Bihun Goreng (Indonesian Stir Fried Rice Vermicelli)
Perfectly dialed in Bihun Goreng that just happens to be completely vegan and gluten-free! This dish celebrates Indonesian and Singaporean food culture with expertly cooked rice vermicelli, crispy tofu, and a medley of fresh, nourishing veggies in an aromatic, slightly spicey sauce.
Servings: 5 (yield: 7 cups)
Calories: 233kcal
Cost: $7.50
Equipment
- Cooking Utensils (spatula, tongs, etc.)
Ingredients
- 3.5 ounces dried rice vermicelli noodles a 100 g. bundle
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil, or sunflower oil
- 7 oz. Extra firm tofu (200 g. / half a block) small dice
- 2 scallions cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm.) sections
- 1 medium shallot diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups
bean sprouts
- 4 baby bok choy or bok choy shoots, leaves separated
- 1 ½ cups Napa cabbage roughly chopped
Sauce
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 tablespoons sriracha or sambal oelek
- 3 tablespoons vegetarian oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons kecap manis sweet soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
Garnish
- Thinly sliced scallions
- Sliced bird’s eye chilies
Instructions
- Start by soaking the thin rice vermicelli in warm water. Allow them to soak as you move through the next steps.
- Heat cooking oil in a wok or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. After 90 seconds, when the oil is hot, add the diced extra firm tofu and fry for about six minutes until it is golden and crispy on all sides.
- Add the diced shallot, scallion sections and minced garlic. Stir-fry with the tofu for a couple of minutes until they become fragrant and slightly softened.
- Stir in the the bean sprouts, baby bok choy, and roughly chopped Napa cabbage into the pan. Stir-fry for around 2-3 minutes until the veggies start to wilt but still retain a bit of their life and crunch.
- Drain the soaked rice vermicelli and add them to the pan with the vegetables and tofu.
- In a bowl, whisk together water, sambal oelek, vegetarian oyster sauce, kecap manis, white pepper, and cornstarch until you have a smooth sauce. Pour this sauce over the stir-fry and stir well to coat all the ingredients evenly. Keep stirring until the sauce thickens and covers everything nicely.
- Transfer the stir-fried rice noodles to serving plates. Garnish with thinly sliced scallions and sliced bird’s eye chilies.
Notes
Noodle Mastery: Achieve peak noodle (is that a term even?) by soaking rice vermicelli till it’s tender but not floppy. Gently pull a strand – it should yield without snapping. Over-soaking or boiling leads to noodles that crumble amidst the stir-fry.
Pan Wizardry: Don’t use a regular skillet or frying pan for this if you can help it. Embrace the wok's magic or use a Dutch oven that heats evenly, and results in less mess.
Saucy Perfection: Cornstarch's thickening transformation happens more perfectly if you keep the contents of the pan moving for a couple of minutes as soon as you add the sauce to the pan.
Nutrition
Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 256mg | Potassium: 218mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 4152IU | Vitamin C: 54mg | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 2mg