Friday 8 August 2014

My Simple Fried Beehoon


This is what I like to prepare for a simple lunch. All I need is beehoon (dried vermicelli), some meat, vegetables and seasoning. It is a totally fuss free dish, everything goes into the wok, and stir, stir, stir. It's got carbohydrates, protein and vegetables. A well balanced meal, don't you think?

Actually, this plate of fried beehoon is for my partner. I can't eat any noodles or pastas for the time being (self-imposed restriction) because I need to knock off some pounds (many pounds). I don't tolerate carbohydrates very well because they all convert to fat and go to my fat cells. My partner on the other hand can eat a huge plate of rice or a huge bowl of noodles or half a loaf of bread and he still weighs the same. Life is so unfair :(


Between the two of us, we used to eat 8 bowls of rice (they were small bowls) with four dishes at the old Esquire Kitchen. And we used to whack Wat Tan Hor and dim sum on Saturdays for lunch. Before I knew what hit me, I gained 20lbs and he still weighs the same. Life is so unfair :(


I blame it on genetics. The people on my father's side of the family are all super sized. If you know Small Kucing's papa, you will know what I mean. Papa Kucing is my cousin from my father's side of the family. But not all my cousins are big. We do have the skinny ones. During the recent Chinese New Year, the husband of a skinny one remarked into my face "You have put on a lot of weight". Right. And Keong Hee Huat Chye to you too. Life is so unfair :(


Right now, I am trying to get down to a more modest size. I eat very little carbohydrates and I also put in some exercise. How do I exercise? I put on some music and start pounding on the floors early in the morning. degoong! degoong! degoong! That's what it sounds like when a fat auntie is jumping up and down in the wee hours of morning. At 5:00am when most of you are still in dreamland. Life is so unfair :(











Fried Beehoon
Recipe source : Phong Hong
This makes for a generous serving for one person. 

Ingredients :
- 150g beehoon (soaked weight)
- 100g meat, sliced and seasoned with 1 clove minced garlic, 1 tsp light soya sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil and some pepper
- 120g Chinese Cabbage
- 40g carrots
- a small handful of chives
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced

Seasoning to add together :
- 1 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp dark caramel sauce

- some pepper to taste (optional)
- some water

Method :
1. Heat oil in a wok and saute garlic until it is fragrant and lightly browned.
2. Add sliced meat and stir fry until it changed colour. Add a little water and simmer for a short while.
3. Add carrots and Chinese cabbage and stir fry until the cabbage is wilted.
4. Add the beehoon and seasoning and continue to stir fry to mix the ingredients.
5. Add a little bit of water and cover to simmer (stir occasionally) until the beehoon is cooked (check by eating a small bit of the beehoon). Add chives and stir with the beehoon until chives are wilted. Add pepper to taste (if using).
6. Serve it hot immediately or at room temperature.

58 comments:

  1. Now that look so very nicely done! I prefer the thinner Thai bihun these days but I would over-fry...to get some parts burnt for the extra fragrance...and it would end up all broken, miserable bits, not presentable at all. Don't like the made in China bihun, has some smell like cockroach. :(

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    1. Thank you, thank you! I have tried the very fine Thai bihun and they are OK but too fragile. The one I used here is the Jasmine brand recommended by my auntie. What? Smell like cockroach? OK, I will avoid those :)

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    2. My family also uses the Jasmine brand beehoon.

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  2. My way if frying bihun is similar, except that I don't have/use fish sauce and dark soy sauce (hak yau).. I just fry with garlic, add in some dried shrimps, then all the meat or veggies, and add soya sauce only.. And pepper.. Really, my bihun only has soya sauce and pepper as seasonings only.. Mum's way is Maggi seasoning, but I find the taste too strong.. Oohh and she adds some Tumix powder too.. Cheating! haha..

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    1. Hi Louiz! Last time I also use only soya sauce. But after using fish sauce and oyster sauce, I find that it tastes better. For me lah. I think if add other seasoning like Tumix it will taste even better. That's probably what the outside vendors use to make their beehoon kosong taste so good.

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  3. I always love mee hoon! It's light and healthy ! Sometimes I just order the singapore mee hoon for dinner. Squeeze some lime juices onto it.

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    1. Chris, Singapore Fried Meehoon is quite popular. Hey, I must try cooking it!

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  4. talk bad about me ah... later i pelekong u wt the Pulut Cawan and kayu keramat! BTW, just had my nasi dagang this morning...

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    1. Eh, where got talk bad about you? We are from the same clan, semua "tua kor-tua kor" gitu. I like pulut cawan. Wah, nasi dagang! So jealous....

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  5. wah, fried beehoon!! my all time favorite, i love it any style!! and you call this simple?? haha, not simple at all lah, see you have put in so many ingredients and "liu" to fry together woh.. my simple type of fried beehoon would be just the beehoon and beansprout only, haha!! yours is called luxury fried beehoon lah~~

    BTW, i can frankly tell you.. that plate is surely not enough for me!! :p

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    1. Hi SK! Back from Japan sure miss our local fried meehoon :) I love fried meehoon lah, in fact the economy meehoon from the chap fan stall also tastes so good. But I am abstaining for the moment due to weight problems. For me, I can eat two plates. That's how I got into trouble hee,,hee..

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  6. Hi Phong Hong, wah, 5am early in the morning you sudah degoong ......degoong doing your exercise? Aiyoh, I salute you lah so hardworking. Doubt I can wake up at this hours cos sleep very late. LOL

    Anyway your plate of bee hoon so delicious, my all time favorite when run out of idea what to cook.
    Add sambal lagi extra kick. :))

    Have a nice day.

