Singapore Noodles

Method

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1. Soak the vermicelli in hot tap water for 6 to 8 minutes until pliable but still firm at the core. Drain very well and cut through the nest twice with scissors.

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2. Whisk the sauce ingredients together.

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3. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a wok and scramble the eggs quickly into loose curds. Remove.

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4. Add another tablespoon of oil and stir-fry the prawns for 90 seconds until just pink. Remove.

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5. Add the last oil, then the onion and pepper for 2 minutes, then the garlic and ginger for 20 seconds.

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6. Push everything aside, add the curry powder to the clear space with a splash of oil, and fry 30 seconds until it darkens and smells toasted.

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7. Add the noodles and pour the sauce over. Toss with tongs for 2 minutes, lifting and separating, until the colour is even throughout.

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8. Return the prawns, egg and char siu, add the beansprouts and spring onions, toss for 45 seconds, and serve straight from the wok.

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Chef’s Tips

• Soak, never boil, the vermicelli. Boiled noodles break into short fragments the moment you toss them.
• Use tongs and a lifting motion rather than a spatula and a stirring one.
• Adjust the curry powder to taste, but bloom whatever amount you use — unbloomed curry powder tastes dusty.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• Sriracha or chilli oil at the table
• A cold lager
• Hot and sour soup to start

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in a wok with a splash of stock, tossing constantly.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.