Hairy Gourd Vermicelli and Dried Shrimps

Name: Hairy Gourd Vermicelli and Dried Shrimps
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 Hairy Gourd ((Medium sized)); 2 Vermicelli noodles ((Mung bean noodles)); 1/2 cup Dried shrimp; 3/8 teaspoon Salt ((Remember add to your taste)); 3 cloves Garlic; 1 teaspoon Vegetable oil; 2 cups Water/ soaked dried shrimp water

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Hairy gourd vermicelli & dried shrimp (節瓜粉絲蝦米) is a classic and traditional homey Cantonese dish that you won’t normally see at Chinese restaurants. It’s kind of like tomato egg stir fry, garlic chives eggs, and steamed pork patty dishes. In this Chinese hairy gourd vermicelli recipe, it has step by step photos and a video to show you how to make this fuzzy melon vermicelli & dried shrimp at home.

Love Chinese food? Check out these bitter melon & beef, steamed pork spare ribs, steamed fish, steamed shrimp with vermicelli, chili garlic shrimp, crab stir fry and Chinese bacon cabbage stir fry recipes.

hairy gourd vermicelli and dried shrimp on a white plate top view

What is hairy gourd vermicelli & dried shrimps (節瓜粉絲蝦米)?

Hairy gourd vermicelli & dried shrimp is a classic and homey Cantonese dish. Most of the Cantonese families like this dish because it is low cost and the ingredients are simple and easy to find at Asian grocery stores. Besides, it can serve as a main or a side dish.

This is a stir fry dish with hairy gourd/ fuzzy melon, vermicelli noodles (mung bean noodles) and dried shrimp. Also, it is a dish that you don't normally see at Chinese restaurants such as tomato egg stir fry, garlic chives eggs, and steamed pork patty.

I remembered my mom made this dish when we were young and it is one of my favorite dishes. In addition, different families have their own way to make this fuzzy melon dish. My mom likes to use the water from the soaked dried shrimps which can bring out the umami taste. Therefore, in this fuzzy melon vermicelli recipe, I like to use the soaked dried shrimp water to cook it.

What is a hairy gourd?

In cantonese, we call it zit gua (節瓜) and it literally translated as seasonal squash because in China, they are usually eaten in the summer. However, In mandarin, people call it mao gua (毛瓜) and it literally translate as hairy squash. It is because they are covered by fine or tiny hairs. In English, people name it hairy gourd, fuzzy melon or fuzzy squash. Zit gau (節瓜) is one of the popular Chinese vegetables and it is commonly cultivate in Guangdong, China.

Fuzzy melons have a green peel, need to remove the skin and usually cook them before consuming it. When you cut the zit gua, you will see the flesh is white. Also, it is often used to make soup like fuzzy melon pork & salted egg soup or stir fry dishes like this one.

What are the ingredients for hairy gourd vermicelli?

The ingredients for the Chinese hairy gourd vermicelli recipe is fuzzy melon, vermicelli ( mung bean noodles), dried shrimp, water, vegetable oil, garlic and salt.

Cooking tips for how to make hairy gourd vermicelli & dried shrimp:

Peel off skin of fuzzy squash, use a knife to scrape off the skin. Try not to use a peeler.
Be careful when you try to peel off the skin because the tiny hairs may be poking at your hands.
Wash and soak vermicelli noodles and dried shrimps for 15-30 minutes before cooking.
Do not discard the soaked dried shrimp water and use it to cook this dish because it can bring out the umami taste.
Cook the squash until it’s soft, around 15 minutes. My mom likes to cook the zit gau very soft.

FAQs:

How do you pick a hairy melon?

Try to look for the skin with deep green and pick those with tiny, fine hair on the skin.

How to store fuzzy melon?

The best is to wrap it with a newspaper and put it in the refrigerator. It can last up to a week.

How should I prepare the dried shrimp?

Wash and soak the dried shrimp in the water for 15-30 minutes before cooking, so they can release more flavor. Also, remember don’t discard the soaked dried shrimp water. Use it as a broth or cook this fuzzy melon vermicelli recipe.

Is hairy melon bitter?

No, it should not be bitter because it is not like bitter melon. Most of them have mild, subtly sweet flavors. It’s great to use for soup and stir fry dishes.

Instructions for how to make Chinese hair gourd vermicelli:

soaking dried shrimps into the white bowl top view

1. Rinse and soak ½ cup of dried shrimps in a bowl. Pour 3 cups of water into the bowl and let it soak for 15-30 minutes before cooking. (Don't discard the soaked dried shrimp water, we will use it later.)

soaking vermicelli mung bean noodles in a silver bowl top view

2. Meanwhile, pour 4 cups of water into a mixing bowl and soak 2 pieces of vermicelli noodles for 15-30 minutes before cooking.

3. Next, mince 3 cloves of garlic.

using a knife to scrape off the skin on hairy gourd

4. Then, use a knife to scrape off the skin of a medium sized hairy gourd. (Try not to use a peeler.)

5. After that, rinse and wash the squash.

6. Cut the fuzzy melon into slices (Around ⅛ inch thick.)

cut fuzzy melon or hairy gourd into stripes

7. The following, cut them into strips. (Around ¼ inch wide.)

8. Pour 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil into the pan and add the minced garlic from step 3. Turn on the fire to medium small stir fry the garlic a little bit.

9. Next, add the cut fuzzy melon/ hairy gourd into the pan. Stir fry them a little bit.

dried shrimp add with hairy gourd in the pan

10. After, add the soaked dried shrimp from step 1. Pour 2 cups of the soaked dried shrimp water into the pan.

soaked vermicelli mung bean noodles add into the pan

11. Add the soaked vermicelli noodles (mung bean noodles) from step 2. Mix them a little bit.

cover lid and cooking hairy gourd vermicelli and dried shrimp

12. Cover the lid and let it cook with the small fire for 10-15 minutes.

stir frying fuzzy melon vermicelli and dried shrimp in the pan

13. Uncover the lid and keep stir frying it until the squash is soft.

hairy gourd or fuzzy melon vermicelli and dried shrimp dish

Enjoy this simple and classic homemade Chinese hairy gourd vermicelli and dried shrimp recipes! Also, check out these taro bun, Korean japchae glass noodles, broccoli beef and orange chicken recipes.