Fried sotong prawn mee ($4)!
A plate of fried Hokkien-style sotong prawn mee at Tiong Bahru: yellow noodles and bee hoon with squid and prawn, with sambal on the side. $4.
A weekend hawker plate at Tiong Bahru: fried sotong prawn mee, $4. 😋
What I had:
- Fried sotong prawn mee: yellow noodles and bee hoon fried with squid, prawn, egg and beansprouts, with a dollop of sambal on the side
This is the drier, paler style of Hokkien fried noodles, and it is all about the wok work and the stock. The mix of springy yellow noodles and thin bee hoon gets fried with egg and beansprouts, then moistened with a prawn-based stock so the strands turn savoury and a little sticky, picking up that smoky wok hei. There were pieces of tender squid and prawn through it for sweetness.
The sambal on the side is non-negotiable: a smear of that spicy, shrimp-paste chilli stirred in lifts the whole plate and gives it a fragrant kick. A squeeze of lime, if you get one, brightens it further.
It is the unassuming, slightly humble version of Hokkien mee (no thick gravy, just well-fried noodles), but done right it is deeply moreish. At $4 it is honest, satisfying value, and exactly the kind of plate Tiong Bahru does so well.
Overall: 4.7 / 5. 😋👍🏼 Smoky, prawn-stock-fried noodles with squid and a punchy sambal, comforting and great value. Would re-visit.
