cooking oil in a pan/wok.
Fry the spice paste until fragrant, for about 10 minutes.
Add in the fresh shrimps and salted soybeans (tauco) and stir well.
Mix in the rice vermicelli and cook till the vermicelli is soft.
Throw in the bean sprouts, season with salt and cook for a further 2 minutes before turning off the fire.
For the gravy
Heat a few tablespoons of cooking oil in a pot and fry the spice paste, lemon grass and galangal until fragrant. This takes about 10 minutes.
Add the salted soybeans and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Pour the tamarind juice and season with salt and sugar.
Bring it to a boil then add the grounded peanuts.
Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes on low heat and turn off the flame.
To serve
In a bowl, place a serving of rice vermicelli, then add some gravy over the vermicelli. Garnish with a hard-boiled egg, beancurd, chives and half of a lime.
Before eating, squeeze the lime all over the mee siam.
Notes
Instead of using tamarind paste, you can also use 2 pieces assam gelugoh (tamarind skin). Do remember to add the 1.5 litres of water to the gravy though.