Who Needs Mie? Easy Dutch Bami Made with Spaghetti

Do you like pasta?

Then you'll probably love this noodle dish too.

And you know what?

I dare to make it with plain old spaghetti instead of mie or egg noodles.

And you know why?

Because a Surinamese friend of mine told me his grandmother made her Surinamese bami (a stir-fried noodle dish) with a pack of the cheapest spaghetti she could find at the supermarket.

And I thought: if she can use regular spaghetti for her Surinamese bami, why should I make things complicated with Asian noodles for my Dutch bami?

Ever since, I've been making my bami with spaghetti too, but the whole-wheat kind. It's just a bit more nutritious.

Just as there are Surinamese versions of bami, there are Dutch versions too.

Bami noodles have their roots in Chinese cuisine, but in Indonesia, bami grew into a dish of its own.

Through the historical ties between the Netherlands and Indonesia, the dish became a household staple in the Netherlands as well, where it evolved into the distinctly Dutch versions.

And this dish is one of them.

Easy Dutch Bami — Serves 2 to 3

Ingredients

• 9 oz (250 g) bami or mie noodles, or regular spaghetti
• 9 oz (250 g) boneless chicken breast, cut into small pieces
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 leek, sliced into half-moons
• 1 carrot, cut into thin strips
• 5–7 oz (150–200 g) white mushrooms, sliced
• 2 eggs
• 2–3 tbsp ketjap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce)
• 1 tbsp regular soy sauce
• 1 tsp sambal (Indonesian chili paste), optional
• 1 tsp ground ginger, or a small piece of fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tbsp oil
• Pepper, and salt to taste

Instructions

1. 1
   Cook the noodles or spaghetti according to the package directions. Handy tip: cook the spaghetti just a minute less than the package says. Drain and set aside. Toss the spaghetti with a splash of oil so it won't stick together in the wok later.
2. 2
   Heat the oil in a large wok or skillet. Cook the chicken until it's cooked through, then remove it from the pan.
3. 3
   Cook the mushrooms over medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes, until they've browned a little and released their moisture.
4. 4
   Add the onion, garlic, and fresh ginger (if using), and cook for about 2 minutes.
5. 5
   Add the leek and carrot and stir-fry for 4–5 minutes. It's fine if they still have a bit of crunch.
6. 6
   Push everything to one side of the pan. Crack the eggs into the empty side and scramble them.
7. 7
   Return the chicken to the pan and add the noodles or spaghetti.
8. 8
   Add the ketjap manis, soy sauce, and the ground ginger and sambal (if using). Toss everything together well and stir-fry for another 2–3 minutes.
9. 9
   Taste and add a little extra ketjap manis, sambal, and/or salt if needed.

Great on the side

Classic Dutch-Indonesian sides include peanut sauce, crispy fried onions, kroepoek (prawn crackers), atjar (Indonesian-style pickled vegetables), and a fried egg.

So what do you think, does this noodle dish sound good to you?

Would you make bami with spaghetti, or would you rather stick with mie?

Photos: Mohammad Fahim

P.S. By the way, did you know I make a mini magazine that comes out every Saturday? It's completely free, and if you'd like, you can take a look at an issue here.