BAMI GORENG -- WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE FOR BREAKFAST

One of the dishes that migrated to Holland with the exiles from the Indies was a plate of semi-thin wheat noodles fried with garlic, scallion or shallot, plus sweet soy sauce, fried egg, minced or chopped meat, and a hot paste on the side. It's a popular throw-together, often eaten alongside some very strange allegedly Chinese dishes at late night eateries, or as a quick lunch.
But really, fried starch, egg, meat, hotsauce? That's breakfast!


炒肉麵
[Hokkien pronunciation: "char bak mi"]


It's a close relative of chow mein (炒麵), which is all-American. As with all fried noodle dishes, there has been recipe-shift. The Indonesian and Dutch versions always have egg as well as meat, always use sweet soy sauce (ketjap manis), and always have the option of chili paste (sambal). Chopped vegetables are added as well; either Chinese cabbage of some kind, or celery. Even Savooie Kool (Brassica oleracea var. sabauda).

Fancier versions include prawns, which is exceptionally good.
Chunked or shredded chicken also can.
Even slices of charsiu.
Or bockwurst.

Sweet soy sauce (ketjap manis) accords well with a Javanese preference, as many people there like a touch of sweetness in all their savoury and spicy foods. And it goes well with the wheat noodles.

Sambal is an essential adjunct.



The typical American breakfast of dubious fried pork products, greasy fried potato shreds, plus one or two rubbery eggs, and a bowl of crunchy sugared cereal, should be chucked out the window at least once a week, and some tasty fried noodles would be an excellent alternative.

Your stomach will thank you.



NOTE: In addition to a cruse of sweet soy sauce and condiment pot of sambal, the typical modern Dutchman probably also expects salt, pepper and a bottle of Maggi on the table. Which is just weird.

A fried egg? Come on, that's breakfast!




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