Fried Vermicelli With Pumpkin 南瓜炒米粉

Fried Vermicelli With Pumpkin 南瓜炒米粉

Recipe source :  Adapted from Madame' Huang's Kitchen

Accordingly to Carolyn Phillips, this fried vermicelli with pumpkin is a Taiwanese Fall favourite. I was surprised that the pumpkin strips shown in the picture of her blog did not turn mushy after stir-frying. I wanted to test out whether the pumpkin strips will remain whole in my fried vermicelli! Well, the trick was not to overcook the pumpkin strips. 

The other thing I noticed was that Carolyn used lots of wine in her fried vermicelli. I love wine in cooking! So this recipe was definitely a "must-try"!

The result ? Well, the taste was equivalent to our local version of the Hokkien bee-hoon, albeit  with lots of pumpkin, meat and mushrooms and it was very nicely flavoured with wine!

Yummy! Try it for yourself!

Ingredients

300g pumpkin, cut into thin strips
20g dried scallops, soaked and shredded
5 black mushrooms, soaked and cut into thin slices
300g dried vermicelli, soaked until soft, then drain and set aside
2 green onions, cut into sections and separate the whites from greens
200g lean pork, cut into slices
5 tbsp cooking oil

Pumpkin

Dried mushrooms

Dried scallops

Pork

Vermicelli or bee-hoon

Marinade for pork

1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp tapioca flour
1 tsp Chinese cooking wine

Pork with marinade ingredients

Sliced mushrooms, shredded dried scallops and pumpkin strips

Seasonings

2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp dark soya sauce
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
200ml water
a dash of pepper

Method

1.  Marinate the sliced pork with the marinade ingredients and set aside for about 15 minutes.
2.. Heat wok until very hot and add 2 tbsp cooking oil. Saute the white parts of the spring onion.
3. Add in the marinated pork and stir-fry until the pork pieces turned whitish. Remove and set aside. 
4.  In the same wok, add in remaining cooking oil and stir-fry mushrooms, pumpkin and dried scallops.
5. Add in seasonings and water and allow to simmer for about 3 minutes. Then add in the fried pork slices and continue to simmer for further 2 minutes.
6. Add in vermicelli and using a pair of chopsticks,  mix the vermicelli to ensure it is evenly coated with gravy.
7. Continue stirring until almost dry. Switch off flame and dish-up. 
8. Garnish with spring onion. 

 

I am linking this post to Little Thumbs Up

The theme for October 2014 is Pumpkin

Hosted by Eileen's Diary

This event is organised by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids 
and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY

I am also linking this post to My Treasured Recipes # 3 - Taste of Autumn (Oct/Nov 2014)

Hosted by Miss B of Everybody Eats Well In Flanders and 

co-hosted by Charmaine of Mimi Bakery House

Singapore Noodle

Singapore Noodle

Recipe source :  here

Malaysian and Singaporean food are virtually the same. So much so that I find it difficult to draw the line between Malaysian and Singaporean recipes. So to be safe I chose a recipe which clearly stated the country of origin, "Singapore noodles". 

This is unlike the usual fare that I come across. This noodle dish has a spicy twist to it as curry powder was used. And this is the first time I used capsicum and snake beans to fry noodles! 

Tastes good!

Ingredients

125ml vegetable oil
100g snakebeans, cut into 3 cm lengths
250g shrimps, remove shells and keep the tails intact
1 red capsicum, thinly sliced
1 onion, sliced
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tbsp curry powder, mixed with 2 tbsp water to form a paste
300g vermicelli or beehoon, soaked until soft and drained 
160g bean sprouts
60ml soy sauce

  

 Red capsicum

 Snakebeans

 Shrimps

Instructions

1.  Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok until hot. Fry snakebeans over high heat for about 5 minutes or until slightly charred. Remove and set aside .
2.  Add shrimps to pan-fry until they curled up and turned pink. Transfer them to the plate of snakebeans.
3.  Add 2 tbsp oil and stir-fry capsicum and onions together for 3 minutes or until tender. Transfer to the plate of snakebeans. 
4.  Reduce heat to medium and pour beaten eggs into wok to create a thin omelette. Remove and cut them into thin slices. Set aside.
5.   Add remaining oil to wok. Then add curry paste and bean sprouts, followed by beehoon. Use a pair of bamboo chopsticks to toss the beehoon. Add soy sauce and mix well. Then add the snakebeans, shrimps and capsicum. Stir-well and mix everything together.
6.  Add sliced omelette on top to garnish.

