Singapore Rice Noodles

A classic Cantonese style Singapore rice noodle or xing zhou chow mei (星州米粉) is a very popular noodle dish among Chinese restaurants. Also, this Singapore noodles recipe is delicious and takes around 20 minutes! It’s great for party food, lunch or dinner.

Course Main Course, Noodles, Side Dish

Cuisine Asian, Chinese

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Servings

Calories 97kcal

Author Tracy O.

Equipment

1 Non-stick pan

Ingredients

2 pieces Rice vermicelli noodles (Around 7 oz)
¼ head Cabbage (Small, 8 oz)
2 Carrots (Small, 4 oz)
3 sticks Green onion (3 oz)
3 cups Bean sprouts (12 oz)
3 pieces Honey ham (4 oz)
25 pieces Shrimp (Frozen raw small)
3 tablespoons Vegetable oil (1 tablespoon for stir fry noodles, ½ tablespoon for cabbage, ½ tablespoon for carrot, ½ tablespoon for bean sprout and ½ tablespoon for shrimp)
½ teaspoon Curry powder
½ cup Water (¼ cup for stir fry noodles, 2 tablespoons for stir fry cabbage, 2 tablespoons for stir fry carrots)
1 teaspoon Salt (½ teaspoon for stir fry noodles, ⅛ teaspoon for stir fry cabbage, ⅛ teaspoon for stir fry carrots, ⅛ teaspoon for stir fry bean sprout, ⅛ teaspoon for stir fry shrimp) Remember to add salt to your taste!

Instructions

Soak 2 pieces of rice noodles (7 oz) in a bowl for 15 to 30 minutes before cooking.
Wash and cut ¼ head of small-sized cabbage (8 oz) into strips.
Peel off skin and cut 2 small carrots (4 oz) into strips.
Wash and cut 3 sticks of green onion (3 oz) into strips.
Then, cut 3 pieces of honey ham (4 oz) into strips as well.
Pour ½ tablespoon vegetable oil into the pan, and add the cut cabbage from step 2. Then, add 2 tablespoons of water and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Stir-fry the cabbage a little bit. Cover and cook for 1-2 minutes, then stir-fry until tender. Set them aside.
After that, pour ½ tablespoon of vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons of water, and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Stir-fry the carrot a little bit. Cover and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring until tender. Then, set it aside.
Next, pour ½ tablespoon of vegetable oil into the pan. Then, add 3 cups of bean sprouts (12 oz) and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Stir-fry it for 1-2 minutes, until it is slightly soft. Let it sit aside.
The following step, pour ½ tablespoon of vegetable oil into the pan, add 25 pieces of small raw shrimp, ⅛ teaspoon of salt, and stir fry it until it turns color.
Next, add the cut honey ham from step 5, stir fry them a little bit and set it aside.
After, pour 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil into the pan, and add the soaked rice vermicelli noodles from step 1. Add ½ teaspoon of curry powder, ¼ cup of water, and ½ teaspoon of salt (Remember to adjust to taste). Stir-fry the noodles and mix them well with the curry powder.
Lastly, add the cooked cabbage, carrots, shrimp, honey ham, and green onion, and stir-fry them until it is well mixed.

Video

Notes

Tips for Perfect Singapore Rice Noodles:

1. Soak the Rice Noodles Properly

Do not boil the rice vermicelli noodles. Instead, soak them in warm water for about 15-30 minutes until they are just softened. Over-soaking can make the noodles too soft and cause them to break during stir-frying.

2. Use a non-stick pan

Use a non-stick pan to stir-fry so the noodles won’t stick, and you can use less oil.

3. Cook Ingredients in Stages

Stir-fry the ingredients separately before combining them. For example, first stir-fry the vegetables. Then, cook the protein (shrimp, chicken, or pork). After that, cook the noodles and add the seasonings. Combine the cooked vegetables and protein last. This prevents overcrowding the pan and ensures everything cooks evenly.

4. Add Curry Powder Carefully

Curry powder gives Singapore noodles their signature yellow color and aroma. Start with a small amount and adjust to taste so the dish doesn’t become overpowering.

5. Toss the Noodles Gently

Rice vermicelli noodles are delicate. Use chopsticks to gently toss the noodles instead of stirring aggressively, which can break them apart.

6. Don’t Overcrowd the Pan

Use a large wok or skillet so the noodles can stir-fry properly. Overcrowding the pan can cause the noodles to steam instead of fry.

Nutrition