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What Is Rice Vermicelli?
Rice vermicelli is not a type of rice but actually is a type of Asian noodle that is made from rice, or rice flour, and is often called rice sticks. Sold in a dry form, this popular noodle cooks very quickly. The noodles are thin and translucent and are not to be confused with another type of noodle called cellophane noodles, which are made from mung bean starch. Rice vermicelli comes in different forms — twisted, shredded, paper and stirred — and is commonly used in most types of Asian cuisine, including Chinese, Indonesian, Filipino, Thai and Vietnamese.
Called mi fen, mee fun or mei fun in a Chinese restaurant or grocery store, rice vermicelli is also called mai fun in Japanese and sen mee in Thai cuisine. The thin rice noodle is usually available packaged in a dry form and generally can be found in supermarkets in many countries around the world. Markets that specialize in Asian food might sell these noodles in a fresh form in addition to the dry packaging. In addition to its use in Asian cuisine, these noodles can also substitute for the thin egg noodles in non-Asian dishes, such as chicken noodle soup.
Rice sticks, as they are often called, are generally added to soups, salads, stir-fried entrées and soups. Cooks soak the dry rice noodles in warm water to soften them for several minutes before adding them to the dish to finish the cooking process. Dry rice vermicelli can be deep fried without soaking it in water, for a crunchy addition to Chinese chicken salad or to garnish chicken chow mein and other dishes.
Popular in most Asian countries, rice sticks combine well with a variety of ingredients associated with the types of cuisine native to each country and can be substituted for rice in most rice dishes. Vietnamese cooks often pair rice vermicelli with fried pork meat, snails, fried eggs, crab soup and chicken. A Chinese recipe might combine these noodles with scallions, soy sauce, bean sprouts and chicken. Mee siam is a spicy Malaysian dish of shrimp, chicken, shallots, red chilies, garlic and scallions. The word for rice vermicelli in India is sevai, and it is often served at any meal, including breakfast.
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![A bowl of pho, made with white rice stick noodles, sometimes called rice vermicelli.]()
By: uckyoA bowl of pho, made with white rice stick noodles, sometimes called rice vermicelli. -
![Rice vermicelli is a thin variety of noodle made from rice or rice flour.]()
By: Red Rice MediaRice vermicelli is a thin variety of noodle made from rice or rice flour. -
![Along with vegetables, rice vermicelli is often added to fragrant Southeast Asian soups.]()
By: sugar0607Along with vegetables, rice vermicelli is often added to fragrant Southeast Asian soups.
Discussion Comments
@SarahGen-- Rice vermicelli is light, but I don't think it's healthy because it's made of rice. Rice has a high glycemic index, so I'm assuming that rice vermicelli does too.
I have diabetes and I'm not allowed to have rice. So I have to skip rice vermicelli. At Asian restaurants, I always ask for wheat noodles. They're not the healthiest food either, but I think they're healthier than rice noodles.
I used to eat fried rice and fried rice vermicelli all the time before I was diagnosed with diabetes.
@SarahGen- You should try rice vermicelli noodles as a stir fry. It's really good. This is my favorite Asian dish.
I agree with you that it cooks fast, that's why it's perfect for stir fry. And you can add any vegetable you want. It's a great way to make use of what's in the fridge. I like adding carrots, bean sprouts, cabbage, zucchini and beef, pork or chicken. It's a complete meal and it tastes like take out, but it's cheaper.
I like rice vermicelli noodles more than egg noodles or wheat noodles. It's light and cooks fast. It's great in soups and I use it all the time. It has a very nice appearance as well.
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