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest  : Singapore

Hosted by Grace Phua of Life Can Be Simple

Stir-fried Vermicelli With Black Fungus

Stir-fried Vermicelli With Black Fungus

Recipe source : Doris Choo of Sumptuous Flavours

It is believed that black fungus clears blocked arteries. There are many articles expounding the goodness of this fungus which is reported to be able to diffuse cholesterol the natural way. However, such articles usually advised us to boil the fungus for several hours, after which the fungus is discarded and we are to drink the soup only. 

There is another belief that black fungus helps build the cartilage surrounding the joints of bones, like the knee caps. I believe this because it works favourably for me! Each time I consumed black fungus, my aching knees usually felt better! But then, one or two pieces cannot work wonders! You have to eat more and eat them regularly before any effect can be felt. 

With this piece of advice in mind, I was purchasing a bag of black fungus from my regular provision shop when the elderly proprietress  told me that black fungus can be used to fry vermicelli and that it is very crunchy and tasty! She told me to cut them into thin strips and fry them with lots of garlic. She did not give me an exact recipe. Thus I had to use my imagination to try it out this way.

Ingredients

200g vermicelli or beehoon, soaked until soft and drained
150g carrots, cut into thin strips
50g dried black fungus, soaked until soft and cut into thin strips
50g anchovies
5 chilli padi, sliced
1 bulb of garlic, chopped
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp chicken stock granules
1 Chinese rice bowl of water
4 tbsp cooking oil

 

Method

1.  Heat wok and fry the chopped garlic until light brown and fragrant. Remove the garlic crisps.
2.  In the remaining oil, add anchovies, black fungus and carrot. Stir-fry for 2 minutes over high heat.
3.  Add water, salt and chicken stock granules.
4.  When it comes to a boil, add in the soaked vermicelli.
5.  Use a pair of chopsticks to stir the vermicelli and mix well. 
6.  Continue cooking and stirring until the vermicelli nearly dries up.
7.  Switch off flame and dish up.
8.  Spread the garlic crisps on top of the fried vermicelli.

 Without the garlic crisps

Fried vermicelli topped with fried garlic crisps 

Dry-Fried Vermicelli With Inoki Mushroom

Dry-Fried Vermicelli With Inoki Mushroom

Recipe source :  Doris Choo of Sumptuous Flavours

One afternoon, a few days after the CNY, and feeling hungry, I rummaged through my refrigerator for something to cook for lunch. I knew it was about time for me to stock up the fridge as there wasn't much in terms of fresh produce left. Anyway, the vendors at the wet market were still enjoying their Chinese New Year break, and they had yet to resume business! 

I found three packets of inoki mushrooms and a few stalks of spring onions. There wasn't any meat or prawns left at all. Further down the shelves I found some anchovies, scallops and dried shrimps. Well, I think I'll fry some vermicelli with whatever I have in hand. 

I have learnt a new trick from frying soy sauce egg noodles using very little water. And I shall apply that method to fry vermicelli today.

Ingredients

250g vermicelli or beehoon, soaked until soft and drained
3 stalks spring onions
300g inoki mushrooms ( 3 packets )
5 chilli padi
1 tbsp garlic, chopped
4 tbsp cooking oil
50g anchovies, deep-fried and set aside

Sauce Ingredients

1 tbsp dark soya sauce
1 1/2 tbsp light soya sauce
1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
4 tbsp water
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp sesame oil
dash of pepper

Method

1.  Heat oil in wok. Add in chopped garlic and saute until light brown.
2.  Add in inoki mushrooms and chilli padi. Stir-fry over high heat until inoki mushrooms soften.
3.  Add in vermicelli. Use a pair of chopsticks to loosen the vermicelli and add in the sauce ingredients gradually. Use the chopsticks to mix quickly and evenly. 
4. Continue frying and mixing until the vermicelli is dry and almost sticking to the wok.
5.  Dish up. Sprinkle the deep-fried anchovies on top or around the fried vermicelli. 