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    1. Hi Amelia! No choice lah....I target by end of this year I can be slim hee..hee...

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  7. I didn't cook lunch today, can I have a plate of my lunch ^_^?

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    1. Sure, Sonia! Make sure you bring 2 siew bao for me hee..hee...

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  8. Ha ha !degoong! degoong! Phong Hong, I too wake up very early leh about 5:45am ... but cannot degoong as below neighbour will march up and scold me ... your fried bee hoon is delicious.

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    1. Karen, hahaaha...so far no complaints from my neighbour!

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  9. Simple fried beehoon is my all time favourite for my breakfast and sometimes I had this for lunch too!

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  10. Simple yet nice. I likey! :)

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  11. Hi Phong Hong, really it is unfair. Same thing happening to me too. My hubby can have 2 portions of your fried beehoon and polished off whatever leftovers on the dinner table but his waistline never go sideways. I lost 5 kg, my cholesterol went do to perfect level and my blood glucose acceptable. I think the cause is it drank mullberry leaf tea for almost a month. Dr asked what did I take cos' my Cholesterol dropped to 3.96 from 6.1 and my HDL ratio is optimal. Now I can enjoy lots of food. BTW, go for glass noodles if you are worried of high carbo food.

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    1. Hi Kimmy! Oh, your hubby has high metabolic rate. So lucky! Wow! You lost 5kg and cholesterol level is perfect and blood glucose is at acceptable level. Glad to hear your health issues are now under control. This is the first time I hear about mullberry leaf tea. Is this something you can buy off the shelf or from fresh plant? I bought glass noodles to give my partner some variety. So looks like I can eat a bit too :)

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    2. I got the mullberry leaves from fresh plant. The fruits look like berries and are known as something good for the eyes. I think is available at the pharmacies. Do check the net for the images of the fruit and leaves. You may notice the plant somewhere.

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    3. My dad has this plant in his garden! Maybe next time I can get a cutting. But have to tidy up my garden first :)

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  12. I enjoyed your narrative. The tone resembles that of my favorite detective, Mdm Ramotswe, in the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith.

    And I win hands down on the weight department. I put on even when dieting. How about that ?

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    1. Oh, thank you hee..hee.... Put on weight when dieting? Maybe you did what I did, sneak in some food that we are not supposed to eat hah..hah...

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  13. some people have like this-no matter what they eat they do not 'grow', lucky they!:)

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  14. To me it's not 'simple' lo!!
    Happy weekend to you PH!

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  15. Fried bihoon is my favourite noodle and I won't say no to your plate of yummy bihoon. Healthy and yummy.

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    1. Hi Veronica! It's really hard to say no to fried beehoon :)

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  16. Simplicity is always the best!!!!!
    Boss, Bihoon Goreng besar please! hehe...

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  17. This looks amazing! I am always looking for some simple lunches :)

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    1. Cathleen, you can also do this with pasta!

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  18. fried mee hoon is always my favourite, yummy!

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  19. Hi PH! Yes, i must agree it's not fair how some people can eat all they want and not put on anything! It's worse when they are your partners, they eat and you watch. I use to be in the same boat but nowadays it seems to be the opposite, he puts on weight faster!

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    1. hah..hah...yah, he eats his carbs and I can only watch!

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  20. Hi Phong Hong!
    Yup, I totally relate to what you are going thru. Life is so unfair! We eat,eat, eat and we get bigger! Others eat, eat, eat and they stay the same! Thought of going for morning walk, but there are lots of stray dogs around, and my neighbours got mugged when out walking.
    The plate of fried mee hoon looks delicious. My favourite noodles is bee hoon!

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    1. Hi Joyce! Morning walks are no longer safe. That's why I do my thing in the house. Not ideal but better than no exercise at all.

      For me, if fried it has to be beehoon or koay teow but for soup it has to be mee.

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  21. I love to eat fried bee hoon. Your partner is so lucky. He gets to eat your delicious fried bee hoon and not put on weight. I always control my carb intake because I don't like to exercise and I don't want to put on weight.

    All the best to you! May your degoong degoong degoong in the morning give you very good results!

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    1. Thanks, Mun! But the last few days I could not resist the temptation and had some carbs. hah..hah...

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  22. Your fried bee hoon looks delicious! It isn't easy to make bee hoon as I can't seem to get the wok hei! Now I feel like eating yours off the screen.

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    1. Hi Mich! Mine does not have wok hei either. It is hard to replicate what the hawkers or restaurant do in our kitchen unless if we want to take the risk of burning it down!

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  23. Hi Phong Hong, try to drink lemon + warm water early in the morning prior to breakfast. In between meal, can drink some apple cider vinegar with water too. Healthy and for slimming too. Your fried bee hoon looks so yummy and tempting. Cheers :)

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    1. Hi Ivy! Thanks for the slimming tips hah..hah...

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  24. life is like that lor......but dieting is quite a torture..at least to me. One of my friend lost quite a lot of weight , started by walking up the hill quite regularly and eat less rice...Hey and then, there are people who said drink water also can put on weight...hahahaha...but i hope that's not real...:D

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    1. Hi Lena! I am getting there very sloooowly....hehe..

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  25. OMG!!! You are kaldip's cousin! Why that Mama Kucing never tells me? Pull her tail and tie a knot.
    Aiyo....she is connected or are friends with so many bloggers....I hardly know anyone. So sad.

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    1. Oh, that is who Kaldip is! I was wondering who is this Kaldip fellow hah..hah..TM, I am sure you know lots of people :)

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