Singapore Noodles (Oriental Gourmet Style)
I used to get Singapore noodles at a buffet for years when I lived at my other place, but the restaurant closed, and I was left wanting more. I made several servings of this dish from various online recipes, but none matched my favorite. This led me to believe maybe the original way might not have been as authentic as I thought. I do not know the official way to make Singapore noodles, but the results from this recipe are spot on with my buffet favorite, providing a quick, simply delicious Asian-style meal. I'm far from comfortable making Asian dishes from scratch, and I'm pretty wobbly following other chefs' recipes in that region. This recipe focuses on a Singapore Noodles Oriental Gourmet style, visually similar to the one I remember which had onion, red bell pepper, egg, shrimp, and curry. You can use any meat or none at all.
I used to get Singapore noodles at a buffet for years when I lived at my other place, but the restaurant closed, and I was left wanting more. I made several servings of this dish from various online recipes, but none matched my favorite. This led me to believe maybe the original way might not have been as authentic as I thought. I do not know the official way to make Singapore noodles, but the results from this recipe are spot on with my buffet favorite, providing a quick, simply delicious Asian-style meal. I'm far from comfortable making Asian dishes from scratch, and I'm pretty wobbly following other chefs' recipes in that region. This recipe focuses on a Singapore Noodles Oriental Gourmet style, visually similar to the one I remember which had onion, red bell pepper, egg, shrimp, and curry. You can use any meat or none at all.
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- 1/2 lb shrimp (shelled and cleaned)
- 4 tbs vegetable oil
- 3 tbs fish sauce (asian isle)
- 8 oz dried rice noodles
- 1 tsp garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp rice wine
- 1/4 tsp pepper ground
- 4 oz eggs (='s 2 eggs beaten, 1/4 tsp salt optional)
- 1 cup onion (thin sliced)
- 1 cup bell pepper (red, de-seeded, strips)
- 3 tsp curry powder (divided)
- 2 oz green onion (angle sliced optional)
- 2 tsp sesame oil (toasted optional but tasty)
- Carbohydrate 102.50922493927 g
- Cholesterol 206.1045 mg
- Fat 16.273452 g
- Fiber 3.69741251688004 g
- Protein 21.6794682083023 g
- Saturated Fat 2.575772 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (301g)
- Sodium 703.697558926354 mg
- Sugar 98.8118124223899 g
- Trans Fat 7.16856975 g
- Calories 656 calories
Step-by-step
- Prep everything before you start. Use shot glasses for dry spices or small containers.
- Put the cleaned shrimp in a bowl, add 1 tsp vegetable oil and 1 tbsp fish sauce. Mix and refrigerate.
- Boil water for the noodles. Turn off the heat and place rice noodles in the hot water. Let steep about 2 minutes, checking to ensure they don't over-steep.
- Drain noodles in a colander.
- In a small bowl, add soy sauce, wine, pepper, sugar, 2 tbsp fish sauce, and garlic. Mix and set aside.
- Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp vegetable oil.
- Add eggs, cook, flip, and break into pieces. Set aside.
- Add 1 tbsp oil to the pan, then add shrimp. Cook until slightly pink.
- Add bell peppers and onions. Add 1 tsp curry powder and 1/4 tsp salt. Fry for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Add the scrambled eggs to the pan and mix.
- Add the remaining vegetable oil to the hot pan. Add noodles, soy garlic mix, and remaining curry powder. Mix until evenly colored.
- Add a dash of salt, green onions, and sesame oil (optional).
My Ode to Singapore Noodles: A Culinary Journey Back to the Buffet
The aroma of sizzling garlic, the sweet tang of soy sauce, the subtle spice of curry – these are the memories that flood back whenever I think of Singapore noodles. For years, a particular buffet restaurant near my old apartment held a special place in my heart, primarily because of their incredible Singapore noodles. The restaurant, The Oriental Gourmet, was a local institution, as old as my childhood memories. It was a place of comfort, a familiar spot where I’d indulge in generous portions of this flavorful dish. Then, one day, it was gone, leaving behind a void only the perfect bowl of Singapore noodles could fill.
My quest to recreate that unforgettable taste began with countless online recipes. I diligently followed instructions, meticulously measuring ingredients, yet something always felt…off. The flavors were close, but not quite the same. The texture was right, the color was similar, but that unmistakable depth of flavor, that unique “something” that made the Oriental Gourmet's dish so special, remained elusive. This led me on a culinary detective mission of sorts, a quest to unravel the secret behind the seemingly simple Singapore noodle. I experimented with different curry powders, varying the amount of fish sauce, tweaking the ratio of soy sauce to rice wine – anything to capture that elusive memory.
My attempts taught me more than just how to make Singapore noodles; they taught me the importance of personal connection to food. Each attempt was more than just a recipe; it was a nostalgic journey, a revisiting of cherished memories and the comforting familiarity of a favorite dish. Each tweak, each adjustment, each slight variation brought me closer to that perfect bowl. In the end, I found success not in perfectly replicating the original, but in creating a version that captured the spirit of those buffet memories. This recipe isn’t a perfect replica of the Oriental Gourmet's creation – no recipe ever truly is – but it's my tribute, my homage, to a dish that held a special place in my heart and in my culinary history.
I want to share my recipe with you not just as a set of instructions but as a story of culinary exploration, of persistence and the rewarding satisfaction of recreating a favorite dish. It's a simple dish, yet it holds a depth of flavor and emotion that resonates far beyond its ingredients. The vibrant colors, the aromatic spices, and the satisfying textures all come together to create a culinary experience that's as much about memory as it is about taste.
More than just a meal, this recipe is a journey. A journey back to familiar flavors and comforting memories, a testament to the power of food to transport us back in time. It's a reminder that sometimes, the most cherished recipes are not found in fancy cookbooks but in the heart, in the memory of a cherished place and a perfectly made plate of Singapore noodles.
