Stir-Fried Vermicelli (蝦米炒粉絲)

This easy and delicious stir-fried vermicelli is an essential Lunar New Year dish!

flodesk gif
Prep Time
15 min
Total Time
10 min
Yields
4 servings
YouTube Tutorial

A Recipe by Daddy Lau

My dad's been cooking Chinese food for over 50 years - as a kid fending for himself in Guangzhou, as the head chef of his own restaurant, and as a loving father in our home.

Hopefully, by learning this recipe, you'll get to experience some of the delicious joy we felt growing up eating his food!

- Randy

Every family's Lunar New Year feast is a bit different. For some, meaty Cantonese classics such as Siu Yuk and White Cut Chicken are a must. For others, the holiday wouldn't be complete without plenty of seafood, like Lobster Yee Mein and Abalone with Lettuce. Filled with symbolism, noodles are another essential and one of my family's favorite preparations is this Stir-Fried Vermicelli (蝦米炒粉絲).

The star ingredient is mung bean vermicelli. My dad has used the noodles in Egg Rolls, Steamed Garlic Shrimp and other dishes and it's an ingredient we recommend having on hand all the time. Two other Chinese pantry staples (dried shrimp and dried shiitake mushrooms) make an appearance to add flavor and texture.

While stir-fried vermicelli is known as a Chinese New Year dish, the crowd-pleaser is great for everyday dinners, too. With my dad's tips, this vermicelli is easy enough to make anytime you're craving a comforting Chinese meal!

Check out a quick story summary of our recipe!

Ingredients

Weight: US
oz
g
Volume: US
cup
mL
Servings
4

Main Ingredients

  • 5 oz mung bean vermicelli
  • 2 oz dried shrimp
  • 2 oz dried shiitake mushroom
  • 0.50 large carrot
  • 4 oz napa cabbage (

    about 4 leaves

    )
  • 3 stalk celery
  • 2 oz red onion
  • 2 oz green onion
  • 3 clove garlic
  • 1 tablespoon corn oil

Sauce Ingredients

  • 0.50 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

On vermicelli

Mung bean vermicelli is an ingredient that we've used a lot because it's a pantry staple in Chinese cooking. It's especially popular during Lunar New Year because the strands symbolize longevity and prosperity in the coming year.

My dad prefers one that's fully made from mung bean and recommends the brand 龍口 (LungKow, or literally Dragon's Mouth). He's used them regularly for years and find that they're less likely to stick or break easily. They're available at Chinese supermarkets and also online.

Step 1: Soak ingredients

Place the mung bean vermicelli (5 oz) in a bowl and soak in warm water for a few minutes.

Rinse the dried shrimp (2 oz) in a small bowl with warm water. Drain and soak in more water for 3 minutes.

Wash the dried shiitake mushrooms (2 oz) in cold water, then soak in warm water.

Peel the carrot (0.50 large).

Cut off 4 leaves from the napa cabbage (4 oz), cutting the leaf at the base to preserve the rest of the cabbage. Rinse and soak the leaves in water in a large bowl. Place the celery (3 stalk) in the same bowl to soak.

Step 2: Cut ingredients

Peel pieces of the red onion (2 oz) off the root. My dad prefers to do this rather than cutting the pieces off so he can save the rest of the onion for other uses. Next, cut the onion along the grain into thin slices.

Slice the green onion (2 oz) into 2-inch pieces.

Cut a thin slice off one side of the carrot. This creates a level base for slicing. Slice the remaining carrot into thin planks. Stack them together and julienne into thin, match-like strips.

Use the flat side of your knife to smash the cloves of garlic (3 clove). Trim off the hard end, then mince the cloves.

Cut the stalks of celery into quarters, then slice into strips going along the grain.

Slice the napa cabbage into three sections, then cut into thin strips.

Drain the dried shiitake mushrooms, using your hands to squeeze out any excess water. Slice into thin strips.

Remove the shrimp from the bowl, squeezing out any excess water. Reserve the soaking liquid for later use.

Use kitchen shears to make a couple of cuts into the vermicelli so they're not too long. Drain the noodles.

Step 3: Stir fry ingredients

Heat a wok on high heat. Add in the oil (1 tablespoon). Once it's hot, decrease the heat.

Stir fry the garlic for 20 seconds. Add the rehydrated shrimp and move them around with a pair of chopsticks to help release their flavor into the hot oil.

Add the mushrooms and stir fry for 2 minutes.

Add the green onion whites, followed by the napa cabbage. Adjust the heat to high and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the celery and stir fry for 1 minute.

Lastly, add the carrots and stir fry for 1 minute. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved shrimp soaking water. Stir fry for another minute.

Step 4: Add seasoning

Turn the heat to low.

In the wok, add the salt (0.50 teaspoon), sugar (1 teaspoon), light soy sauce (1 tablespoon), oyster sauce (1 tablespoon) and stir fry to mix it into the ingredients. Add the dark soy sauce (1 teaspoon).

Add the vermicelli noodles to the center of your wok, turn the heat to high and toss them into the sauce. For noodles, my dad prefers to stir fry with a pair of chopsticks so he can easily tease the strands apart. If using a spatula, don't overmix!

Step 5: Finish stir frying

Add the red onions and the remaining green onions.