Stir-fried Vermicelli With Anchovies 米粉炒江鱼仔

Stir-fried Vermicelli With Anchovies 米粉炒江鱼仔

Recipe source :  Doris Choo of Sumptuous Flavours

We had this stir-fried white vermicelli or beehoon for Sunday brunch. Today , being a rest day, we woke up very late. Past the hours for breakfast and too early for lunch. Still bleary eyed, I rummaged through the refrigerator and decided to fry some beehoon for the family. No recipes actually. I just put everything together and the end result was reasonably delectable. In fact, this was better than good!

Hence, I decided to have these simple ingredients documented and share this.

Ingredients

200g vermicelli or beehoon, soaked till soft and drained
350g choy sum, cut into sections of 2cm
50g anchovies (ikan bilis in Malay)
4 red chilli padi (bird's eye chillies)
4 pips garlic, minced
4 tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chicken stock granules
1 rice bowl water

Cut bird's eye chillies

Method

1.  Heat wok.Add cooking oil and heat until hot.
2.. Add minced garlic and anchovies and stir-fry until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
3.  Add choy sum and chillies and continue to fry for another 2 minutes.
4.  Add water, salt and chicken stock granules.
5.  Let it come to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.
6.  Add soaked vermicelli and keep stirring all the time to prevent the vermicelli from sticking to the bottom of the wok.
7.  Fry until dry.
8.  Dish up and serve hot.

Slightly hot. Simple home-cooked fare 

Seafood Vermicelli In Chicken Soup 清汤海鲜米粉

Seafood Vermicelli In Chicken Soup 清汤海鲜米粉

 

Recipe source :  My own

It  has been a long time since SK cooked this soupy bee hoon. If I'm not working, we tend to eat light during lunch because both of us are too lazy to cook. We either eat out or I make do with biscuits or bread to tide over until dinner time.

Today is an exception. My youngest is tired of eating "chap fan" everyday. SK, being the good father he is, cooked  this for a change.

Ingredients

1 litre  chicken stock
200g vermicelli
150g shrimps (shelled & with veins removed)
50g dried scallops ( wash and soak in half a bowl of water for 3 to 4 hours. Retain the water and add to the chicken stock)
100g choy sam
1 tsp salt

To prepare the choy sam

1.  In a pot add 1/2 litre of water. 
2.  Add in 1/2 tsp of lye water (kan sooi in Cantonese).
3.  Bring water to the boil and add in the choy sam and let boil for 2 minutes.
4.  Remove the choy sam and rinse under a running tap and set aside.

 

Choy sam

 

To prepare the vermicelli

1.  Add 1 litre of water to a pot. Bring it to the boil
2.  Add in vermicelli and stir until it turns soft.
3.  Drain off the water and set aside.

 Shelled shrimps

Dried scallops

Method

1.  In a pot, bring 1 litre of chicken stock to the boil
2.  Add in the soaked scallops together with the water used for soaking the scallops.
3.  Add in the shrimps.
4.  Let it boil for 3 minutes. Switch off the flame.
5.  Place the boiled vermicelli in a large bowl.
6.  Scoop up soup from the pot and add into the bowl of vermicelli.
7.  Add choy sam.
8.  Serve hot.
9.  Serves 2 to 3 adults.

Seafood White Vermicelli ( Beehoon ) 海鲜白米粉

  Seafood White Vermicelli ( Beehoon ) 海鲜白米粉

 

 A delightful and tasty change from the usual dark coloured fried beehoon

During the last Mid-Autumn festival SK and I headed to Setapak, Kuala Lumpur to buy Teochew moon cakes at a famous Teochew restaurant. After making our purchases we decided to have lunch there as well. One of the dishes that we ordered was the 'stir-fried white vermicelli with seafood' which I have just replicated. Usually when eating out and if we fancy a certain dish SK and I would be sifting through the food for the ingredients used. On top of that we would use our taste buds to determine the type of sauces and condiments used. SK and I would take notes separately and when we got home we would compare notes and discuss the ingredients used and work out how best to cook it.


