Mie Rebus — Comforting Indonesian Noodle Soup

Method

Prepare Ingredients

1

Peel and dice potato into 2cm cubes. Slice carrot into rounds. Cut tomato into wedges. Set vegetables aside.

2

Cut tofu into 1cm cubes. Pat dry and set aside for poaching in broth.

3

Slice chicken breast into bite-sized pieces and season lightly with salt.

4

Slice chicken breast into bite-sized pieces and season lightly with salt.

5

Hard boil eggs: place eggs in cold water, bring to boil, cook 8 minutes, transfer to ice bath, peel and halve.

6

Slice scallion into thin rounds and roughly chop cilantro for garnish.

7

Make spice paste: pound or blend garlic, shallot, ginger, cayenne, turmeric, and white pepper into a smooth paste.

Build the Broth

8

Heat coconut oil in a large wok over medium heat until melted and shimmering.

9

Add spice paste to the wok and fry for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and paste darkens slightly.

10

Pour in chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil, scraping up any paste from the bottom of the wok.

11

Add soy sauce and salt, stir to combine, and simmer for 10 minutes to let flavors meld.

Cook Proteins and Vegetables

12

Add diced potato and carrot to the simmering broth. Cook for 8 minutes until just tender.

13

Push vegetables aside and add sliced chicken breast to the broth. Poach for 5-6 minutes until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F/74°C throughout.

14

Gently add tofu cubes and tomato wedges. Simmer for another 3 minutes until tofu is heated through and tomato softens.

Cook Noodles and Assemble

15

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook spaghetti according to package directions until al dente, about 7-8 minutes. Drain well.

16

Divide cooked spaghetti among four deep bowls.

17

Ladle hot broth with chicken, vegetables, and tofu over the noodles, filling bowls generously.

18

Top each bowl with 2 halved hard-boiled eggs.

Finish and Serve

19

Drizzle sesame oil over each bowl for aroma.

20

Squeeze fresh lime juice over the soup and scatter chopped cilantro and sliced scallion on top.

21

Serve immediately with extra lime wedges and soy sauce on the side for guests to adjust seasoning.

A

Nutri-Score

Excellent balance

A–E · lower is better · score -3

Calories

819

per serving

High in protein · 51gLow sugar · 12g

Protein

51g

Carbs

104g

Fat

23g

Sat. fat

11g

Fiber

10g

Sugar

12g

Sodium

779mg

High Sodium CautionHigh ProteinBalanced Meal

Nutri-Score is a general nutritional-balance guide, not medical or dietary advice.

C

Environmental impact

Moderate impact

A–E · lower is better · includes estimates

kg CO₂e

1.5

per serving

CCarbonAEU all-round· carbon sets the grade

Water

0.7m³

Land

64Pt

Runoff

0.2g P

Chicken Breast drives 48% of this recipe’s estimated footprint.

Carbon from Poore & Nemecek 2018; water, land & runoff from Agribalyse — modelled averages for comparing recipes, not a measurement of your groceries.

Flavor Profile

8

Umami

4

Sweet

6

Salty

2

Sour

1

Bitter

5

Spicy

Textures

SilkyTenderChewySmooth

Aromas

HerbalEarthyNuttyPungentSmoky

Kitchen Equipment

Primary Tool

Wok

WokLarge PotIce BathChef Knife Cutting Board Mortar And Pestle Spatula Slotted SpoonMixing BowlsTongs

Counter FootprintMedium

Techniques

Spice Paste MakingStir Frying Simmering Poaching BoilingHard Boiling

Safety & Storage

Cooking Temperature

Poach chicken breast for 5-6 minutes in simmering broth to reach safe internal temperature of 165°F/74°C. Hard boil eggs for full 8 minutes. Ensure tofu and vegetables are heated through before serving.

Cross Contamination

Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw chicken and other ingredients. Wash hands thoroughly after handling raw poultry. Avoid contact between raw proteins and ready-to-eat items like herbs and garnishes.

Storage

Refrigerate leftover soup within 2 hours at 40°F/4°C or below. Store noodles separately from broth to prevent mushiness. Consume within 3-4 days. Reheat broth to 165°F/74°C before serving.

High Risk Population

Soup contains undercooked risk for eggs if cooking time is insufficient. Immunocompromised individuals, pregnant women, young children, and elderly should ensure eggs are cooked to firm yolk and chicken reaches safe temperature.

Allergen Warning

This dish contains multiple major allergens: wheat/gluten from spaghetti, eggs, soy from tofu and soy sauce, and sesame from finishing oil. Cross-contact with other allergens including peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish may occur if equipment is shared.

Handling

Handle eggs carefully during ice bath transfer after boiling to prevent burns. Use caution when working with hot wok containing coconut oil at frying temperatures. Prevent splattering when adding spice paste to hot oil.

Equipment Safety

When blending spice paste, ensure blender lid is secure. When boiling eggs, use appropriate pot size to prevent overflow. Handle wok with care on stovetop as contents are heavy when filled.

Pro Tips

Technique

Never skip the step of frying your bumbu paste in coconut oil — this is where the magic happens, when the heat wakes up every aromatic compound in the garlic, shallot, and ginger. Keep stirring for those full 2-3 minutes until you see the color deepen and the fragrance fill your kitchen.
When poaching your chicken in the broth, do not boil — keep it at a gentle simmer so the pieces stay tender and absorb flavor rather than toughening up from agitation.

Flavor Boost

Add a teaspoon of terasi (shrimp paste) to your bumbu for that authentic umami depth that makes mie rebus taste like it came from a warungs in Yogyakarta. My grandmother would not approve if you skipped this!

Substitution

If you cannot find kecap manis, mix 2 tablespoons of regular soy sauce with 1 tablespoon of brown sugar — it will not be quite the same, but it will keep you close enough to the spirit of this dish.

From the chef

Mie rebus earns its warmth from a bumbu built with turmeric and ginger ground until fragrant, then fried in coconut oil until it blooms into the broth. Tender chicken, soft tofu, and vegetables cook in that spiced liquid until everything is saturated with it. The sesame oil finish adds depth at the last moment, and the lime you squeeze over your bowl at the table is non-negotiable — that acidity is what makes all the flavors land. This is the Indonesian noodle soup that rewards patience in the paste and generosity at the garnish stage. Do not hold back on either.

Dewi PratamaThe Sambal Whisperer

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