This Chinese stir-fry rice vermicelli noodles, aka fried bee hoon, is a great easy meal to make ! Also happens to be vegan and is ready under 30 mins.
When in doubt, stir-fries are your best friend ! Especially this rice vermicelli stir-fry. It requires simple everyday ingredients ( that you probably already have on hand ) yet is a really filling and satisfying to have.
These stick-thin noodles are cooked in a savory dark stir-fry sauce, which is similar to the one I used in my tofu mushroom broccoli stir-fry. Oh, and this recipe happens to be vegan and can be made gluten-free, too !
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🍜What are rice vermicelli noodles
In case you have not yet heard about this incredible noodle yet, rice vermicelli noodles are basically the thinner version of the common rice noodles. They are also known as rice sticks, while in Asian they are often known as bee hoon, mi hoon, or 米粉 ( mifen ) in Chinese.
As the name suggested, they are made from rice flour and water. Sometimes, starches ( like tapioca starch and corn starch ) is also added to improve the texture of these noodles. You can also use brown rice vermicelli, which is basically the same thing but brown rice flour is used in place of rice flour.
Do bear in mind that they are different from cellophane noodles, which are made from mung beans starch or potato starch. They are quite similar looking, but cellophane noodles will be appear to be more transparent when compared to rice vermicelli.
🥕What you will need
🍄Notes / substitutions
- Any suitable veggies can be used in place of the ones this recipe calls for. Some veggies that will work well are red cabbage, bell peppers, mushroom and snap peas.
- To make this soy-free, you can skip the tofu.
- To make this gluten-free, use gluten-free soy sauce. Alternatively, you can use tamari instead.
- Make this oil-free by using ¼ cup of water / broth to stir-fry, and omit the sesame oil in the sauce. As for the tofu, you can bake them at 180c / 350f for 20-25 minutes, or until golden.
- Both normal rice vermicelli or the brown rice variation can be used.
- You can also substitute the noodles with other kinds of dried noodles. ( Wheat noodles, ramen, thread / cellophane noodles.
🔪How to make
Soak your noodles in hot water for 5-10 minutes, or until they have soften and are tender. Then, rinse them under cold water and set aside.
In the meantime, make your stir-fry sauce by combining everything needed.
In a zip top bag, place in the tofu and cornstarch together with ½ salt. Toss the bag until the tofu cubes are well coated.
Heat up 1 tablespoon of oil in a non stick wok / pan on medium high heat. Add in the tofu and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until they are browned at the bottom. Using a flexible spatula, flip each cubes around and do the same on each sides until the tofu is golden on most sides. Set them aside.
In the same wok, heat up another ½ tablespoon of oil and place the shallots in. Saute for 2-3 minutes until they are translucent, before stirring in the garlic. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until garlic is fragrant.
Next, add in the cabbage and carrot. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until they are tender, stirring frequently.
Then, stir in the noodles and bean sprout along with the stir-fry sauce. Stir-fry for another 4-5 minutes, or until everything is thoroughly warmed and noodles are cook. You might want to add a splash of water if the mixture is getting too dry.
Toss in the tofu and garnish it with chopped green onions before serving. Enjoy !
🍽How to serve
This fried bee hoon is pretty filling on its own. But if you plan to have a Chinese food feast, here are a few recipes that goes well with this dish.
❔Commonly asked questions
If you are using rice vermicelli, let them sit in hot water instead of boiling them. As they are really thin, they will soften really easily. You might risk overcooking the vermicelli if you choose to boil them.
However, if you are using other dried noodles like wheat noodles or ramen, you will want to boil them in water until they are cooked, or according to package instructions, before adding them to stir-fries.
Here are a few tips that I find helpful -
First of all, make sure that you do not oversoak / overcook your noodles when prepping them for stir-fries. Mushy noodles will turn into a giant, clumpy mess when added in.
You will also want to rinse the softened noodles with cold water after cooking or soaking, especially if you are not using them immediately. This will rinse off excess starch, which is the main culprit for sticky noodles. Remember to drain them well afterwards.
Lastly, when adding the cooked noodles to the wok, stir them non stop. ( aka stir-fry them ). I would recommend using a pair of chopsticks to really help separate the noodles hence preventing them from clumping together, but you could also use a spatula.
As rice vermicelli are typically made using rice flour and water, they are naturally gluten-free.
Yes, this fried bee hoon can be frozen for up to 2 months. The tofu texture will change slightly to be chewier, but it will still taste as good as fresh ones.
To do so, let the noodles cool down, before portioning it out. They are ready to be frozen !
To reheat, let it thaw in the fridge overnight, or on countertop for a few hours. Heat them up in a pan, adding a splash of water if needed. Alternatively, heat it up in the microwave oven.
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📖 Recipe
Stir-fry Vermicelli Noodles ( Fried Bee Hoon )
Ingredients
For the stir fry
- 7 ounces dried rice vermicelli noodles
- 2 shallots thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium carrot julienned
- 2 leaves cabbage thinly sliced
- 1 handful bean sprout
For the stir-fry sauce
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce ( use gluten-free if needed )
- 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine ( or dry sherry / rice vinegar )
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce ( optional, but recommended )
For the tofu
- 1 14 oz block extra firm tofu drained, pressed then cubed ( see notes )
- 1 ½ tablespoon corn starch
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
- Soak your noodles in hot water for 5-10 minutes, or until they have softened and are tender. Then, rinse them under cold water and set aside.
- In the meantime, make your stir-fry sauce by combining all ingredients needed. Mix well.
- In a zip top bag, place in the tofu and cornstarch together with ½ salt. Toss the bag until the tofu cubes are well coated.
- Heat up 1 tablespoon of oil in a non stick wok / pan on medium high heat. Add in the tofu and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until they are browned at the bottom. Using a flexible spatula, flip each cubes around and do the same on each sides until the tofu is golden on most sides. Set them aside.
- In the same wok, heat up another ½ tablespoon of oil and place the shallots in. Saute for 2-3 minutes until they are translucent, before stirring in the garlic. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until garlic is fragrant.
- Next, add in the cabbage and carrot. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until they are tender, stirring frequently.
- Then, stir in the noodles and bean sprout along with the stir-fry sauce. Stir-fry for another 4-5 minutes, or until everything is thoroughly warmed and noodles are cook. You might want to add a splash of water if the mixture is getting too dry.
- Toss in the tofu and garnish it with chopped green onions before serving. Enjoy !
Notes
To do so, let the noodles cool down, before portioning it out. They are ready to be frozen !
-To reheat, let it thaw in the fridge overnight, or on countertop for a few hours. Heat them up in a pan, adding a splash of water if needed. Alternatively, heat it up in the microwave oven.
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