bakmi — Indonesia

Bakmi is the Indonesian name for a dish of yellow wheat noodles that trace their name to a Hokkien word meaning yellow noodles, reflecting the Chinese roots of the recipe. Wheat noodles of this kind spread through Southeast Asia together with communities of Chinese origin, and in Indonesia they became a staple sold from carts, warungs and home stoves alike. In Indonesia, bakmi is eaten at almost any hour, from a quick breakfast bowl to a late supper bought from a street vendor. It is reported in cities across the archipelago, where each stall tends to keep its own balance of broth, sauce and toppings, and regulars often return to a single seller for the specific version they prefer. The noodles are boiled briefly and kept slightly firm, then tossed in a hot wok with garlic and shallots fried in oil, kecap manis and a splash of light soy sauce. Chicken or shrimp, sometimes both, are cooked into the mix along with greens such as choy sum, and a beaten egg is folded through to bind the sauce to the strands. The dish is served either dry, tossed and glistening, or with a ladle of hot broth poured over or offered on the side. What sets this version apart from other wheat-noodle dishes found elsewhere in the region is the dependence on kecap manis, the thick sweet soy sauce that gives Indonesian bakmi its dark color and slightly caramelized edge, along with garnishes like crisp fried shallots, pickled green chilies and sometimes small pork or chicken wontons. Other places along the same noodle route lean on clearer broths or different sauces, but in Indonesia the sweet soy base is what a bowl of bakmi is built around.