Fried Vermicelli | Bee Hoon Putih

How to make Fried Vermicelli Noodles, an easy and versatile rice noodles stir fry that is perfect for all occasions!

Fried Vermicelli, commonly known as Fried Bee Hoon, is a beloved dish in Southeast Asia, especially in Singapore and Malaysia. This version is also known as bee hoon putih in Malay, translated as ‘white bee hoon’. This differentiates it from the dark soy-sauce tinged fried bee hoon. More accurately this would be a vermicelli stir fry, but we just don’t know this by that name here.

This simple yet flavourful dish has captured the hearts and taste buds of many. It’s an all-occasion type of dish – we love this as a casual breakfast, or we can whip up a huge batch and serve it to guests or bring it to potluck parties or family gatherings.

OR we can make a wok-ful of it and serve it as a meal. It may not be fancy, but it’s a definite crowd-pleaser.

Why People Love Fried Vermicelli Bee Hoon

• Quick and Easy: This dish can be prepared in under 30 minutes, making it a perfect go-to option for busy weeknights or when you need to whip up something delicious in a pinch.

• Flavourful Simplicity: Fried Bee Hoon is a testament to the idea that the simplest dishes can often be the most delicious. With just a handful of ingredients, it manages to deliver a burst of flavours in every bite.

• Customisable: Fried Bee Hoon can be EASILY tailored to your liking! The base vermicelli noodles are mild and can take on so many flavours. Add various ingredients like vegetables, proteins, or even seafood. It’s an excellent way to use up leftover ingredients in your kitchen.

Key Ingredients for Fried Bee Hoon

Dried vermicelli rice noodles (bee hoon)

The most important component in Fried Vermicelli Bee Hoon, is of course, the bee hoon noodles!

Bee Hoon, also known as rice vermicelli, is a type of thin rice noodle commonly used in Southeast Asian cuisine. It’s made from rice flour and water, and it’s popular in dishes like stir-fries, soups, and salads.

Bee Hoon is prized for its light and delicate texture, which makes it a versatile ingredient that readily absorbs the flavours of the dishes it’s cooked in.

Can I use any other noodles? You can easily replace the vermicelli with other noodles of choice and end up with a good dish… but is it really fried bee hoon if there are no bee hoon?

Seasoning Sauce for Fried Vermicelli

The seasoning sauce is the second important component in fried bee hoon. I highly recommend using stock as your sauce base. The bee hoon noodles will soak up all of the liquid sauce as it cooks, so every noodle bite is full of flavour!

This is the combination I like to do for my noodle:

• Chicken Stock
• Light soy sauce*
• Oyster Sauce*
• Sugar
• Salt and pepper

If you have no stock at hand, not a problem. You can also just use water.

Adding the soy sauce and oyster sauce will add a small hint of colour to the noodles. If you want to keep the noodle colour at its original white, then omit the soy sauces.

Aromatics

The only two aromatics required for this recipe would be garlic and onion. Slice them however you like, it does not matter.

Proteins

The best thing about this Fried Bee Hoon is that you can use any proteins of choice! I used chicken and shrimp today, along with eggs. You can even skip the proteins!

Vegetables

The typical vegetables used are cabbages and carrots, which gives the noodles a nice pop of colour. With cabbages and carrots, you do need to cook them down first – but feel free to skip if you like your veggies crunchier. I also added baby bok choy, spring onions and red chilli, for colour.

Other vegetables that work well in Fried Bee Hoon would be green leafy vegetables like bok choy, spinach and kale. I also like sliced bell peppers in mine for nice pops of colour.

How to prepare Rice Vermicelli or Bee Hoon for Cooking

The vermicelli is typically sold in a dry form, and requires some prep to soften before cooking.

There are a couple of ways to do this, but this is my preferred method of preparation:

1. Soaking

The first step in preparing Bee Hoon is to soak it in hot water. Here’s how:

• Place the dried Bee Hoon noodles in a heatproof large bowl.

• Pour enough hot water over the Bee Hoon to fully submerge it. Make sure the water is very hot but not boiling. You can use tongs or chopsticks to wiggle through the noodles to gently separate them.

• Let the Bee Hoon soak for about 5-10 minutes or until it becomes soft and pliable. Do not soak it for any longer that this, otherwise the noodles will break easily. The exact soaking time may vary depending on the thickness of the noodles and the brand, so check the package instructions if available.

2. Draining

After the Bee Hoon has softened, drain it thoroughly. You can use a colander or a fine-mesh strainer to remove excess water. You want the Bee Hoon to be moist but not dripping wet.

3. Rinsing (Optional)

Some people choose to rinse the soaked Bee Hoon under cold running water to stop the cooking process and cool the noodles down. This step can also help remove excess starch, preventing the noodles from becoming too sticky. However, rinsing is optional and depends on your preference and the dish you’re preparing.

