Mee Rebus

I am delighted to share with you my humble (first time) mee rebus, which I have cooked for dinner tonight.

While searching for a vegetarian version of this local delights, I stumbled upon this vegetarian mee rebus recipe, generously shared with us by the hawker owner - Mr Liu. Actually, I kind of share a common thing with Mr Liu, after reading his story. I was also convinced by a vegetarian friend about the health benefits of meat-free diet.

To share with you what I have gone through, I make it a slow process and gradually switched our diet and began to avoid buying meats for home during any of my shopping trips (and I should say husband has been very cooperative since then). And with only vegetables and fruits found in the fridge, there is no choice but to cook vegetarian at home. Eventually both husband and I did not miss meat all that much when they are not available at home.

I am not sure if any one out there shared the same problem with me, it is always difficult to convince those around us (parents) that you want to be vegetarian! I consider my parents are both traditional, they cannot understand my choice of trying to go vegetarian. Their belief is that no meat, no strength!! Even my sister who is six years my senior, cannot understand my choice...!!

When we dine at parent's place, I try to request my mum to cook lots of vegetables and will take a little fish. Even after more than a year, when most already knew that we only cook vegetarian at home; my mum will still continue to pass the comment that I am "torturing" my husband for not cooking meat for him; since the obvious thing to them is that, husband has lost more than 10kg .... At times, even my niece would casually laugh that we are eating rabbit food...

Despite receiving all these remarks, I am determined that I will continue my vegetarian diet, and continue to improve my skill in vegetarian cooking! So...if you have a nice vegetarian recipe, I will be happy to hear from you! (^o^)

MAKE IT YOURSELF: VEGETARIAN MEE REBUS

INGREDIENTS (I modified some of the ingredients)

5 dried chillies, coarsely chopped
2 stalks lemongrass, coarsely chopped
small piece of galangal, thickly sliced
2 candlenut (buah keras)
1 tsp curry powder
1 litre water
4 small potatoes, steam and skinned
2 sweet potatoes, steam and skinned
3 tbsp fermented soy bean paste (tau cheo)
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp potato starch
500g yellow noodles
150g beansprouts
2 eggs, hard-boiled and sliced
2 stalks coriander, coarsely chopped
2 fresh green chilli, sliced
2 lime

METHOD

1. Place the dried chillies, lemongrass, galangal and candlenut in a food processor, cover with water and blend for about 15 seconds on high speed until a coarse paste forms.

2. Pour the paste into a pot, add curry powder and 1 litre water. Mix well and bring to a boil on high heat.

3. Place the potatoes and sweet potatoes in a food processor, cover with water and blend for a few seconds until a coarse paste forms. Set aside

4. To the boiling gravy, add the potatoes paste, mix well and bring the mixture to a boil again on medium fire. Stir continuously.

6. Add the fermented soy bean and sugar to the gravy. Mix well.

7. Dissolve potato starch in 100ml of water and pour the mixture into the gravy gradually.

8. Scald the noodles and beansprouts in boiling water for half a minute. Drain well and place in serving bowl. Add in the gravy and garnish with eggs, lime, green chillies and coriander.

Remarks: I avoided adding coconut milk, which the original recipe called for. Instead, I added 2 mashed sweet potatoes and few more mashed potatoes to thicken the gravy.