Turn the heat to medium-low and stir fry for a final 2 minutes.

Taste the vermicelli for seasoning and finish with the sesame oil (1 teaspoon).

FAQ

What is the difference between vermicelli and rice noodles?

  • The word vermicelli is used in the English translation of various noodles, but they're not all the same. There's rice vermicelli (米粉), also known as rice sticks, which are used in dishes like Singapore Noodles. Then, there's mung bean vermicelli. As its name suggests, it's made from mung beans, a legume native to India and popular across Asia.

How long do I need to soak vermicelli before cooking?

  • You only need to soak mung bean vermicelli for a few minutes before cooking. My dad usually does it for three minutes, sometimes longer if there are other ingredients to prep.

Is it better to soak vermicelli in cold or hot water?

  • It's best to soak mung bean vermicelli in warm water. If it's too hot, the noodles will rehydrate too quickly and get sticky.

Summary

Print Recipe
Made With Lau
madewithlau.com/recipes/stir-fried-vermicelli
Stir-Fried Vermicelli (蝦米炒粉絲)
This easy and delicious stir-fried vermicelli is an essential Lunar New Year dish!
  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Total Time: 10 min
  • Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients

Main Ingredients

  • 5 oz mung bean vermicelli
  • 2 oz dried shrimp
  • 2 oz dried shiitake mushroom
  • 0.50 large carrot
  • 4 oz napa cabbage (

    about 4 leaves

    )
  • 3 stalk celery
  • 2 oz red onion
  • 2 oz green onion
  • 3 clove garlic
  • 1 tablespoon corn oil

Sauce Ingredients

  • 0.50 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Step 1 - Soak ingredients

↑ Jump to details

Place the mung bean vermicelli (5 oz) in a bowl and soak in warm water for a few minutes.

Rinse the dried shrimp (2 oz) in a small bowl with warm water. Drain and soak in more water for 3 minutes.

Wash the dried shiitake mushrooms (2 oz) in cold water, then soak in warm water.

Peel the carrot (0.50 large).

Cut off 4 leaves from the napa cabbage (4 oz), cutting the leaf at the base to preserve the rest of the cabbage. Rinse and soak the leaves in water in a large bowl. Place the celery (3 stalk) in the same bowl to soak.

Step 2 - Cut ingredients

↑ Jump to details

Peel pieces of the red onion (2 oz) off the root. My dad prefers to do this rather than cutting the pieces off so he can save the rest of the onion for other uses. Next, cut the onion along the grain into thin slices.

Slice the green onion (2 oz) into 2-inch pieces.

Cut a thin slice off one side of the carrot. This creates a level base for slicing. Slice the remaining carrot into thin planks. Stack them together and julienne into thin, match-like strips.

Use the flat side of your knife to smash the cloves of garlic (3 clove). Trim off the hard end, then mince the cloves.

Cut the stalks of celery into quarters, then slice into strips going along the grain.

Slice the napa cabbage into three sections, then cut into thin strips.

Drain the dried shiitake mushrooms, using your hands to squeeze out any excess water. Slice into thin strips.

Remove the shrimp from the bowl, squeezing out any excess water. Reserve the soaking liquid for later use.

Use kitchen shears to make a couple of cuts into the vermicelli so they're not too long. Drain the noodles.

Step 3 - Stir fry ingredients

↑ Jump to details

Heat a wok on high heat. Add in the oil (1 tablespoon). Once it's hot, decrease the heat.

Stir fry the garlic for 20 seconds. Add the rehydrated shrimp and move them around with a pair of chopsticks to help release their flavor into the hot oil.

Add the mushrooms and stir fry for 2 minutes.

Add the green onion whites, followed by the napa cabbage. Adjust the heat to high and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the celery and stir fry for 1 minute.

Lastly, add the carrots and stir fry for 1 minute. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved shrimp soaking water. Stir fry for another minute.

Step 4 - Add seasoning

↑ Jump to details

Turn the heat to low.

In the wok, add the salt (0.50 teaspoon), sugar (1 teaspoon), light soy sauce (1 tablespoon), oyster sauce (1 tablespoon) and stir fry to mix it into the ingredients. Add the dark soy sauce (1 teaspoon).

Add the vermicelli noodles to the center of your wok, turn the heat to high and toss them into the sauce. For noodles, my dad prefers to stir fry with a pair of chopsticks so he can easily tease the strands apart. If using a spatula, don't overmix!

Step 5 - Finish stir frying

↑ Jump to details

Add the red onions and the remaining green onions.

Turn the heat to medium-low and stir fry for a final 2 minutes.

Taste the vermicelli for seasoning and finish with the sesame oil (1 teaspoon).

Step 6 - Take pictures
Whip out your camera (1). Begin taking photos (1,000,000). Pick your favorites!
Step 7 - Share and tag us on Instagram @madewithlau #madewithlau!
Did you have fun making this recipe? We'd love to see & hear about it. (Especially my dad. He would be THRILLED!)

Enjoy!

We have many, many happy memories of enjoying this dish growing up.

Now, hopefully, you can create your own memories with this dish with your loved ones.

Also, I cordially invite you to eat with us and learn more about the dish, Chinese culture, and my family.

Cheers, and thanks for cooking with us!

Feel free to comment below if you have any questions about the recipe.