Noodles in Tomato Gravy

No, it is nothing like spaghetti bolognaise.

Noodles in tomato gravy is a local hawker's fare unique to Sarawak. You will not find it in anywhere in West Malaysia.

For this dish, egg noodles are usually deep fried to a crisp golden perfection, whilst if kueh tiaw or bee hoon are used, they are usually stir-fried. The sweet and sour tomato gravy is thickened with starch before it is poured over the noodles of your choice. There's no secret that a good plate of noodles in tomato gravy comes with fresh ingredients, such pork slices, fish slices, prawns and cuttlefish.

Noodles in tomato gravy is one of the must-eat dishes when I come home. Mom likes to cook it at home, using bee hoon or rice vermicelli. The bee hoon is stir-fried first.

Stir-frying the noodles

Mom stir-fries sweet mustard leaves separately too.

A plate of stir-fried mustard leaves

Then the sauce is cooked separately.

Mom prefers to use a deep pot for the sauce

Besides the usual ingredients like pork slices, fish and cuttlefish, Mom adds fresh crab meat to the gravy, giving this dish an added freshness and sweetness.

Fresh crab meat, painstakingly removed from the shells

At home, we lay out everything on the table - the bee hoon, the vegetables, the meats, and then we assemble our own plate of noodles at meal time.

Put everything in a plate

Pour piping hot tomato gravy generously over the noodles and serve with seasoned cut chillies.

. . . Yum . . .