Rice vermicelli

Rice vermicelli

Strands of rice vermicelli
Alternative names	Rice noodles, rice sticks
Type	Rice noodles
Place of origin	East Asia
Region or state	East Asia,Indian subcontinent,andSoutheast Asia
Main ingredients	Rice
Variations	Guìlín mǐfěn
Media: Rice vermicelli

Rice vermicelli
Chinese name
Chinese	Mễ phấn
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin mífěn Wu Shanghainese Romanization mi3 fen1 Hakka Romanization mi fun Yue: Cantonese Jyutping mai3 fen2 Southern Min HokkienPOJ bí-hún Tâi-lô bí-hún Eastern Min FuzhouBUC mī-hūng Pu-Xian Min HinghwaBUC bî-heông
Burmese name
Burmese	ဆန်ကြာဆံ
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese alphabet	bún
Chữ Nôm	𡅊
Thai name
Thai	เส้นหมี่
RTGS	sen mee
Japanese name
Kana	ビーフン
Transcriptions Romanization bīfun
Malay name
Malay	bihun
Indonesian name
Indonesian	bihun
Filipino name
Tagalog	bihon
Tamil name
Tamil	சேவை (sevai)
Lao name
Lao	ເຂົ້າປຸ້ນ (Khao poon)
Khmer name
Khmer	នំបញ្ចុក (num bănhchŏk)

Rice vermicelliis a thin form ofnoodle.It is sometimes referred to as "rice noodles" or "rice sticks", but should not be confused withcellophane noodles,a different Asian type of vermicelli made frommung beanstarch orrice starchrather than rice grains themselves.

Presentation and varieties

Rice vermicelli is a part of severalAsian cuisines,where it is often eaten as part of asoupdish,stir-fry,orsalad. One particularly well-known, slightly thicker variety, calledGuìlín mǐfěn( quế lâm mễ phấn ), comes from the southern Chinese city ofGuilin,where it is a breakfast staple.

Names

Rice vermicelli is widely known in Asia bycognatesofHokkienMễ phấn (bí-hún,lit. 'rice vermicelli'). These includebīfun(Japan),bí-húnormifen(Taiwan),bíjonorbihon(Philippines),bee hoon(Singapore),bihunormee hoon(MalaysiaandIndonesia), andmee hoon(Southern Thailand). Other names includenum banh chok(Cambodia),hsan-kya-zan(Myanmar), andbún(Vietnam).

Naming in Taiwan

Beginning July 1, 2014, Food and Drug Administration ofTaiwanrules have been in effect that only products made of 100% rice can be labeled and sold as "Mễ phấn" (bihun, mifen) in Taiwan, usually translated as "rice vermicelli" or "rice noodle". If the product contains starch or other kinds of grain powder as ingredients but is made of at least 50% rice, it is to be labelled as "Điều hòa mễ phấn", meaning "blended rice vermicelli".Products made of less than 50% rice cannot be labelled as rice vermicelli.

Naming in Philippines

Despite colloquially referred to asrice noodlesin the Philippines, nearly all retail "bihon" in the country is made of potato starch instead of rice.

Notable dishes

East Asia

Mainland China

Guilinrice noodles

• YunnanandGuangxicuisine—famous dishes includingcrossing-the-bridge noodles,mixian,Guilin noodle, andluosifen(snail noodle). Rice noodle is also a main staple of ethnicTai,Miao,andZhuangcuisine.
• Cantonese noodles—a large number of Cantonese dishes use this ingredient (called mễ phấnmaifunor "rice" in Cantonese). Usually, the noodles aresimmeredinbrothwith other ingredients, such asfish balls,beef balls,orfish slices.
• FujianandTeochew cuisine,rice vermicelli is a commonly used noodle and is served either in soup, stir-fried and dressed with a sauce, or even "dry" (without soup) with added ingredients and condiments.

As the termMễ phấn(mifen) literally only means "rice noodles" in Chinese, there is considerable variation among rice noodles granted this name. InHubeiand historically in much ofHunan,mifenrefers to thick, flat rice noodles made using a wet mix, similar toshahe fen.InChangde,the term refer to thick, round noodles that has supplanted the othermifenin Hunan.These aremifenin China, but not rice vermicelli noodles.

