Mei Fun is a flavorful stir-fried rice noodle dish loaded with crisp-tender vegetables, tender rice vermicelli, scrambled egg, and aromatic shiitake mushrooms. Curry powder adds a warm, savory flavor to the noodles, while fish sauce and white wine bring everything together with a delicious depth of flavor.
This vegetarian version is packed with cabbage, broccoli, carrots, red bell pepper, and red onion, making it a colorful and satisfying meal on its own. The noodles develop a wonderful texture as they’re tossed in a hot wok, with just enough searing to create lightly crisp edges while keeping the vegetables fresh and vibrant.
Mei Fun is also wonderfully versatile. While this recipe is written as a vegetarian dish, chicken, shrimp, pork, or another favorite protein can easily be added. Serve it straight from the wok for a flavorful homemade meal that’s both satisfying and full of fresh, colorful ingredients.
Mei Fun
Equipment
- Wok
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup Dried shiitake mushrooms or Chinese black mushrooms. Optional
- 8 ounces vermicelli rice noodles
- 1 pound cabbage
- 1 small red bell pepper
- 1 medium red onion
- 2 medium carrots
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons curry powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon MSG optional
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil divided
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce more to taste
- ½ cup white wine
Instructions
- Place the noodles in a large, deep bowl and cover with hot tap water. Let soak until tender, about 30 minutes. If the noodles are not tender after 30 minutes, continue to soak 5 minutes longer. Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients and begin cooking.
- Keeping each vegetable separate, cut the cabbage into thin crosswise ribbons. Cut the bell pepper and red onion into thin
- Remove the mushrooms from their soaking liquid, and cut them into thin slices. Reserve the liquid for later use.
- Sliced mushrooms on a cutting board with a small bowl of mushroom water
- Combine the curry powder, salt, white pepper, and MSG, if using, in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Drain the noodles and set aside.
- Heat a large wok over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, and wait for it to shimmer, swirling it to coat the wok.
- Add the eggs, stirring lightly to scramble, breaking them up into small curds until cooked through. Transfer the eggs to a plate and set aside.
- Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil down the side of the wok. Swirl it to coat the wok. Add the red bell pepper and broccoli, stir-frying in the wok.
- Once the broccoli brightens, add the carrots and onion. Continue to stir-fry until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.
- Increase the heat to high and add the mushrooms. Stir-fry, pushing the vegetables up the sides of the wok and pressing them into the pan, then shake the wok. Continue stir-frying this way for about 2 minutes.
- Create a well in the center of the wok. Add the cabbage, then fold the vegetables over it immediately to let their heat wilt the greens. Cook, undisturbed, for 1 minute, then press the vegetables into the wok’s surface to lightly sear.
- Make another well in the center of the wok. Add the noodles, curry powder-salt mixture, and fish sauce. Toss to coat.
- Reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the cooked eggs and stir-fry, making sure to toss the mixture from the bottom of the wok.
- When the wok is dry, pour in the wine and 2 tablespoons of reserved mushroom liquid down the side of the wok. Continue to toss and scrape the mixture from the bottom of the wok. For a more toothsome dish, push the mixture into the wok's surface again to dry it out and create a light crispness in the noodles. Divide between bowls and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition Disclaimer
Art of Cooking Recipes (Paulson Pursuits} is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
