Chinese Style Rice Vermicelli (Meehoon)

In the first 3 months of my pregnancy, I had a craving for noodles. Fat noodles, short, thin, long, wet and dry-I wanted it all, and that was all that I wanted. I've never cooked meehoon before then, but decided to try my hand at  making up my own version of meehoon. Wyld Man likes it, and so did a friend who came to dinner once. And it's been a regular feature at the Wyld dinner table. Here's a step-by-step photo guide to making your own.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Ingredients"][/caption]

Minced pork, Carrots, Silverbeet, half a red onion, rice vermicelli, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, honey soy sauce, eggs, sugar and salt  (not shown). Also not shown is oyster sauce-I forgot about it coz it wasn't in my fridge!

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="The brand of rice vermicelli that I use. Here I used the empty packaging to hold peeled carrot skin."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Soak one packet of rice vermicelli in hot water till soft."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Drain"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Add the honey soy sauce-I used Kikkoman brand. Or substitute with chilli sauce. Or you can do without too."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="I use a very generous drizzle-1/3 cup"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Light soy sauce"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Another generous drizzle. 1/3 cup"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Dark Soy Sauce"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="1/3 cup"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Oyster Sauce"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="2 big tablespoons"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Stir together. At this point, taste it and add whatever sauce you think it's missing."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Grate 2 medium carrots roughly."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Wash and drain silverbeet and chop off the ends."][/caption]

You can susbstitute with celery, spinach or any leafty vegie.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Slice the silverbeet into strands."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Peel off the skin from the red onion."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Dice"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Break 3 eggs."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Break the yolks and stir."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Heat your wok/pot on high. Add oil when hot."][/caption]

I would normally use a wok for this-but I have an electric stove top, and a wok which is not completely flat-bottomed-which means that energy gets wasted and is not conducted to the steel. My pot works just fine for this though.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Heat a non-stick pan and add oil."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Add the red onions to the big pot."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Pour in the eggs into the non-stick pan."][/caption]

I do these two steps at the same time to save time.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="While the eggs cook...."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="wait for the onions to become translucent."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="When the eggs have fully coagulated and set, break into small bits. "][/caption]

A restaurant would roll the eggs and slive them thinly, but they taste the same either way. My way saves time and saves washing an oily cutting board.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Put in the pork mince. "][/caption]

Make sure to break the mince up and cook till it is no longer pink.

Can be substituted with chicken cubes.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Add the grated carrots."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Add the silverbeet."][/caption]

Stir thoroughly and taste. I decided that mine needed a boost.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Out came the oyster sauce. 3 tablespoons."][/caption]

And I added a tiny bit of sugar too. 1 tablespoon.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Add the rice vermicelli."][/caption]

Stir with 2 forks to avoid breaking up the vermicelli strands. Taste.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Add the fried egg bits."][/caption]

Stir around and you're done!

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Serve hot and garnish with some parsley. "][/caption]

And I like mine with some chilli sauce. Yum!

Chinese Style Meehoon

Ingredients

Half a red onion-diced

1 packet of rice vermicelli (rice sticks), soaked till soft in hot water.

2 medium carrots-grated

5 stalks of silverbeet-sliced

3 eggs- beaten

400 g pork mince

1 tablespoon sugar

4 tablespoons oil

Seasonings for Rice Vermicelli

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup dark soy sauce

1/3 honey soy sauce

1/3 cup oyster sauce

Method

Pour in the seasonings for rice vermicelli and mix thoroughly. Set aside.

Heat wok on high. Add oil and fry the red onions till translucent.

Heat nonstick fry pan with a little oil, and pour in the beaten eggs. Cook and turn over till set, break eggs up and set aside.

Add the pork mince into the wok and break mince up. Add a sprinkle of salt. When mince is no longer pink, add carrots and silverbeet and stir.

When vegetables are soft and cooked, add the rice vermicelli and the eggs. Stir thoroughly.

Taste and season with sugar and oyster sauce.

Serve hot.

Makes 5-6 servings.