Beef mei fun is a tasty Chinese noodle dish that has become popular around the world. With its mix of tender beef, fresh vegetables, and springy rice noodles, it’s easy to see why people love this flavorful meal. In this article, we’ll explore everything you need to know about beef mei fun – from its origins to how to cook it at home.
What Are Mei Fun Noodles?
Mei fun noodles, sometimes called rice vermicelli or rice sticks, are thin noodles made from rice flour. They originated in China but are now used across Asia in dishes like pad thai and pho. When dried mei fun noodles look almost translucent. But once cooked they become bright white and have a springy, al dente texture.
Mei fun get their name from the Cantonese word for rice noodles. The “fun” refers to any noodle made from rice, while “mei” means thin. So mei fun translates to thin rice noodles. They are incredibly versatile noodles used in soups, stir fries, salads, and spring rolls.
The Origins of Beef Mei Fun
Beef mei fun originated in Hunan province China. It likely started as a simple stir fry using ingredients locals had on hand – mei fun noodles, beef and vegetables from the region. The dish has its roots in Chinese home cooking, where cooks would throw together leftovers and fresh ingredients into quick noodle stir fries.
Over time, beef mei fun grew popular and spread through China and to neighboring countries. It became a staple menu item at Chinese restaurants around the world. The ingredients vary based on regional tastes and availability, but the star remains the slippery rice noodles.
How To Make Beef Mei Fun
Though recipes differ across Asia, beef mei fun has some standard ingredients:
- Mei fun noodles
- Thinly sliced beef
- Mixed vegetables like carrots, cabbage, bean sprouts
- Aromatics like garlic, ginger, scallions
- Sauce ingredients like oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil
The preparation is simple. First, you reconstitute the dried mei fun noodles by soaking them in hot water for 5-10 minutes until pliable. Drain well. Then stir fry marinated beef and vegetables in batches over high heat. Remove them from the wok and add the noodles, tossing quickly to coat them in the sauce and prevent sticking. Add the beef and veggies back and stir fry everything together for a minute or two. Finish with a sprinkle of scallions.
Part of beef mei fun’s appeal is the variety of textures – tender beef, crisp-tender vegetables, and the springy rice noodles. Be careful not to overcook the components, which can lead to mushiness.
Regional Variations
While the basic ingredients stay the same, beef mei fun recipes vary across Asia. Here are some popular regional versions:
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Singapore Style: Uses curry powder for a yellow color and flavor. Often includes shrimp and eggs too.
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Malaysian Style: Spicier version with chilies and shrimp paste.
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Filipino Style: Made with oyster sauce and soy sauce for a dark sauce.
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Thai Style: Flavored with fish sauce, lime, and fresh herbs like basil or mint.
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Vietnamese Style: Typically includes nuoc mam fish sauce, shrimp, and bean sprouts.
No matter what the specific ingredients are, beef mei fun is all about the contrast of flavors and textures. The soft noodles, tender beef, crisp vegetables, and punchy sauce make every bite delicious.
Tips for Making Beef Mei Fun at Home
Making beef mei fun is easy once you know the secrets:
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Use very high heat and stir fry in batches. This keeps the wok hot and the ingredients from steaming.
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Rehydrate the noodles properly in hot water. They should be pliable but still have some bite.
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Don’t overcook the proteins and veggies. You want them crispy-tender.
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Toss the noodles in the sauce before adding other ingredients back. This coats them evenly.
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Work quickly! The key is keeping everything piping hot and not overcooking.
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Consider adding an egg for extra protein and richness. Scramble it first before adding to the noodles.
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Balance sweet, salty, spicy, and sour flavors. Add more sauce, vinegar, or sriracha to taste.
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Garnish with scallions, cilantro, lime wedges, chili oil, or crushed peanuts.
Why People Love Beef Mei Fun
There are many reasons beef mei fun is so popular worldwide:
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It’s fast, easy, and versatile – you can use any protein or vegetables.
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The contrast of textures is exciting and appealing.
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It balances flavor profiles – salty, sweet, spicy, and sour.
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Mei fun noodles are naturally gluten free.
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It’s a one-pan dish that comes together in minutes.
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You can load it up with lots of healthy vegetables.
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It’s customizable to suit any taste preferences.
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It reheats well, making great leftovers.
From busy home cooks to restaurant chefs, people appreciate how beef mei fun comes together quickly while delivering big, bold flavors. The rice noodles pair perfectly with the seasoned beef and veggies. This hearty yet healthy dish truly satisfies.
So now that you know all about beef mei fun – its origins, ingredients, and tips for making it – give this Chinese classic a try at home! The brothy noodles, tender beef, and fresh vegetables will have your tastebuds singing.
