Rice Vermicelli in Spicy and Sour Gravy (Wet Mee Siam)

Ingredients

• 100g shallots
• 8 garlic cloves
• 30g belacan (shrimp paste)
• 50g fresh chilli paste
• 100g dried chilli paste
• ⅓ chilli paste
• 60g dried shrimps (soaked in hot water for 30 mins, drained and minced)
• 200g bee hoon (rice vermicelli; soaked in hot water until softened and drained)
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1 tsp salt (to taste)
• 3 tbsp oil
• ⅔ chilli paste
• 400g prawn heads and shell
• 1 tbsp sugar (to taste)
• 2 tsp salt (to taste)
• 2L chicken stock
• 3 tbsp assam paste (fish paste; mix with 3 tbsp hot water)
• 4 tbsp taucheo (salted fermented soy beans)
• 12 medium-sized prawns
• 1 deep-fried tau gua (firm tofu; small cubes)
• 4 chives stalks (3cm length slices)
• 4 hard-boiled eggs
• Calamansi limes (optional)
• Red chillies (for garnish; optional)
• Parsley (for garnish; optional)