{"id":2009941,"date":"2024-06-28T00:30:19","date_gmt":"2024-09-26T05:41:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/?post_type=recipe&p=2009941"},"modified":"2024-09-27T09:14:47","modified_gmt":"2024-09-27T14:14:47","slug":"shrimp-mei-fun","status":"publish","type":"recipe","link":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/recipes\/shrimp-mei-fun\/","title":{"rendered":"Shrimp Mei Fun"},"content":{"rendered":"

My first memory of shrimp mei fun is my mom ordering it from a food cart in our neighborhood. I smelled sesame oil wafting up from the cart and felt my mouth water as I opened the styrofoam clamshell box and watched steam rise from the noodles. I’ve had mei fun many times since then, often at family gatherings. It makes for a great party dish, appealing to both picky eaters and the most traditional lo wah kiu<\/em> (roughly meaning “old timers” in Cantonese).<\/p>\n

You’ll often see this dish (a version of chow mai fun<\/em>, \u7092\u7c73\u7c89, meaning “stir-fried rice vermicelli”) spelled “mei fun,” though “mai fun” (MY fun<\/em>)\u00a0is a bit closer to how it’s pronounced in Cantonese. It’s very similar to Singapore noodles, though is not to be confused with chow fun, which uses wide, flat rice noodles.<\/p>\n

Rice vermicelli is uncommon outside of Asian and Asian American kitchens like the one I grew up in, which is a shame because they’re some of the springiest noodles out there, capable of easily absorbing any sauce. This shrimp mei fun recipe is my spin on the street cart dish of my childhood.<\/p>\n

What is shrimp mei fun?<\/h2>\n

The recipe has had many permutations across time, but shrimp mei fun is essentially a dish made of stir-fried rice vermicelli, shrimp and vegetables. The ingredients in this recipe best capture the traditional flavors of homestyle Cantonese cooking. It’s a great introduction to Chinese vegetables and the Chinese pantry, but feel free to use the recipe as a springboard for improvisation based on your personal tastes and the ingredients available in your area.<\/p>\n

This dish is best made in a well-seasoned carbon steel wok<\/a>, so the ingredients don’t stick to the pan. Using a wok also helps achieve the smoky flavor of wok hei<\/em>\u00a0literally (“wok breath”). You can also use a cast-iron pan, Dutch oven or other large skillet.<\/p>\n

Shrimp Mei Fun Ingredients<\/h2>\n