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When I was growing up, one of the biggest family celebrations was my late grandmother’s birthday. Every year on her birthday, our family would host a big birthday party for her and friends and relatives were invited to our home for her birthday dinner. On the day itself, we would make many Nyonya dishes for the dinner as well as a big pot of Nyonya Lam Mee or “Birthday Mee.” Check out this post by Siew Loon and learn more about this delicious dish.
Nyonya Lam Mee is also known as “Birthday Mee” in Penang and it is usually served during birthday celebrations to wish the birthday boy or girl longevity. Recently, a close friend of mine from noodles.com.my which produces organic noodles gave me a few packets of noodles which is free of presevatives and straight away it came to Bee Yinn’s mind that I should make Lam Mee using the noodles. This healthier version of Lam Mee turned out so well that my family enjoyed it so much and I thought this is something worth sharing with Nyonya Food readers.
Traditionally Nyonya Lam Mee is yellow rice noodles cooked in gravy made of stock of prawns and pork ribs or chicken. It is then served with toppings like colored shredded eggs, prawns, pork ribs, shallots crisps and chives. The specialty of this dish lies in the gravy where it gives you a perfect blend of seafood from the prawns and sweetness of the pork ribs. The Nyonyas will always serve Lam Mee with Sambal Belacan as it completes the flavour of this dish.
(Click Page 2 for Nyonya Lam Mee Recipe)
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This is interesting. I guess noodles mean longevity and that’s why a birthday noodle was created.
How much water to boil the prawn and pork?
As long as the amount of water is enough to cover the pork and prawns,
Ancient Chinese belief that birthday noodles must be long (not cut into short pieces) to signify long life.
I am no expert but as for method 1, I would prefer to take out the pork ribs after blanching for 1 min. There will be some flavor in the boiling water as it has become stock.
Step 2 therefore involves just adding prawns into the same stock already boiling for 3-4 mins. giving the stock more flavor and remove the prawns when cooked.
Step 3 We put in the pork ribs and simmer until pork ribs are tender and remove the ribs.
You can fast forward to step 6 to blanch the chives in the stock as well and remove then continue with the other cooking procedure.
Well, this is just what I would do. Saves time and gas from boiling water 3 times.
Thanks Peter. I blanch the pork ribs in hot water to get a clear soup. The noodles used is actually known as longevity noodles where it is 18 inch long and specially made for birthdays and chinese new year.
Your recipe was posted.
This was my late grandmother’s specialty. She ran a Lam Mee stall in Ipoh in the 1950s; and prepared it for the family once every Chinese New Year. Sadly, after she left, no one else could duplicate that rich, fragrant flavour of her noodles.
Incidentally, I have not eaten it anywhere else, and I certainly have not seen it around in Singapore. Is it easy to find Lam Mee vendors in Malaysia?
Hello Suzanne, you should be able to get Lam Mee at most Penang Nyonya restaurants in KL/Penang. A little bit difficult to find it at the hawker stalls though. I tried this recipe and it works! Simple and easy but definitely the kind of homey taste that is similiar to my grandma’s recipe :)
I am no expert but as for method 1, I would prefer to take out the pork ribs after blanching for 1 min. There will be some flavor in the boiling water as it has become stock.
Step 2 therefore involves just adding prawns into the same stock already boiling for 3-4 mins. giving the stock more flavor and remove the prawns when cooked