Tom Yam Fried Bee Hoon (Tom Yam Fried Rice Vermicelli) 东炎炒米粉

Ingredients

• 400 g (1 packet)rice vermicelli
• 3 tbspoil
• 5 clovesgarlic, chopped
• 5shallots, chopped
• 1 tbsptauco (brown bean paste)
• 2 tbsptom yam paste
• 3 tbspdried shrimp
• 100 gchicken fillet, marinated in some soy sauce
• 1 piecefish cake
• 1firm beancurd
• 100 gbean sprouts
• 100 gchives
• 1 smallcarrot
• 5kaffir lime leaves
• 2 stickslemongrass
• 1bunga kantan (torch ginger flower)
• 480 ml (2 cups)hot water
• 5calamansi limes (optional)
• 1 tspsalt
• 1 tspsugar
• 1 tspchicken stock granules

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the noodles

   Soak the rice vermicelli for about 30 minutes, or until soft, then drain well.

2. 2

   Prepare the vegetables

   Rinse and drain the bean sprouts and chives, then cut the chives into sections.

3. 3

   Slice the chicken

   Thinly slice the chicken fillet.

4. 4

   Slice the fish cake

   Cut the fish cake into thin slices.

5. 5

   Cut the carrot

   Cut the carrot into thin strips.

6. 6

   Prepare the beancurd

   Deep-fry the beancurd, then slice it thinly.

7. 7

   Shred the aromatics

   Shred the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and bunga kantan into thin pieces.

8. 8

   Chop the shrimp

   Coarsely chop the dried shrimp and set it aside.

9. 9

   Chop garlic and shallots

   Chop the garlic and shallots.

10. 10

    Fry the aromatics

    Heat the oil in a wok and fry the garlic and shallots until fragrant.

11. 11

    Cook chicken and fish cake

    Add the chicken and fish cake and stir-fry.

12. 12

    Add fresh herbs

    Add the sliced lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and bunga kantan. Fry until just cooked.

13. 13

    Set aside mixture

    Remove the chicken, fish cake and herb mixture from the wok and set it aside.

14. 14

    Fry dried shrimp

    Reheat the wok over medium heat, add some more oil and stir-fry the chopped dried shrimp until golden brown.

15. 15

    Cook the pastes

    Add the tauco and tom yam paste. Stir-fry until aromatic, taking care not to let them burn.

16. 16

    Boil the sauce

    Quickly add enough hot water to the paste mixture and bring it to a boil. Add the sugar, salt and chicken stock granules to taste.

17. 17

    Mix in noodles

    Add the vermicelli and use long chopsticks to loosen it and mix it thoroughly into the sauce.

18. 18

    Cook sprouts and carrot

    Push the vermicelli to one side of the wok and add the bean sprouts and carrot. Scoop the noodles over them and cook for 1 minute, then toss everything together.

19. 19

    Add the chives

    Push the noodles to one side again and add the chives. Cover them with noodles for about 1 minute, then toss to combine.

20. 20

    Return chicken mixture

    Add the fried chicken and fish cake mixture back to the wok and stir everything together.

21. 21

    Finish and season

    Toss in the sliced beancurd. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

22. 22

    Garnish and serve

    Garnish with fried crispy onions and calamansi, then serve.

What is tom yam fried bee hoon?

Bee hoon, also called mee hoon, is thin rice vermicelli used in many Southeast Asian noodle dishes. This version brings in tom yam paste and aromatic herbs for a Thai-inspired sweet, savoury and sourish flavour.

The method builds flavour in stages: the chicken and herbs are fried first, while the paste and dried shrimp form the base for the noodles. Vegetables, fish cake and beancurd round it out with colour and varied textures.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 430 calories, 18g protein, 67g carbs, 13g fat.

Most of the carbohydrates come from the rice vermicelli, while the cooking oil and fried beancurd contribute much of the fat. Chicken, dried shrimp, fish cake and beancurd provide the protein, with pastes, stock granules and seasoning adding sodium. Serve with extra fresh vegetables or a simple vegetable side to balance the plate.

Choose and prepare the noodles

Soaking time: leave the vermicelli in water for about 30 minutes, or until it is soft, then drain it well. If it is still firm, give it more soaking time before it goes into the wok.

Drain well: excess water can thin the sauce and make it harder for the noodles to take on the seasoning. Long chopsticks help separate the strands as you toss them.

Build the aromatic base

Tom yam and tauco: frying the pastes with the chopped dried shrimp releases their aroma before the hot water is added. Keep stirring so the pastes do not catch or burn.

Fresh herbs: lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and bunga kantan are briefly fried with the chicken and fish cake. This keeps their fragrance in the dish without leaving them to cook through the entire noodle stir-fry.

Keep the vegetables lively

Bean sprouts and carrot: add these after the noodles have been coated in sauce, and cook them for 1 minute beneath the noodles before tossing. That short cook helps them stay distinct from the softer vermicelli.

Chives: add them last among the vegetables and cover them with the noodles for about 1 minute. They need only a brief cook before being mixed through.

Get the seasoning right

Saltiness: tauco, tom yam paste, chicken stock granules and the soy sauce used to marinate the chicken all contribute seasoning. Taste after mixing in the noodles before adding more salt.

Balance: the sugar is added with the salt and stock granules, while calamansi is served as an optional garnish. A squeeze at the table brings a fresh citrus note.

Serve it as a complete meal

The noodles already include chicken, fish cake, beancurd and vegetables, so they can be served straight from the wok. Crispy fried onions add a crunchy finish, and calamansi is a good option for those who want extra citrus.

For a fuller spread, offer a simple side of fresh vegetables or a light soup. Serve promptly so the noodles and bean sprouts do not lose their texture.

Recipe notes & tips

• Drain the soaked vermicelli thoroughly before adding it to the wok.
• Have the sliced ingredients ready before you start stir-frying, as the cooking stages follow one another quickly.
• Stir the tom yam paste and tauco continuously so they do not burn.
• Use long chopsticks to loosen the noodles and coat them evenly in the sauce.
• Taste the noodles before adding extra salt, since several ingredients are already seasoned.
• Add the calamansi at the table for a fresh citrus finish.

Variations

• More vegetables: increase the bean sprouts or chives while keeping the same cooking order.
• Extra citrus: serve with additional calamansi for a brighter, sharper finish.
• No chicken: leave out the chicken and retain the fish cake and beancurd.
• More heat: add extra tom yam paste to taste, taking care to stir it well into the sauce.
• Crispy topping: finish with fried crispy onions as suggested for serving.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Wet noodles: drain the vermicelli well so excess soaking water does not dilute the sauce.
• Burnt paste: keep the tom yam paste and tauco moving in the wok and add the hot water promptly.
• Clumped vermicelli: loosen the strands with long chopsticks as they are mixed into the sauce.
• Overcooked vegetables: follow the brief cooking times for the bean sprouts, carrot and chives.
• Over-seasoning: taste before adding more salt because the pastes and stock granules are already savoury.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and use within 2 days. Reheat in a wok or frying pan until piping hot, adding a small splash of water if the noodles seem dry.

Frequently asked questions