Chinese Noodles
Chinese noodles are made from either rice or wheat.
Rice noodles ( fun) are made with rice and water. They are available, from thin rice vermicelli to the thick broad flat noodles. Rice vermicelli (mai fun), also called rice stick, is the thin, dried translucent noodle often used in stir-fry or in noodle soups. It is also an ingredient used in Chinese salad and cold dishes. It has to be softend in water before use. Sometimes, dried rice vermicelli is deep-fried and used as garnish in dishes. The thick broad flat noodle (hor fun) is often sold fresh. Hor fun is used in either noodle soup or stir-fry.
Wheat noodles (mein) are made with wheat flour, water and salt. Sometimes eggs are added. Chinese wheat noodles can be white or yellow (after egg or colouring is added). They are available fresh or dried, thin or thick. The thinner varieties are often used in light noodle soups such as wonton soup, while the thicker ones work well in noodle soups and stir-fries. Wheat noodle made with wheat flour, water, salt and eggs is also known as egg noodles (dan mein). Chinese egg noodles are typically 2 to 3mm wide and pale yellow in color. There are endless delicious soup and stir-fry recipes. Stir-fried Chinese egg noodles is called 'chow mein' where 'chow' means stir-fried and 'mein' is wheat noodles in Chinese. Chinese chefs usually use soft fresh wheat noodle in the preparation of chow mein. If dried noodles are used, they have to be cooked in boiling water, drained and then fried. However they may not have the same crispness as when fresh noodle is used. Most fresh and dried wheat noodles available in the grocery market have been pre-cooked by steaming process. Yee mein is a type of dried wheat noodle that is made by deep-frying in oil.
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