Turmeric Fried Bee Hoon (Rice Vermicelli)

This is a simple stir-fried bee hoon (rice vermicelli) dish. This bee hoon dish is fragrant and light in taste and is visually appealing due to its yellow colour. You can also add fresh prawns for additional flavour.

Note:

Tbsp = tablespoon.

Tsp = teaspoon.

Chopped = chopped or cut into ½ cm pieces.

Soya Sauce = ordinary all purpose or light soy sauce. Do not use dark soy sauce.

Ingredients prepared on hand = Get ready all the ingredients near your stove before frying.

Sauce = Added after the bee hoon is slightly charred, to prevent the bee hoon and eggs from sticking to the wok.

Tau Pok = Fried bean curd Puffs (豆卜).

Tau cheo = Tao cheo is fermented soya bean paste. It is a key ingredient used in Peranakan and Chinese cuisines in Malaysia. They are available in either in whole soya beans or minced soya beans.

Thai lime leaves = Added near the end to prevent the leaves from darkening.

INGREDIENTS:

Main:

2 to 3 tbsp oil.

1 tbsp sesame oil.

300 g lean pork shoulder or belly cut into bite sized pieces, or minced pork.

4 eggs.

250 g dry bee hoon (rice vermicelli)

200 g green chai sim (Chinese flowering cabbage) or Chinese kale or other green leafy vegetables.

100 to 200 g bean curd puffs (tau pok), cut into 3 cm by 2 cm pieces.

200 g fish cake, cut into 3 cm by 2cm pieces.

¼ tbsp white pepper powder.

Marinate:

½ tsp Salt.

½ tbsp White Pepper powder.

2 tbsp Soya sauce.

 

Aromatics:

5 to 6 shallots chopped.

5 to 6 cloves garlic chopped.

3 cm by 2 cm piece of fresh ginger, chopped.

3 sticks lemongrass, cut into 2 cm lengths. Use the white sections only.

2 Green or red chillies, sliced into 4 pieces with seeds removed. This is optional.

8 Thai lime leaves, halved with the centre rib removed.

 

Sauce:

½ tsp turmeric powder.

1 to 2 tbsp tau cheo.

1 tbsp soya sauce.

1 tbsp palm sugar.

¼ to ½ cup warm water.

 

 METHOD:

Preparing the bee hoon, vegetables, aromatics, and sauce:

1. Soak the bee hoon in water for 10 to 15 minutes or until they are soft. Drain the bee hoon and set aside before cooking.
2. For the green leafy vegetables, separate the leaves from the stems. Slice the leaves into 5 cm pieces and cut the stems into 2 cm lengths.
3. Cut lemongrass in ½ cm pieces.
4. Slice lime leaves into small pieces.
5. Prepare the sauce by mixing turmeric powder, tau cheo, soya sauce, palm sugar with warm water and set aside.

Preparing the eggs, fish cake and pork.

1. Thinly slice the pork shoulder or belly. Marinate with sesame oil, salt, pepper, and soya sauce and set aside for 15 minutes.
2. Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk. Heat up 1 tsp oil and scramble the eggs until cooked and chop them into small pieces and set aside.
3. Heat up ½ tbsp oil and sauté the fish cake pieces until they are brown. Remove and set aside.
4. Heat up 1 tsbp oil in a pan and sauté the shallots until fragrant.
5. Add the marinated pork and fry until fully cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Stir frying.

1. Heat up oil in the pan and fry the ginger, garlic, and lemongrass until fragrant.
2. After that, add the bee hoon, eggs and vegetable stems and fry for about 2 to 3 minutes until heated through and evenly cooked. Add the sauce a little at a time to mix it thoroughly mixed with the bee hoon to give it a consistent colour. Gently stir and break up any clumps.
3. Add the pork, fish cake, tau pok, vegetable leaves and chillies (optional) and mix well with the bee hoon for 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Finally, toss in and mix the lime leaves with the bee hoon and stir and mix for another minute.
5. Taste and add salt or soya sauce if required. Switch off the flame and serve hot.

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 30 mins

Cuisine inspiration: Malaysian Chinese/Peranakan.

Serves: 4