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Mei Fun vs. Glass/Cellophane Noodles, Chow Fun, and Lo Mein
The Chinese are noodle masters, and the variety of noodles in Chinese cuisine is a testament to that. So if you’re confused, know that you’re in good company. Even those raised in the culture sometimes miss all of the nuances of translation and differences among noodles.
The most common error is that dry rice vermicelli can often be confused for glass or cellophane noodles. They’re packaged the same way and look very similar, from width to varying levels of opacity. However, while mei fun is made from whole rice grains, cellophane noodles are made with starches—typically mung bean or sweet potato but sometimes rice starch. When cooked, they take on a gelatinous texture and appearance. Its color—or lack thereof—can range from nearly translucent to light gray or glassine amber while rice vermicelli becomes a very bright white.
The differences between ho fun, lo mein, chow mein, and mei fun are much more apparent, but no less confusing due to translation errors—even across different Chinese languages, not just dialects—and different geographical interpretations.
To start with fun, ho fun refers to white rice noodles that are made in long, flat, steamed sheets. When made fresh for quick consumption Chinese-style, these are cut up into squares for stir-frying into chow fun or just smaller sheets for rice rolls. However, other countries, like Thailand, have adapted methods of drying them as flat, ribboned noodles that can be the width of linguine to fettucine to pappardelle, categorizing them just as thin (slightly thicker than mei fun), medium (common to pad thai), broad, or XL, both of which are common for pad see ew.
Then there’s lo mein, which is made with wheat and eggs. They tend to be a buttery yellow, thickly barreled, chewy, and supple. On the East Coast, this stir-fried noodle dish is what you can expect when asking for lo mein, while on the West Coast of the U.S., you have to order chow mein to get lo mein. Confused? That’s because on the Atlantic side, chow mein refers to a stir-fried, saucy vegetable-dominant dish meant to be mixed with the deep-fried, wide, flat noodles you get with soup.
Finally, there’s Cantonese chow mein, which both coasts can agree on. This is a nest made from fresh, thin egg noodles (also called wonton noodles) cut to the same dimensions and shape as mei fun. They are pan-fried crisp and topped with a heavy sauce that soaks into the brittle nest, softening and flavoring the noodles simultaneously.
Mei Fun Uses
Though Chinese in origin, mei fun noodles have migrated across Asian cultures to find places in Thai, Vietnamese, Cambodian, South Indian, Indonesian, Malaysian, Burmese, Filipino and—in full circle—Singaporean cuisines. They’re used in soups, stir-fries, sautés, cold noodle salads, and even sweet desserts in India.
Dad’s ADDICTIVE Beef Chow Fun (乾炒牛河)!
FAQ
What is mei fun made of?
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The Spruce Eatshttps://www.thespruceeats.comWhat Is Mei Fun? – The Spruce EatsAug 27, 2021 — Mei fun is a type of noodle made from rice that originates from China and is used throughout Asia. … However they label it, mei fun is traditional…
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Taste of Homehttps://www.tasteofhome.comShrimp Mei Fun Recipe: How to Make It – Taste of HomeSep 27, 2024 — What is shrimp mei fun? The recipe has had many permutations across time, but shrimp mei fun is essentially a dish made of stir-fried rice vermicell…
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Two Plaid Apronshttps://twoplaidaprons.comSingapore Noodles (Singapore Mei Fun) | Two Plaid ApronsAug 23, 2023 — Singapore noodles, also known as Singapore mei fun (星洲炒米粉), is a popular Chinese takeout dish made with rice noodles, chicken, shrimps, char siu, ve…
What is the difference between beef mei fun and chow fun?
- Uses thin, round rice noodles (Mai Fun or Mei Fun)
- The noodles are often stir-fried with other ingredients like beef, vegetables, and sauces
- Can be made with various styles of stir-fried sauces, both dark-colored and light-colored
What does mai fun taste like?
Mei fun has a neutral taste—a subtle sweetness, same as white rice, that retracts into the background to allow the flavors of its seasonings or sauces to really shine. Its texture is al dente if reconstituted properly, with a snappy, thread-like bite.
What is the difference between mei fun and lo mein?
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Noodle Type:Mei Fun uses thin, white rice noodles, also known as rice vermicelli. Lo Mein uses thicker, wheat-based egg noodles.
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Cooking Method:Lo Mein is generally cooked by tossing the noodles in a sauce, while Mei Fun can be stir-fried, steamed, or used in other ways.
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Texture:Lo Mein noodles tend to be softer and more saucy, while Mei Fun noodles can have a variety of textures depending on how they are prepared.
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Flavor:Lo Mein dishes often have a richer, thicker sauce flavor, whereas Mei Fun dishes can have a lighter, more subtle flavor depending on the ingredients.
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Origin:Lo Mein is a Chinese dish, while Mei Fun is a dish popular in Southeast Asian countries, particularly Singapore.