French-Cambodian Mee Siam Adventure

Boston was on my mind frequently over the past year. I was a post-grad there on 9/11 trying to eke out a living, carrying around a brick of a cell phone. When uncertainty permeated everything, a local Cambodian-French restaurant provided respite.

This restaurant served an incredible dish called mee Siem. It was unlike anything I’d ever tried at that point: rice noodles in a complex spicy sauce piled with bean sprouts, sweet bell peppers, fresh cilantro, fried tofu strips, crackly pork, and omelet ribbons. They published a cookbook. That recipe wasn’t in it.

An early Google search for the dish produced zero results.

Then, one day, Google wondered if I meant “mee Siam” instead? There it was. Guillaume, struck by the spelling difference, discovered that the Vietnamese spelling is “Mì Xiêm,” which might be why the Cambodian-French restaurant menu uses an E.

Mee Siam’s history has hazy origins in Southeast Asia and appears to have been influenced by different regional cuisines. Unsurprisingly, there’s no definitive version. One of the top-rated recipes was from the blog Roti n Rice and the photos looked just like what I remembered. So that’s where I started.

The first time making mee Siam, I followed the directions carefully. Some parts were challenging given the plethora of rice vermicelli options and mine didn’t seem to be softening enough at first. However, when Guillaume and I sat down to dig in, each bite was flavorful — and remarkably familiar.

I’ve made tweaks in the years since then, including adding tamarind paste, which is called for in several recipe versions. We’re still not sure what tamarind paste should taste like because the only one we found in the Before Times was organic, expensive, resembles molasses, and tastes super sour. A little goes a long way. And, since there’s no pork in my version of the dish, smoked maple syrup serves as a replacement.

Bean sprouts add nice texture and flavor, but they’re optional below because we’ve had such a hard time finding them at local stores out here, even before the pandemic. In case you get some, a handful or two should be enough.

Amazingly, the restaurant still exists in Boston, although it changed locations within the city over the years. At the height of the pandemic, “mee Siem” wasn’t on their limited takeout menu, but now the entrée appears to be back. Since I’m still on the other side of the country, they’ve inspired me to make some more.

Mee Siam
Makes 4 servings

2 large eggs
7–8 oz. extra firm tofu (see note below)
Vegetable oil
12–16 oz. shrimp, peeled and deveined
7–10 oz. dried rice vermicelli
2 Tbsp. soy sauce, plus extra for tofu
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
¼ C. water
½ large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
Bean sprouts (optional)

Garnish:
Fresh cilantro
Scallions (optional)
1 lime
Spice Paste:
2 large dried New Mexico chiles
5 fresh red chiles such as Fresno, approx. 1 oz.
5 shallots, approx. 7 oz.
5 garlic cloves, approx. 0.75 oz.
1 tsp. brown sugar or honey
1 tsp. tamarind paste (optional)
1 tsp. smoked maple syrup (optional)
¼ C. water

Note: If omitting shrimp, increase tofu to an entire package, approximately 14 – 16 ounces total.

Remove stalks of dried chiles, shake out seeds, and soak in a bowl of boiling hot water for 30 minutes to soften. Reserve soaking water. While the chiles are soaking, press the tofu in paper towels for at least 30 minutes. Cut tofu into thin strips.

Remove the stems and seeds from the fresh red chiles (gloves recommended). Peel the shallots and garlic cloves. Remove garlic germs, if needed. In a blender, combine the soaked chilies, fresh chilies, shallots, garlic, 1 tsp. sugar or honey, optional 1 tsp. tamarind and 1 tsp. smoked maple syrup with ¼ cup water. You can use water from soaking the chiles. Process until smooth.

Soak the rice vermicelli according to the package directions. Set aside in a fine-mesh strainer. Slice the bell pepper. Finely chop the cilantro and scallions, if using. Cut the lime into four wedges.

Add 1 Tbsp. of vegetable oil to a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Fry the tofu strips. Once golden brown, drizzle a little soy sauce over them for flavor. Transfer fried tofu to a bowl and set aside.

Put 3 Tbsp. of vegetable oil in the same pan. Add the paste and heat to medium. Stir fry the paste for about 8 minutes or until the raw onion smell is gone. The paste should get thick. Lower the heat slightly if it’s getting too brown. Add the shrimp, if using, and stir into the paste, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes.

Mix in the 2 Tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tsp. salt, and ½ tsp. pepper. Add another ¼ cup of water. Can use more water from soaking the chiles. Finally, add the softened vermicelli.

Using nonstick tongs, stir to coat the noodles for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the bell pepper slices, tofu, and bean sprouts, if using. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes to mix well. Cover and set off heat.

Beat eggs with some salt, pepper and a splash of water in a small bowl. Heat ½ tablespoon vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet on medium. Once hot, lower temperature slightly and add the egg mixture, coating the pan. Once cooked, slide crepe onto a cutting board, let it cool slightly, roll it up, and cut into thin strips.

Use tongs to put noodle mixture into bowls. Squeeze a lime wedge over the top of each bowl. Garnish with egg strips, cilantro, and scallions to serve.