Thai cuisine · Dough, Pasta & Rice

Mee Krob

Crispy deep-fried rice noodles in a caramelized tamarind sauce with shrimp, tofu and egg.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 200g thin rice noodles
• 200g shrimp
• 150g firm tofu
• 2 eggs
• 4 tbsp tamarind paste
• 120g palm sugar
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 shallots
• 3 garlic cloves
• 150g bean sprouts
• 2 spring onions
• 1 litre frying oil

Instructions

1. Break the dry rice noodles into small portions, cut the tofu into batons, and finely chop the shallots and garlic – once the frying starts there's no time left for cutting.
2. Heat the frying oil to 180°C and fry the noodles in batches for 5–10 seconds each until they puff up white; drain on kitchen paper.
3. In the same oil, fry the tofu batons for 3–4 minutes until golden, remove, then cook the shrimp in it for 1–2 minutes until they curl up pink.
4. Pour off all but 2 tbsp of the oil, fry the shallots and garlic in it for 2 minutes until pale gold, add the beaten eggs and let them set into crumbs.
5. Stir in the tamarind paste, palm sugar and fish sauce, and simmer uncovered for 6–8 minutes until the sauce is thick and forms strands when you lift the spoon.
6. Turn off the heat, gently fold in the noodles, tofu and shrimp so nothing breaks, and serve immediately with bean sprouts and spring onions.