Vegetarian Ipoh Curry Mee

Ipoh Curry Mee is noodle in light, hot and spicy curry gravy which is orange red in colour and served with mint leaves and half fresh lime. It goes with shredded chicken or pork meat, pork skin, prawns, fish cakes/balls, prawns, fried beancurd, and assorted vegetables like long beans. I had a bowl of Vegetarian Ipoh Curry Mee and I tried to re-create the recipe by using unsweetened soy milk to replace coconut milk and reduce the amount of oil used in stir-frying the curry paste and therefore there will not be orange red curry gravy with a little layer of red chilli oil on top. Use Carotino oil to add a tint of red to the curry, if desired.

Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 100g egg plant/brinjal/aubergine , sliced or cut into 5cm lengths
° 75g yard bean/long bean, cut into 5cm lengths
° 75g oyster mushrooms
° 6-8 small beancurd puffs
° 15 curry leaves
° 1 lemongrass, peel off outer layers leaving tender whitish centre, cut out 5cm, bruised
° 2 tablespoons curry powder
° 1 teaspoon chilli powder
° 600ml unsweetened soy milk
° 2 tablespoons carotino oil or vegetable oil
° salt to taste
° sugar (optional), to taste
° 200g hokkien mee, blanched
° 40g beanspouts, tailed and blanched
° few spring mint leaves
° 1 kalamansi lime, halved

Method
1. Mix the curry powder and chilli powder with a tad of water to form curry paste.
2. Heat oil in a wok or frying pan, fry the curry leaves for half a minute. Stir in the curry paste and fry until fragrant.
3. Stir in egg plant, oyster mushrooms, soy milk, lemongrass and bring to a boil. Throw in long beans, beancurd puff and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Season with salt and sugar.
4. To serve, divide beansprouts, hokkien mee, mint leaves between serving bowls. Ladle the curry into individual serving bowls and serve hot with lime.