Mee Goreng (Spicy Fried Noodles with Prawns, Tofu and Fried Egg)

Blend the chilli paste. Blend the drained soaked chillies, shallots, garlic and 2 tbsp of water into a smooth paste. Soaking the dried chillies first softens them enough to blend evenly rather than leaving gritty flecks.

Fry the sambal. Fry the paste in the 3 tbsp of oil in the wok over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until it darkens, smells fragrant and the oil visibly separates at the edges. Cooking the raw paste this long drives off the harsh, sharp taste of raw shallot and garlic, leaving a deep, rounded flavour.

Season the sambal. Stir in the tamarind water, sugar and salt and cook for a further 2 minutes, then scrape the sambal into a bowl. The tamarind adds a tartness that balances the chilli's heat.

Warm the sweet soy. Warm the soy sauce and sugar together in the small saucepan for about 1 minute, just until the sugar dissolves into a glossy syrup. This quick sweet soy mixture is what gives the finished noodles their characteristic dark sheen.

Loosen the noodles. Loosen the fresh egg noodles in a pot of boiling water for 1 minute, then drain and shake off the excess water. This brief dip separates the strands without cooking them further, since they're already fully cooked.

Fry tofu and prawns. Wipe out the wok, heat 1 tbsp of oil over high heat and fry the tofu for 3-4 minutes until golden on the outside, then add the prawns and cook for 1-2 minutes until just opaque, lifting both out once done. Frying the tofu before the prawns go in gives it time to crisp up without the prawns overcooking alongside it.

Fry noodles with sambal. Add the remaining oil and the sambal to the wok, then add the noodles and toss for 2 minutes to coat them evenly. The hot sambal clings to the strands and starts to colour them as it fries.

Add pak choi and sweet soy. Add the pak choi and the warm sweet soy mixture and toss for 2 minutes, letting the noodles sit still for a moment between stirs so they catch and darken slightly in places, adding a splash of water if they start to stick. Those caught, slightly charred spots are where the best flavour develops.

Return tofu and prawns. Add the tomatoes and bean sprouts along with the fried tofu and prawns, and toss for 1 minute until everything is hot and well combined. The tomatoes should just soften without breaking down into the sauce.

Fry the eggs. While the noodles finish, fry the eggs in the frying pan in 1 tbsp of oil until the whites are fully set and crisp and lacy at the edges. A crisp edge gives a textural contrast against the soft noodles underneath.

Serve. Divide the noodles between plates, top each with a fried egg and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over. Eat immediately while the egg yolk is still soft enough to break through the noodles.