Mie Aceh

Ingredients

• 500 g fresh thick yellow noodles
• 250 g beef sirloin
• 200 g raw prawns, peeled
• 8 shallots
• 5 garlic cloves
• 6 dried red chillies
• 3 cm fresh turmeric
• 5 candlenuts
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 1 star anise
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 0.5 tsp ground caraway
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tomato
• 150 g white cabbage
• 150 g bean sprouts
• 300 ml beef stock
• 3 tbsp kecap manis
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 3 stalks Chinese celery
• 4 tbsp crisp fried shallots
• 2 shallots, for pickling
• 60 g melinjo crackers (emping)
• 1 cucumber
• 2 limes

Before you cook

• Soak the dried chillies in hot water for 15 minutes, then drain them.
• Slice the beef thinly across the grain.
• Peel the eight shallots, the garlic and the turmeric.
• Shred the cabbage and chop the tomato into wedges.
• Slice the Chinese celery and the cucumber.
• Slice the two remaining shallots into thin rings and toss them with the vinegar and a pinch of salt.
• Loosen the noodles with your hands so they are not stuck in a block.
• Cut the limes into wedges.

Steps

1. Blend the shallots, garlic, soaked chillies, turmeric, candlenuts, coriander, cumin, cardamom seeds, star anise, black pepper and caraway into a smooth paste.
2. Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
3. Fry the paste for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens and the oil separates at the edges.
4. Add the sliced beef and stir-fry for 2 minutes, until it loses its raw colour.
5. Add the prawns and stir-fry for 1 minute more.
6. Tip in the cabbage and tomato and toss everything for 1 minute.
7. Pour in the beef stock and bring it to a fast boil.
8. Add the noodles and toss them through the sauce with tongs until every strand is coated.
9. Stir in the kecap manis and the salt.
10. Cook hard for 3 to 4 minutes, tossing constantly, until the liquid has reduced to a clinging sauce.
11. Throw in the bean sprouts and Chinese celery and toss for 30 seconds so they stay crunchy.
12. Taste and adjust the salt and sweetness.
13. Divide the noodles between four plates.
14. Top each with fried shallots, the pickled shallot rings, cucumber slices and a handful of emping, and serve with lime wedges.