Malaysian Mee Bandung (Mee Bandung Muar)
Mee Bandung Say it: mee BAHN-doong
Mee bandung is a comforting Malaysian noodle dish from Muar, Johor, known for its thick, reddish gravy. Yellow noodles are topped with beef slices, prawns, tofu puffs and egg, then drowned in a spicy, tangy, slightly sweet sauce built from chilies, shallots, lemongrass and shrimp paste. It is eaten for lunch or dinner, often with calamansi squeezed over the top. The gravy is the heart of the dish: rich but bright, coating every strand without overwhelming the noodles.
Malaysian Mee Bandung (Mee Bandung Muar)
Mee Bandung
Pronounced mee BAHN-doong
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 hr 10 min
- Level
- Medium
Allergens: contains gluten, egg, shellfish, nuts. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Spice paste
For the noodles and toppings
Method
Put the dried chilies, shallots, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, candlenuts, belacan and tomato paste in a blender. Blend to a smooth paste, adding 2–3 tbsp (30–45 ml) water only if needed to keep the blades moving.
Heat the oil in a wok or large pot over medium heat. Add the spice paste and fry for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant, darker and the oil separates at the edges.
Add the beef and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, until no longer pink on the outside. Pour in the water or stock and the tamarind mixture, then add the sugar and salt.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 20–25 minutes, until the beef is tender and the gravy has thickened slightly. Skim off any foam.
Add the shrimp and tofu puffs and simmer for 3–4 minutes, until the shrimp are pink, curled and just cooked through. Taste and adjust with more salt, sugar or tamarind; the gravy should be spicy, tangy and a little sweet.
While the gravy simmers, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the yellow noodles for 1 minute, then drain well. Blanch the bean sprouts for 30 seconds and drain.
Divide the noodles among four deep bowls. Ladle over the hot gravy, making sure each bowl gets beef, shrimp and tofu. Top with bean sprouts and egg halves.
Scatter over the green onions and fried shallots. Serve at once with calamansi limes to squeeze over the top.
Regional variants
Some cooks add sliced tomato or a handful of shredded cabbage to the gravy, and extra sambal on the side for heat.
Cook's notes
- Fry the spice paste patiently: the raw shallot and belacan smell should disappear before you add the beef.
- If the gravy is too thick after simmering, loosen it with a splash of hot water; if too thin, simmer uncovered for a few more minutes.
- Use fresh yellow noodles if you can; dried wheat noodles can be cooked according to the packet and used instead.
Serve with
Serve hot with calamansi lime, extra fried shallots and a spoonful of sambal on the side.
Make ahead and storage
The spice paste can be blended and refrigerated up to 2 days ahead. The gravy keeps 2 days in the fridge; reheat gently with a splash of water, and cook the noodles fresh.
