Fried Rice Vermicelli

With wild garlic, mushrooms & egg strips – CHAR BEE HOON –

SINGAPORE / MALAYSIA

Fried rice vermicelli is perhaps best known in its luminous yellow form in ‘Singapore fried noodles’ – a dish which I’d never heard of until I left Singapore. Char bee hoon is probably the inspiration for this bastardized dish, a homely one-pan stir-fry done by mums to get rid of leftovers and hungry whining kids. Garlic chives or spring onions are often added towards the end for some obligatory greenery and a wonderful allium-y pungency. At the start of spring, when wild garlic is rampant, I tend to favour them for their delicate taste and silky texture. Wild garlic is growing increasingly popular and can be found in more and more farmers’ markets, but if you look around British woodlands and riverbanks, you might just be able to find it for free. It’s very easy to identify: a gentle rub of the lush green leaves releases the unmistakable scent of garlic.

Serves 3–4

• 200g dried bee hoon (thin rice vermicelli noodles)
• 2 handfuls of dried shiitake mushrooms
• about 150ml warm water
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• a handful of dried shrimps
• 2 free-range eggs
• sea salt, to taste
• ½ teaspoon white pepper
• 2 tablespoons lard or groundnut oil
• 100g shallots, chopped
• a bunch of wild garlic (about 200g)
• a large handful of beansprouts (about 100g)

For the seasonings

• 2–3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1. Soak the noodles in cold water for 20 minutes, plus or minus 10 minutes depending on how thin your noodles are, until soft and pliable. Drain well.
2. Soak the dried mushrooms in half the warm water along with the oyster sauce. You are essentially marinating the mushrooms so they become plump with sweet salty juices. Soak the shrimps in the rest of the warm water for 15 minutes.
3. Drain the mushrooms and shrimps, reserving both soaking liquids; they will form the basis of your savoury broth for the noodles to cook in later. Slice the mushrooms thinly.
4. Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper, then pour into a small heated frying pan to make a thin crêpe-like omelette. Let set, and flip when golden. Slice into strips.
5. Melt the lard in a medium-hot wok. When the lard is hot, fry the shallots and shrimps until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for a minute, then add the soaking liquid, seasonings and plenty of white pepper.
6. Bring everything to a bubbling simmer, then add the drained bee hoon. Using your chopsticks, constantly jiggle and toss the noodles so that each strand soaks up the delicious broth.
7. Stir in the wild garlic towards the end, cooking until wilted. Finally add the beansprouts and the omelette strips, give a few final tosses and serve.

Note: With careful calculations made to avoiding more washing up, you can essentially use one single pair of chopsticks from start to finish – beating the eggs, frying the ingredients, tossing the noodles, and finally eating your meal.