Note :  You can read up on my previous blogs on how to make fish paste  and  fried fish cake

Clockwise from top : chili padi, Chinese cabbage, fish cake cut into cubes, sliced shallots

Dried scallops, soaked, shredded and deep-fried

Vermicelli or beehoon which has been soaked in water, then drained dry

Ingredients

250g beehoon ( soaked for 40 minutes, drain and set aside )

2 tbsp lard or cooking oil

1 tbsp minced garlic

50g shallots ( cut into thin slices )

5g chilli padi or bird's eye chili ( smashed )

50g fish cake ( cut into tiny cubes )

50g fish balls ( cut into thin slices )

20g dried scallops or dried shrimps ( wash, pounded and deep-fried until lightly crispy )

50g Chinese cabbage ( cut into thin strips )

15g Chinese celery ( cut into sections )

2 tbsp deep-fried pork fat (optional )

Sauce Ingredients

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp abalone sauce

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Dissolve the sauce ingredients in 1 Chinese rice bowl of water

Instructions

1.  Heat oil in a wok. Saute the minced garlic, shallot and chilli padi until fragrant

2.  Add in the sauce ingredients and bring to the boil

3.  Add in the Chinese cabbage, Chinese celery and let them simmer for 2 minutes.

4.  Add in the soaked vermicelli and turned to high flame

5.  Use a pair of chopsticks to stir the vermicelli until almost dry

6.  Add in the fish cake cubes, fish ball slices and the deep-fried dried scallops and stir until totally dry

7.  Dish up and sprinkle deep-fried pork fat on top.

Fried Vermicelli With Crab 米粉炒螃蟹

Fried Vermicelli With Crab 米粉炒螃蟹

 

  Exceptionally good !

My family and I first tasted this fried vermicelli crab at a seaside restaurant in Kuala Selangor. It was very good but it cost me a bomb. So when we got home, we replicated it. It was so much cheaper and equally good !

Ingredients

2 medium-size crabs ( clean and cut up into four piece, use something hard to crack the pincers)
250g choy sum ( wash and clean )
200g dried vermicelli ( soak in water until soft, drain and set aside )
4 tbsp cooking oil
2 tbsp minced garlic
10g ginger ( sliced thinly )

Sauce Ingredients

 2 tbsp of abalone sauce
 1 tbsp of oyster sauce
 2 tbsp of black soy sauce
 1 tsp salt
 2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp m.s.g

Dissolve the sauce ingredients in 1 Chinese rice bowl of water

Instructions To Boil The Choy Sum

1.  In a pot, add in 1 litre of water and 1/2 tsp of lye water ( kan sui in Cantonese )
2.  Bring it to a boil
3.  Add in the choy sum and let it simmer for 1 minute
4.  Drain, rinse with fresh water and set aside

Cooking Instructions

1.  In a wok, add 4 tbsp of oil and fry the minced garlic and ginger slices until light brown and fragrant
2.  Add in the crabs and use medium fire to fry until nearly cooked
3.  Add in the sauce ingredients and let it boil for 5 minutes. ( Use more water if necessary )
4.  Dish up the crabs only and set them aside. Leave the gravy in the wok
5.  Add in the choy sum and let it simmer for 1 minute. Dish up and set aside.Leave the gravy in the wok.
6.  Add in the vermicelli and use a pair of bamboo chopsticks to stir the vermicelli over medium fire until it is nearly dry and begin sticking to the wok. (Note: test the vermicelli to see if it is soft enough otherwise add a little more water and continue stirring)
7.  Dish up the vermicelli on a big plate. 
8.  Arrange the crabs and choy sum around the vermicelli

  You can replicate it too !

 

Fried Vermicelli With Stewed Pork Slices 扣肉米粉

Fried Vermicelli With Stewed Pork Slices 扣肉米粉

 The Cantonese call this 'Kow Yoke Mai Fun'

A few years back, fried vermicelli with stewed pork slices seemed to be the rage in town. To savour this fried vermicelli in a restaurant is costly and anyway, the restaurant used canned stew pork which can be easily bought from any grocery store. We tried recreating this at home and we successfully replicated it. Our creation at home tasted just as great. Try it out today and see for yourself. 

