This article is about a noodle dish with a gravy flavoured with curry spices. For a soupy kind of a spicy noodle dish specifically made in Aceh, see mie aceh.
Curry mee is a spicy noodle soup associated particularly with Malaysian Chinese cuisine. It is commonly prepared with yellow noodles or rice vermicelli in a spiced coconut-milk broth and may contain ingredients such as tofu puffs, cockles, cuttlefish, prawns, chicken and pork products.
The term overlaps with curry laksa in parts of Malaysia, and curry mee is also known as curry laksa in some Malaysian usage. Coconut-based laksa dishes are likewise found in Singapore, although their names, ingredients and preparation vary by region.
Chinese-style preparations often include pork products, such as fried lard croutons and cubes of pig blood curd. Curry mee prepared for Muslim customers excludes pork products in compliance of halal dietary laws.
Variants
Two common forms are found in the northern Malaysian state of Penang: a bright orange chicken-curry version and a pale, thin coconut-broth version known as white curry mee. Its capital city of George Town is famous for its curry mee, which is considered a staple favourite among local residents. A notable stall in the Ayer Itam area, which was operated by a pair of sisters for over 70 years, is renowned for its version of the dish and its founders have become local cultural icons.
Some versions of the dish are prepared with gravy which is drier and thicker in consistency. The city of Ipoh in Perak state is known for its dry curry noodles, which are often topped with pieces of cooked chicken, char siu or roast pork.
Curry mee is also available as a flavour for commercial instant noodles. Unusual variants which trended on social media involve boiling Maggi brand instant curry mee together with Milo powder or serving it with KitKat chocolate bars.