Hong Kong

Singapore fried rice noodles

• Singapore-style noodles( tinh châu sao mễ,Xīng zhōu cháo mǐ)—a dish of fried rice vermicelli common inHong KongCantonese-style eateries,inspired by the spicy cuisines of Southeast Asia.This dish is made from rice vermicelli,char siu,egg,shrimpandcurry.

Taiwan

• Taiwanese fried rice vermicelli is the dry, stir-fried local style (particularly known in theHsinchuregion). Its main ingredients include sliced pork, dried shrimp, and carrots.
• AHsinchuspecialty from Taiwan is to serve rice vermicelli 'dry' ( càngan,not in a soup) with mushroom and ground pork.

South Asia

Indian Subcontinent

• Sevaiis a south Indian dish prepared in houses during festive occasions. It is made in different flavours such as lemon, tamarind and coconut milk.
• Sawaeyaais a dish made from semolina vermicelli cooked in milk sugar and dry nuts. It is eaten onDiwali,Eid,and other festive occasions in northern parts of India and Pakistan.
• शेवया (inMarathi) orshevayaare served to the groom and bride a day before their wedding calledhalad(हळद) in some parts of Maharashtra.
• Paayasamis a South Indian sweet dish made from vermicelli,sago,sugar, spices and nuts and milk.
• Idiyappamis a staple South Indian breakfast dish. It is typical ofTamil Nadu,Keralaand other southern Indian states, as well asSri Lanka,where it is known asstring hopper.

Southeast Asia

Cambodia

Num banh chok

• Cha mee soris astir-fryglass noodledish common inCambodia.This dish is commonly made duringPchum Ben.It is taken to the temple and given to the ancestors along with other Cambodian dishes. This dish is sold on the streets of Cambodia and can be eaten any time during the year, mostly enjoyed at parties.Cha mee soris made with vermicelli noodles and ground pork and sautéed with different Asian sauces. Green onions can be used as garnish at the end.

• Neormis a Cambodian cold noodle salad, cabbage and vermicelli noodles being the main ingredients, usually served cold with chicken, pork, or shrimp. A variety of vegetables and mints are added and it is mixed with a homemade sweetened fish sauce, topped with crushed peanuts. This dish can be served and eaten any time of the year. It can also be made vegetarian.

• Num banhchokis one of the most popular Khmer dishes, normally served in family gatherings or parties. The typicalnum banhchokis served withsamlor proher,a greenish soup made of fish andkroeung.Fresh vegetables such as chopped cucumbers or bean sprouts can be added as preferred.Num banhchokstalls are usually found in the fresh market and street vendors.

Indonesia

Bihun goreng

Soto mie bogorstyle noodle and rice vermicelli, cabbage, tomato, (cartilage and tendons ofcow's trotters) andtripes,risolesspring rolls, served in broth soup, added sweet soy sauce, sprinkled with fried shallots andsambalchilli

• Bihun goreng,inChinese Indonesian cuisine,isstir-friedrice vermicelli with sweet soy sauce
• Bihun kari,rice vermicelli mixed with curry
• Bihun rebusorbihun kuah,also Chinese Indonesian cuisine rice vermicelli soup
• Lumpiaandrisoles,several types ofspring rolls(gorengan,fritters) with rice vermicelli and vegetable filling
• Bihun bakso,meatballs served with rice vermicelli soup
• Soto(traditional Indonesian soup), various types of which often include rice vermicelli, as insoto ayam
• Sup oyong(Chinese okra), vegetable soup with rice vermicelli
• Tekwan,asurimitype fish ball soup related topempekfromSouth Sumatra,also includes rice vermicelli, mushroom,jicamaandsedap malam flower

Malaysia

Bihun sup

Singaporean-styleHokkien mee

Laksa Sarawakis the de facto state dish ofSarawak

In Malaysia, rice vermicelli may be found asmihun,mi hoon,mee hoon,bihun,orbee hoon.

There are various types ofbihunsoup, from pork noodles, chicken meat, fish balls and the list goes on, basically alternatives to different noodles that you prefer.

