Bihun Goreng Jawa // Javanese Style Fried Rice Vermicelli

I had been craving for bihun goreng jawa since mbak Winda (one of my contacts on multiply) posted the pictures. Bihun or the Javanese call as Mihun is also known as rice vermicelli, rice noodles, or rice sticks.

It just reminded me of buying bihun goreng or bihun kuah from street food hawkers/vendors in Indonesia. In Jakarta and West Java areas, they usually have bihun goreng with pouring peanut sauce over before they eat. However, in East Java areas, they usually have this with biting bird's eye chilies.

As I posted on my multiply in bahasa Indonesia, everybody who lives in abroad, keeps asking me where I got those cute kerupuk tersanjung. Believe me, I didn't get those from any oriental store in Winnipeg, but two of my multiply's contacts who live in Indonesia, sent me a package, including fresh spices such as andaliman, asam gelugur, kencur etc.


Ingredients:
200 g dried rice vermicelli
150 g peeled shrimps, chopped
2 green onions, finely sliced
100 g yuey choi (sawi hijau in Indonesian), cut as desired
100 g sliced cabbage
1 tomato, diced
125 ml homemade shrimp broth (you can substitute for any kind of broth or water)
3 tbsp olive oil
kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce), as desired
2 eggs, beaten

Ground Spices :
3 shallots
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp dried shrmp paste (terasi in Indonesian, belacan in Malay)
1/2 tsp ground corriander seed
3 toasted candlenuts
sambal ulek as desired
salt as desired


Condiments:
Thin omelette
Fried shallots
Onion crackers (kerupuk bawang in Indonesian, I used kerupuk tersanjung, don't ask me why they gave a name kerupuk tersanjung)
Cucumber, shallot, and bird's eye chili pickled (Acar Timun Bawang Cabe)



Directions:
Acar timun bawang cabe:
1. Cut cucumber into julienned, add salt as desired; let stand for couple minutes.
2. After cucumber a bit soften, add shallots and bird eye's chilies. Add sugar and vinegar as desired. Toast until mixed evenly.

Bihun Goreng Jawa
1. Soak dried rice vermiceli with very hot water or as directed on the pacakge. Drain.
2. Make a thin omelette from 2 beaten eggs. Slice an omelette into length strips.
3. Stir fry ground spices until fragrant, add diced tomato, continue to stir fry untill all spices is cooked.
4. Add cabbage and shrimp, stir until shrimp has changed into pink color.
5. Add 125 ml shrimp broth and kecap manis; stir evenly. Add rice vermicelli, yuey choy, and green onion. Stir until all mixed and cooked
6. Transfer into a serving plate, add omelette strips on top and sprinkle fried shallot over. Serve with kerupuk bawang and acar timun bawang cabe. Selamat Makan!!!