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Fish, South and Southeast Asian

Hokkien mee with shrimp and squid

Hokkien mee with shrimp is a Singaporean noodle dish for 4 people, ready in 40 minutes, easy to make, for €4.20 per serving. Yellow egg noodles and rice vermicelli soak up a broth made from shrimp heads and shells, spiked with sambal and lime. The key to success is the homemade broth, which gives the dish its depth.

Tonight we're headed to Singapore with Hokkien mee, yellow noodles soaking up a shrimp broth scented with lime.

Hokkien mee with shrimp and squid
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€4.20
Calories per person
480 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

Hokkien mee with shrimp mixes two noodle textures in one bowl, firm yellow egg noodles and softer rice vermicelli, both soaked in a shrimp broth simmered with the shells. The squid adds a different bite, the sambal brings a slow building heat, and a squeeze of lime at the end wakes everything up.

This is a dish for an evening when you have a bit of time ahead of you, not a rushed weeknight dinner, but nothing complicated either. It works well for a meal between adults or with teenagers who like spice, less ideal for young kids because of the sambal. Mon Chou suggests saving it for a calm evening with no time pressure, so the broth can simmer properly.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Raw whole shrimp 400 g
  • Squid rings 250 g

Pantry

  • Yellow egg noodles 300 g
  • Rice vermicelli 100 g
  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Sambal oelek 1 tbsp
  • Neutral oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Bean sprouts 150 g
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Lime 2

Dairy

  • Eggs 2

Allergens Gluten, Shellfish, Mollusks, Eggs, Soy

The step by step recipe

  1. Peel the shrimp and keep the heads and shells. Cook them for five minutes in a saucepan with a little oil, cover with 1 liter of water, and let simmer. 20 min

    Crush the heads with the back of a spoon so they release all their orange juice.

  2. Strain the broth, put it back on the heat, and dip the vermicelli in hot water separately to soften them.

    Soak the vermicelli in hot water for just a few minutes, they'll finish cooking in the wok.

  3. In a large wok, brown the chopped garlic, add the squid then the shrimp, the soy sauce, and the sambal, and stir fry for two minutes. 3 min

    Don't cook the squid for more than two minutes, it turns rubbery the moment you forget about it.

  4. Add the yellow noodles, the vermicelli, and a large glass of broth, crack the eggs on top, and stir until the liquid is almost absorbed. 5 min

    Stir by lifting the noodles rather than pressing them down, they keep their shape better.

  5. Add the bean sprouts off the heat and serve with lime wedges to squeeze and a little extra sambal.

    Squeeze the lime at the table, right before eating, otherwise the aroma fades.

Our tips to get it right

  • Peel the shrimp at the last moment, the flesh stays firmer and the shells, still fresh, give a more fragrant broth.
  • Prep every ingredient before you turn on the wok, the final cooking goes fast and you won't have time to chop anything along the way.
  • Taste the broth before adding it to the noodles and adjust with sambal or soy sauce, it should already taste well seasoned at this stage.

The variations

  • Swap the squid for sliced chicken, cooking it a bit longer than two minutes so it's fully done.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the seafood and make a broth with vegetables and a bit of miso paste, keeping the soy sauce and sambal.
  • For kids who don't like spice, serve the sambal on the side so everyone can add their own amount at the table.

What to serve it with

  • A light green tea
  • Extra lime wedges
  • Cucumber sticks

Storage

Hokkien mee keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, though the noodles soften a bit over time. It doesn't freeze well because of the seafood and eggs. Reheat in a pan or wok with a splash of water to bring back some liquid.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the shrimp broth ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it the day before and keep it in the fridge in a sealed container. Just reheat it before adding it to the noodles in the wok.

Can you use a different noodle instead of yellow egg noodles?

Fresh udon noodles work well if you can't find yellow egg noodles, the texture is similar. Avoid very thin noodles, they don't hold up as well during cooking.

What if you don't like squid?

Simply swap it for extra shrimp or sliced chicken. The key is keeping an ingredient that cooks quickly in the wok.

Why keep the shrimp heads and shells?

They hold all the flavor that gives the broth its color and depth. Throwing them away would leave you with a much blander broth.

How long does it take to make a Hokkien mee with shrimp and squid?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a Hokkien mee with shrimp and squid?

About 480 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Hokkien mee with shrimp and squid cost?

About €4.20 per serving, or €16.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, shellfish, mollusks, eggs, soy. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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