How to Make Fried Vermicelli

Step 1. Prepare the Ingredients

• Soak the vermicelli until soften, and drain. Set to one side. See above for the steps to preparing vermicelli for cooking.

• While the vermicelli is soaking, prepare the seasoning sauce by combining all of the ingredients together. TIP! Warm the stock so that the ingredients are able to meld easily. I usually like to give it a quick blitz in the microwave.

• You can also prep the other ingredients by chopping the garlic, onion, protein, bean sprouts, and spring onions.

Step 2. Stir-Fry the Aromatics

• Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok or frying pan over medium-high heat.

• Add minced garlic and sliced onions. Sauté until fragrant and the onions turn translucent.

Step 3. Cook the Proteins

• Push the garlic and onions to one side of the wok, making space for your protein.

• Add the chicken and shrimp to the wok and stir fry to cook with the garlic and onions. Cook until they are no longer pink and are cooked through.

• Once the proteins are cooked through, push the wok contents to the side and pour the beaten eggs into the other side of the wok. If needed, add more vegetable oil.

• Scramble the eggs until they are mostly cooked before combining with the cooked proteins.

• Once everything is cooked, remove from the wok. This step is optional, but recommended especially if you’re making a large portion of say, for 4 pax or more, like in this recipe. This will help prevent the proteins from overcooking, and allows for easier tossing of the noodles later on.

Step 4. Cook the Vegetables

• The typical vegetables used in bee hoon are cabbages and carrots. They are best when cooked until it softens, before stir frying with the other wok contents. Add about 2-3 tablespoons of the seasoning sauce to flavour the vegetables.

Step 5. Add Noodles and Season to Perfection

• Once the vegetables are tender, add the drained vermicelli. Pour in the rest of the seasoning sauce. Stir fry to combine for a few minutes. TIP! Use a pair of tongs for easier combining.

• Add leafy greens, spring onions and sliced red chillies, if using, at this stage as well.

Step 6. Return Proteins to Wok

• Once vegetables wilt, add back the proteins and stir fry to combine. The Fried Bee Hoon is ready. Transfer the Fried Bee Hoon to a serving platter.

• Garnish with extra chopped spring onions, red chillies, fried shallots and and you’re ready to enjoy!

How to serve Fried Bee Hoon

You can serve this as is, but typically we would include sides such as fried eggs, fried chicken and otah… anything really!

Processed food such as hotdogs, spam and chicken nuggets are common accompaniments too. Supposedly they’re for the kids, but let’s be real – I will reach out for those first!

Another typical condiment would be pickled green chillies, to add a spicy tang to the dish, or some sambal for a kick of rich heat.

More Recipes Like This

• Singapore Economy Fried Bee Hoon
• Dry Mee Siam Goreng | Malay stir fried vermicelli
• Mee Siam with Gravy
• Pad Woon Sen | Thai Stir Fried Glass Noodles

Fried Vermicelli (Bee Hoon)

Recipe by Sha

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Recipes

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Ingredients

• 200g dried white vermicelli (bee hoon)

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced

• 100g chicken, sliced

• 100g shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• 50g carrots, julienned

• 50g cabbages, sliced

• 50g baby bok choy

• 2-3 stalks spring onions, chopped

• 1 red chilli, sliced (optional)

• Seasoning Sauce

• 1 cup stock

• 2-3 tablespoons light soy sauce

• 1-2 tablespoons oyster sauce (adjust to taste)

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Garnish

• Spring onions, fried shallots, sliced chillies

Directions

• Prep the vermicelli bee hoon noodles, follow instructions on the package. Combine the seasoning sauce in a bowl and set aside.
• In a large pan or wok, add oil. Heat over medium heat.
• Once hot, add onions and garlic and stir fry until fragrant.
• Add chicken slices next, and stir fry for about 2 minutes, until chicken is not pink anymore. Add shrimp next, and stir fry to cook for another 2 minutes, or until the shrimp has turned orange.
• Push the ingredients to one side, and pour in eggs. Scramble eggs to cook, before stir frying with the proteins. Once eggs are set, combine with the rest of the ingredients. Remove everything from the wok.
• In the same wok, add carrots and cabbages. Pour in about a couple tablespoons of the seasoning sauce and stir fry to cook until carrots are tender.
• Once tender, add the vermicelli noodles, and pour in the rest of the seasoning sauce. Stir fry to combine. Use a pair of tongs for easier tossing.
• Next add leafy greens, spring onions and red chillies, if using. Once combined, add back the cooked proteins.
• Once combined, noodles are ready. take off the heat and place on serving platter. Garnish and serve immediately.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @nomadetteats on Instagram