• Ak thui bihun rengis a duck noodle herbal soup
• Bihun karimixed with curry, added withmung beansprout, fried tofu and red chilliessambal
• Bihun sotois in a yellow spicy chicken broth, served with chicken and potato cutlet
• Bihun supis a Malay-style dish, mixed with spiced beef broth or chicken broth; sometimes it comes withsambal kicap(poundedbird's eye chillimixed with darksoy sauce) as a condiment
• Bihun tom yamis mixed withtom yam
• Char bihunis a Chinese version of fried noodle
• Hokkien meethroughout Malaysia varies considerably due to regional differences
• Laksa Sarawakis mixed with a base ofsambalbelacan,sourtamarind,garlic,galangal,lemon grass and coconut milk, topped with omelette strips, chicken strips, prawns, fresh coriander and optionally lime; ingredients such as bean sprouts, (sliced) fried tofu or seafood are not traditional but are sometimes added
• Mee siamis a dry stir-fried style dish in Malaysia

Myanmar

Mohingawith fritters

Rakhinemont difish soup with garnish

• Mohinga—rice vermicelli served with curry gravy and fish, an essential part of Burmese cuisine, considered by many to be the national dish of Myanmar
• Mont di—fish soup; there are a number of dishes, the Rakhine version from the Arakanese in western Myanmar is the most popular
• Kyar san kyaw—rice vermicelli fried with vegetables; chicken, pork, and seafood are possible additions

Philippines

Filipinopancit bihonserved withcalamansi

Filipinopancit palabok

• Pancit bihon(orpancit bihon guisado) is a general term for rice vermicelli dishes with a mixture of stir-fried shrimp, meat (usually pork or chicken) and various vegetables cooked in anadobo-style sauce with garlic, black pepper, soy sauce,patis(fish sauce), and other spices to taste. Usually topped with hard-boiled eggs and served withcalamansias a condiment.It is also a common filling for theempanadasof theTausūg peopleknown aspastil.
• Pancit choca(orpancit choca en su tinta) is a black seafood noodle dish made with squid ink and rice vermicelli fromCavite.
• Pancit palabokis a rice vermicelli dish with shrimp sauce, topped with shrimp, pork, crushedchicharon,tinapa(smoked fish) flakes, hard-boiled eggs, scallions, and toasted garlic. Served withcalamansi.
• Pancit miki at bihon guisadois a combination ofpancit bihonandpancit miki(egg noodles).
• Pancit canton at bihon guisadois a combination ofpancit bihonandpancit canton(wheat noodles).

Singapore

• Kerabu bee hoonis aNyonya-style rice vermicelli dish, mixed with herbs and other seasonings.
• Hokkien mee,commonly inSingapore,consists of rice vermicelli mixed with yellow noodles and fried with shrimp, slicedcuttlefishand pork bits.Hokkien meethroughout Malaysia varies considerably due to regional differences.
• Satay bee hoonis rice vermicelli served with spicy peanutsataysauce, common in Singapore.
• Seafoodbee hoonis rice vermicelli cooked with sauce and served in tasty seafood broth and seafood such as lobster, crayfish, clams, scallops and prawns.

Vietnam

Vietnamesebún thịt nướngchả giò

A dish ofbánh hỏiinHo Chi Minh City

A bowl ofbún riêuand a dish of vegetables

A bowl ofbún bò(at Bún Bò Huế An Nam restaurant)

• Bánh hỏi—a Vietnamese dish consisting of rice vermicelli woven into intricate bundles and often topped with chopped scallions or garlic chives sauteed in oil, served with a complementary meat dish.
• Bún riêu—rice vermicelli in soup with crab meat. It has a fresh sour flavor, so Vietnamese like to enjoy it in summer. There are many restaurants in Vietnam that sell this dish.
• Bún bò Huế—rice vermicelli in soup with beef fromHuế.
• Bún chả—a dish from Hanoi consisting of grilled fatty pork and over a plate of white rice vermicelli and herbs with a side dish of dipping sauce
• Bún thịt nướng—aVietnamesedish consisting of grilled pork (often shredded) and vermicelli noodles over a bed of greens (salad and sliced cucumber), herbs and bean sprouts. Also, it often includes a few chopped spring rolls, spring onions, and shrimp. It is commonly served with roasted peanuts on top and a small bowl ofnước mắm pha(fish sauce with garlic, chilli, sugar, lime juice, water or coconut juice).
• Gỏi cuốn—rice vermicelli withpork,shrimpandherbsin a rice paper roll. It is served withnước chấm.

See also

• Chinese noodles
• Khao poon
• Laksa
• List of noodles
• List of noodle dishes
• Pancit
• Sevai
• Shahe fen
• Khanom chin

External links

• Rice noodles
• Vermicelli vs Rice Noodle