A lower-calorie way to make Lor mee
Lor mee with lightly thickened mushroom gravy and lean pork
Thick noodles, lean pork, egg, mushrooms and cabbage sit in a glossy vinegar-garlic gravy for about 490 kcal per bowl.
Lor mee gravy should pour in a ribbon and coat the noodles, not stand like paste. Dried mushrooms and a small pork bone build a dark savoury stock, while cornflour is added gradually. Beaten egg threads enter after the slurry has cooked, and black vinegar, garlic and chilli are adjusted in each bowl so their aromas stay fresh.
What changes—and what stays
From with fatty braised pork, fried fish cake and heavily starched gravy often 650–900 kcal to 490 calories
Use lean pork and mushroom stock, thicken only to a pourable coat and replace fried toppings with cabbage, tofu and egg ribbons. Shiitake, five-spice, dark soy and pork stock form the braise; black vinegar, raw garlic and chilli brighten the heavy-looking gravy at the table.
| Part | Conventional | Lighter | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core method | More added fat or a heavier proportion | Use lean pork and mushroom stock, thicken only to a pourable coat and replace fried toppings with cabbage, tofu and egg ribbons | Shiitake, five-spice, dark soy and pork stock form the braise; black vinegar, raw garlic and chilli brighten the heavy-looking gravy at the table. |
How the flavor stays
Shiitake, five-spice, dark soy and pork stock form the braise; black vinegar, raw garlic and chilli brighten the heavy-looking gravy at the table.
A cost rule that survives inflation
Dried mushrooms, eggs, cabbage and tofu give the gravy and bowls volume, allowing a modest lean-pork portion to serve six.
Ingredients for 6
Measure first; timing is part of how this recipe uses less fat.
- 600 gfresh thick yellow noodles
- 550 gtrimmed pork loin
- 400 gfirm tofu
- 800 gChinese cabbage
- 250 gshiitake mushrooms
- 6eggs
- 45 gcornflour
- 45 mlreduced-salt soy sauce
- 45 mlblack vinegar
- 30 ggarlic and chilli
Method
Each step includes heat, a visible cue, and a recovery.
Step 1 · follow the visible cue
Build mushroom pork stock
Simmer mushroom soaking liquor with blanched lean pork, cabbage stems and five-spice until the pork is tender, then slice it.
Look for: The stock is deep brown and savoury but not greasy, and pork slices are moist without visible fat seams.
Step 2 · follow the visible cue
Cook noodles and toppings separately
Blanch noodles until springy, rinse off excess surface starch, and prepare tofu, cabbage leaves and halved boiled eggs in equal portions.
Look for: Noodles separate when lifted, cabbage stays pale green and toppings are ready without fried or oily surfaces.
Step 3 · follow the visible cue
Thicken to a flowing ribbon
Bring strained stock to a simmer and whisk in cornflour slurry gradually, stopping as soon as the gravy coats a ladle but still pours.
Look for: The gravy falls in a continuous ribbon and levels in the pot, with no rubbery lumps or spoon-standing thickness.
Step 4 · follow the visible cue
Temper egg and season bowls
Stream beaten egg into moving gravy, pause until ribbons set, then ladle over noodles and finish each bowl with vinegar, garlic and chilli.
Look for: Fine egg ribbons float through smooth gravy and the sharp garnishes remain distinct rather than boiled dull.
Calories at the same serving size
221 kcal · 31% lower estimated
The estimate uses the listed ingredients divided into 6 servings. Brand labels, trimming, and the amount left in the pan can change the result.
Keep the leftovers in the same spirit
Refrigerate gravy and noodles separately for two days. Thin gravy with stock while reheating and add vinegar and raw garlic only after it is hot.
Refrigerate gravy and noodles separately for two days. Thin gravy with stock while reheating and add vinegar and raw garlic only after it is hot.
Frequently asked questions
Why did the gravy become gluey?
Too much slurry was added at once. Add it gradually and stop before the gravy reaches its final thickness because it firms as it cools.
Why are there scrambled egg lumps?
The gravy was not moving. Pour a thin stream into a gentle circular current and wait a few seconds before stirring.
- fresh thick yellow noodles600 g
- trimmed pork loin550 g
- firm tofu400 g
- Chinese cabbage800 g
CaloNote · mobile analysis example
Check the Lor mee serving you actually made
Photograph the finished plate in CaloNote, review the detected ingredients and portion, and correct the estimate before saving.
This uses the real CaloNote meal-detail layout with this recipe’s photo and estimated nutrition. Actual AI results vary with the photo and portion.
Analyze my meal in CaloNoteMethod and sources
Recipe development and nutrition review: CaloNote Editorial
This editorial recipe uses ingredient-level nutrition estimates and reviewed cooking principles. It is not represented as physically test-cooked, and nutrition is approximate.
- Singapore Health Promotion Board — Energy and nutrient composition
- HealthHub Singapore — My Healthy Plate
Published and last reviewed: August 25, 2026
Make another familiar dinner lighter
Otah: a lighter Singaporean recipe with a clear doneness check
Singaporean Otah for eight: pound a coarse fish paste, wrap shallow portions in banana leaf, and grill until aromatic and set. The measured formula uses white fish, prawns, light coconut milk, egg, and chilli; the reliable finish is the parcel is firm but moist with visible fish flakes and no free oil. About 420 kcal per portion.
See the recipe
Chicken satay: a lighter Singaporean recipe with a clear doneness check
Singaporean Chicken satay for eight: marinate equal chicken pieces, grill on spaced skewers, and thin measured peanut sauce with lime. The measured formula uses skinless chicken thigh, peanut butter, cucumber, red onion, and lemongrass; the reliable finish is the chicken reaches 74 °C with charred edges and remains juicy. About 420 kcal per portion.
See the recipe