Curry Mee (lean)

0/4

Work top to bottom — prep ahead while timers run

Gather everything first, then follow the steps

Protein· 3

  • 80 g chicken breast (sliced)80g
  • 30 g cockles (blanched)30g
  • 25 g tofu puffs (oil squeezed out)25g

Carbs· 1

  • 110 g yellow noodles110g

Vegetables· 2

  • 40 g bean sprouts40g
  • 6 g garlic (minced)(staple)6g

Sauces· 2

  • 45 g lite coconut milk45g
  • 10 g chili paste (cili boh)10g

Spices· 2

  • 6 g curry powder6g
  • pinch of salt(staple)2g

Fats & oils· 1

  • 5 g cooking oil (1 tsp)(staple)5g

  1. Soak the tofu puffs briefly in hot water, then squeeze them hard by hand to press out the oil and water; halve and set aside.

    Why? Tofu puffs are deep-fried, so every 25 g hides around 5 g of oil. Squeezing removes much of that fat while making them sponge up the broth even better.

    Tip: Squeeze until the puffs go flat and no more oil seeps onto your hand.

    Next up:Heat 1 tsp oil in a pot and fry the garlic, curry powder and chili paste over medium heat for ~2 min until the oil reddens and turns fragrant.

  2. 2 min · hands-free

    Heat 1 tsp oil in a pot and fry the garlic, curry powder and chili paste over medium heat for ~2 min until the oil reddens and turns fragrant.

    Why? Curry powder and chili paste must be bloomed in a little oil to release their fat-soluble aromatics — the richness comes from blooming, not from pouring in more coconut milk.
    Watch out: Spices scorch easily — add a few drops of water if the pan dries out so they don't burn bitter.
    02:00

    Next up:Pour in ~350 ml water and bring to a boil; add the chicken slices and tofu puffs, cook 3 min, then stir in the lite coconut milk and a pinch of salt and simmer gently 2 min without a rolling boil.

  3. 5 min · hands-free

    Pour in ~350 ml water and bring to a boil; add the chicken slices and tofu puffs, cook 3 min, then stir in the lite coconut milk and a pinch of salt and simmer gently 2 min without a rolling boil.

    Why? Adding the coconut milk last and simmering gently keeps it from splitting; using lite coconut milk instead of full santan keeps the broth silky while saving a lot of fat.

    Tip: Turn to the lowest heat as soon as small bubbles appear; don't let it boil hard.

    05:00

    Next up:Separately blanch the yellow noodles, bean sprouts and cockles in boiling water for about 30 sec each until just done, pile into a bowl and ladle over the curry broth.

  4. 1 min · hands-free

    Separately blanch the yellow noodles, bean sprouts and cockles in boiling water for about 30 sec each until just done, pile into a bowl and ladle over the curry broth.

    Why? Blanching noodles and toppings separately keeps the broth clear and the sprouts crunchy; cook cockles only until just done, as overcooking turns them rubbery.
    Watch out: Make sure the cockles are fully cooked through before eating — undercooked shellfish is a food-safety risk.
    00:30