Taiwanese Style Fried Vermicelli 台式炒米粉

Taiwanese style fried vermicell - another favourite of mine! It is absolutely necessary to use the rice vermicelli from Taiwan, specifically, the ones from Hsinchu region (新竹米粉). Hsinchu rice vermicelli has a springy texture and is different from those made in Thailand and Malaysia.

Not sure if you could find Hsinchu rice vermicelli in Singapore or Malaysia. I have found at least 3 brands of such vermicelli in Sydney. I simply love groceries shopping in the Chinatown! The Asian grocers here sell all sorts of Asian products and I like to buy food stuff from Taiwan, HK and Japan.

Here's the recipe:-


Ingredients (Serve 4)
1 packet 260g Hsinchu rice vermicelli (新竹米粉)
200g pork, sliced (retain some pork fats/lard)
1 small carrot, cut to thin stripes
Quarter cabbage, shredded
4 Chinese mushrooms, soaked and retained water, thinly sliced
Handful dried shrimps, soaked and retained water, finely chopped
2 shallot, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
Dash of white pepper
Cooking oil

Method
Soak the rice vermicelli in cold water till soften, around 15-20 minutes. Drain and set aside. Heat oil in wok/pan and sauté shallot, dried shrimps and lard, add rice vermicelli and stir fry till fragrant and slightly browned. Remove and set aside.

Heat some oil and sauté garlic till browned and fragrant. Add pork slices and stir fry with some oyster sauce. Push pork slices aside, stir fry mushrooms and carrots till they are just starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add cabbage and salt, stir fry till vegetables are fully cooked.

Add the rice vermicelli, soaking liquid (from mushrooms and dried shrimps), pepper, light and dark soy sauces. Toss the vermicelli and cook till they have soaked up the liquid and all ingredients well mixed.

Dish and serve.