 

Ingredients

 

200g vermicelli ( bee hoon )

200g choy sum

1 tbsp of minced garlic

2 tbsp of cooking oil

Sauce Ingredients

 

2 tbsp of abalone sauce

1 tbsp of oyster sauce

2 tbsp of dark soya sauce

1 tsp of salt, or to taste

2 tsp of sugar

Mix the above sauce ingredients with 1 Chinese rice bowl of water

Preparatory Instructions :

 

Choy Sum 

 

 1. Trim away the old and yellow leaves of the choy sum.

2.  In a pot, bring 1 1/2 litres of water to boil.

3.  Add in 1/2 tsp of lye water or kan sui in Cantonese

4.  Add in the choy sum and let it blanch for one minute

5.  The boiling water will turn yellow. Drain away the yellow water and rinse the choy sum with fresh water.

6.  Set aside

 

Canned stewed pork slices

 

1.  Open the can, take out half of the stewed pork slices and half of the liquid from the can

2.  Place the slices and liquid into a bowl

3.  Keep the balance for future use

4.  Remove as much of the oil as possible while retaining the brown liquid

Vermicelli ( bee hoon)

 1.  Soak the bee hoon in water for 5 minutes

2.  By now it would have softened

3.. Drain away the water and set the vermicelli aside

Cooking Instructions

 

1.  In a wok, heat 2 tbsp of cooking oil till hot

2.  Add in 1 tbsp of minced garlic and saute until light brown and fragrant

3.  Add in the sauce ingredients and another additional 1/2 Chinese rice bowl of water

4.  Let it boil and add choy sum and stir  for one minute. Dish up and set aside

5.  Add in the vermicelli and use a pair of bamboo chopsticks to stir until the liquid has evaporated and by now some of the vermicelli began sticking to the wok and when the vermicelli looks dry

6.  Add in the stewed pork slices and the brown liquid into the vermicelli and stir for one minute

7.  Dish up the vermicelli and the pork slices put into a big plate

8.  Add in the choy sum

Delicious fried vermicelli (bee hoon) with stewed pork slices

Fried Vermicelli (beehoon)

Fried Vermicelli (beehoon)

  

 A plate of great tasting fried vermicelli or beehoon

SK's fried vermicelli or beehoon is well known within the extended family circle. Whenever there is a small family gathering, this fried beehoon is always the choice by popular demand. The young and the old alike will be asking for this fried vermicelli even though there may be other great dishes on the table. It has become a tradition of sorts to have this fried vermicelli to be synonymous to family gatherings.

Ingredients

 

200g vermicelli (beehoon)

200g choy sum

120g prawns (shelled and with veins removed) 

1 tbsp minced garlic

2 tbsp cooking oil

Sauce Ingredients

 

2 tbsp abalone sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp dark soya sauce

1 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

Dissolve all the above sauce ingredients in one Chinese rice bowl of water

Choy Sum :

1. Clean the choy sum and trim away the old and yellow leaves

2.  In a pot, bring 1 1/2 litres of water to a boil

3. Add 1/2 tsp lye water (kan-sui) into the boiling water

 4. Add in the choy sum and boil for 1 minute.

5. The water will turn yellow. Drain away the yellow water.

6. Use water to rinse the par-boiled choy sum.

7. Drain dry and set the choy sum aside

Vermicelli (beehoon) :

  1. Soak vermicelli in cold water for 5 minutes. By now it would have softened. Drain away the water and set aside.

Prawns : 

1. Remove the shells from the prawns

2. Remove the veins and wash

3. Drain and set aside.

Cooking instructions

1.  In a wok, heat 2 tbsp cooking oil until hot

2.  Add in the minced garlic and saute until light brown and fragrant

3.  Add in the sauce ingredients and another half a bowl of water

4.  Let it boil

5.  Add in the par-boiled choy sum and stir for 1 minute. Dish up the choy sum and set aside

6.  Add the prawns into the boiling sauce and let it cook for 2 minutes

7.  Add in the pre-soaked vermicelli.

8.  Use a pair of long bamboo chopsticks to stir the vermicelli until much of the liquid has evaporated

9.  By now some strands of vermicelli would be sticking to the surface of the wok and the vermicelli looks dry

10. Dish up the vermicelli and prawns onto a large plate

11. Add in the choy sum