Mie Goreng

Comprised of skinny wheat or egg noodles stir-fried with garlic, shallots, vegetables, eggs, and meat or seafood, mie goreng is one of Indonesia’s most well-known dishes. The sweet, salty noodles are widely eaten across the Indonesian archipelago, with variations aplenty based on region and individual preference. Across the country, you’ll find renditions like mie goreng sapi (stir-fried noodles with beef) and kwetiau goreng jawa (Javanese stir-fried noodles prepared with rice noodles). In northern Indonesia, there’s mie goreng Aceh, a dish of thicker noodles with a spicy, curry-like flavor that’s named for the province it comes from. Mie goreng is also eaten in other parts of Southeast Asia, like Singapore and Malaysia. 

It’s likely that mie goreng was inspired by fried noodles like chow mein that Chinese immigrants brought over during the 18th century, when many emigrated to Indonesia for opportunities in the mining industry. Though chow mein is typically made with light and dark soy sauces, Indonesian mie goreng calls for kecap manis, a thick, sweet soy sauce essential to many Indonesian dishes.  

The ingredients in mie goreng can vary. If you order mie goreng at a warung (roadside food stall), you may get a simple dish of noodles, eggs, and nothing else. Typically, vegetables like carrots and cabbage are used. However, depending on the cook’s personal preference and market availability, you may find versions with bean sprouts, mustard greens, or spinach. Because Indonesia is a mostly Muslim country, mie goreng doesn’t usually contain pork. The most popular protein choices are chicken and shrimp, but my family enjoys fish- or beef-balls too. The noodles are always served with fried shallots and crunchy shrimp crackers, which may just be my favorite part. 

Since I live in the U.S. and can’t just pop into a warung to get my mie goreng fix, I make it at home. Taking inspiration from mie goreng Jawa (Javanese fried noodles), I season my noodles with bumbu dasar putih (a basic white spice paste that’s used as a foundation in many Indonesian dishes), kecap manis, and soy sauce. As for the other ingredients, it all depends on what I find at the market or have in my kitchen.

Although I can’t achieve proper “wok hei” (a Cantonese term used to describe the smoky, charred finish of a stir-fried dish) at home, I do follow a few guidelines to avoid a wok full of steamed, soggy noodles: I cook smaller portions at a time to avoid overcrowding the pan, and monitor the heat rigorously, adjusting the burner as needed so there is a constant sizzle. The result? Fragrant stir-fried noodles with tender vegetables that remind me of the mie goreng I used to enjoy at roadside stalls in Indonesia. Served with fried shallots, sambal oelek, and crisp shrimp crackers, mie goreng is a satisfying taste of home.