Go Back
A platter of Singapore Rice Noodles with shrimp, chicken, eggs, and green onions on a black slate serving board.
Layla

Singapore Rice Noodles

Wok-charred rice noodles in a fragrant curry sauce with shrimp, pork, and crisp vegetables - the Cantonese-American classic that's faster than takeout.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Cantonese, Chinese-American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Noodles
  • 8 oz dried rice vermicelli mai fun
For the Protein
  • 8 oz large shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 4 oz char siu pork or ham thinly sliced
  • 2 large eggs beaten
For the Vegetables
  • 0.5 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper julienned
  • 2 cups bean sprouts fresh
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
For the Sauce
  • 1.5 tbsp curry powder Madras or Singapore style
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
  • 1 tsp sesame oil toasted
  • 0.5 tsp sugar
  • 0.25 tsp white pepper
For Cooking
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil divided, plus more as needed
  • 2 scallions cut into 2-inch pieces, for garnish

Equipment

  • Large wok or 12-inch skillet
  • Large pot for noodles

Method
 

Prep
  1. Place rice vermicelli in a large bowl and cover with very hot tap water. Let soak until pliable but still firm, about 8 minutes. Drain well and snip into shorter lengths with kitchen shears if very long. Meanwhile, whisk together curry powder, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, sugar, and white pepper in a small bowl.
Cook the protein
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a wok over high heat until smoking. Add eggs and scramble quickly until just set, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate. Add another tablespoon oil, then shrimp. Stir-fry until pink and curled, about 90 seconds. Remove to the plate with eggs.
  2. Add remaining tablespoon oil to the wok. Add onion and stir-fry until edges char slightly, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and pork; stir-fry until pork edges crisp, about 1 minute. Add bell pepper and cook 30 seconds more.
Combine and finish
  1. Add drained noodles to the wok. Pour curry sauce over everything and toss constantly with tongs, using a scooping motion to lift noodles from the bottom. The noodles should take on a uniform golden color and some edges should get slightly crisp, about 3 minutes.
  2. Return eggs and shrimp to the wok. Add bean sprouts and scallions. Toss just until bean sprouts wilt slightly, about 30 seconds. The sprouts should keep their crunch. Transfer immediately to a serving platter and serve hot.

Notes

Don't oversoak the noodles or they'll turn mushy in the wok; they should still have some bite when you drain them. For authentic flavor, seek out Madras curry powder rather than generic yellow curry - it has more complexity and heat. If you can't find char siu, use thick-cut ham or even Chinese sausage (lap cheong) sliced thin.