Butternut Squash Mei Fun (Taiwanese Style Chow Mei Fun)
Classic Taiwanese stir fry rice vermicelli noodles with butternut squash.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- ½ medium sized butternut squash (peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes, about 3 cups )
- 6 oz rice vermicelli noodle (try to get one made with just rice and water )
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 3 clove garlic
- 2 tbsp cold water
- 5-6 dried shiitake mushroom (presoak in cold water two hours prior)
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 shallot (thinly sliced )
- 1 tbsp dried shrimp (minced )
- 1 tbsp rice cooking wine (optional )
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp oyster sauce (optional )
- ½ tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp white pepper powder
- 1-2 cup chicken broth
- salt
- 1 stalk celery (finely chopped)
- cilantro (chopped)
Instructions
- 1
Bring 3 qt water to a boil, when the water is boiling, add the dried rice vermicelli noodles and cook for about 30 seconds or until it's softened.
- 2
Place the noodles in a bowl, toss it with sesame oil then cover with a lid (or plate) and set aside.
- 3
Press garlic through the garlic press or grate with microplane, place it in a small bowl, mix with water and set it aside.
- 4
Gently squeeze out the water in the shaiitake mushroom before slicing. Toss the sliced mushroom with a pinch of salt and set it aside.
- 5
Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan or wok over medium heat, while the oil is still cold, add shallot and stir a few times for it to combine with oil. Cook until it's aromatic (not brown), around 2 minutes.
- 6
Add shiitake mushroom and cook for another minute.
- 7
Add dried shrimp, stir and cook for another minute or until the shallot starts to turn brown.
- 8
Add butternut squash, stir and cook just until the surface softens, about 1-2 minutes.
- 9
Add rice cooking wine, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, white pepper powder and one cup of chicken broth and mix well.
- 10
Reduce the heat to medium low, cover the pan with a lid and let it cook until the squash is softened and can be broken up easily with a spatula (about 5-7 minutes). Add more broth If the liquid dries up before the squash softens.
- 11
Mash half of the squash with the spatula.
- 12
Use a pair of tongs to toss and combine the noodles with everything else in the pan. You might need to add more water/broth (about ½-1 cup) to loosen the noodles, which will make the tossing easier. Try and see if it needs more salt.
- 13
Finally, stir in celery and top with cilantro before serving.
- 14
Drizzle a bit of garlic sauce before enjoying.