Mi goreng is traditionally made with yellow wheat noodles, stir-fried with chopped shallots, onion, and garlic with soy sauce seasoning, egg, vegetables, chicken, meat, or seafood. However, other versions might use dried instant noodles instead of fresh yellow wheat noodles. A common practice in Indonesia is the inclusion of powdered instant noodle seasonings, along with eggs and vegetables. Authentic mi goreng uses fresh ingredients and spices; however, bottled instant spice paste might be used for practical reasons.[7]
The almost identical recipe is often used to create other dishes. For example, bihun goreng is made by replacing yellow wheat noodles with bihun (rice vermicelli), while kwetiau goreng uses kwetiau (thick flat rice noodles) instead.
Variations
Mi goreng Aceh.
Some mi goreng variants exist. In Indonesia, mi goreng variants are usually named after the ingredients, while some might be named after the region of origin.
Mi goreng ayam or common mi goreng uses chicken with shallots, garlic, leek, sweet soy sauce, egg, and vegetables typically added as well.
Mi goreng ayam penyet mi goreng topped with ayam penyet smashed fried chicken with sambal.
Mi goreng sapi, is similar to common traditional mie goreng, but uses beef instead.
Mi goreng seafood uses seafood which includes a mixture of fish, squid, and shrimp.
Mi goreng Aceh a mi goreng variant from Aceh province, uses a thicker noodle similar to that of spaghetti and employs a curry-like rich spicy paste.[9]
Mi goreng Jawa from Central Java, employs sweet soy sauce, egg, chicken, and vegetables. In a restaurant, warung, or travelling food vendor, it is usually sold and offered together with mi rebus (lit. "boiled noodle") or mi Jawa.[10]
Mi goreng tek-tek refers to mi goreng sold by travelling street hawkers that hit the wok making "tek-tek" sounds to announce their wares. It is common in Jakarta and some large cities in Java, where street food hawkers commonly sell it together with nasi goreng (fried rice) and mi rebus from their food carts.
Mi goreng dhog-dhog also known as Mi goreng Surabaya from Surabaya city. Refer to travelling food cart vendor selling mi goreng Surabaya that uses a large wooden slit drum instead to announce his presence in the neighbourhood, thus creating "dhog-dhog" sounds.[11]
Indomie Mi goreng the instant version of mi goreng, Indomie Mi goreng is also popular in Indonesia and other countries, notably the Netherlands, Nigeria, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and several Middle Eastern countries.[12] This instant version, however, is not technically goreng (stir-fried), but boiled instead and seasoned after discarding the water used for boiling. Nevertheless, it tries to closely resemble the authentic mi gothe reng by adding sweet soy sauce and crispy fried shallot. It is commonly found in warung Indomie stalls that sell instant noodles, grilled sandwiches, and hot drinks in Indonesian urban areas.
Indonesians tend to name similar foreign dishes as mi goreng, for example in Indonesia, chow mein is often called mi goreng Cina and yakisoba is called mi goreng Jepang.
Gallery
Basic mi goreng tek-tek sold by travelling street vendor
Mi goreng with chicken and shrimp in Jakarta
Mi goreng udang with shrimp
Mi goreng Jawa, Javanese style seasoned with kecap
Mi goreng Aceh
Mi goreng Bali
Mi goreng served as part of hotel breakfast buffet
Mi goreng and nasi goreng combo, a hotel breakfast buffet
