Three simple dishes with bean vermicelli (粉絲三吃)

Bean vermicelli (粉絲), also known as Chinese vermicelli, or mung bean starch noodle (bean noodle), can be used to cook some simple but tasty dishes. The first dish below is a well-known spicy Szechuan dish, the second a Shanghai-style soup, the third a simple vegetarian dish.   #SzechuanDish #ShanghaiDish, #VegetarianDish

I. A Famous Szechuan Dish (螞蟻上樹, Ground Pork and Bean Vermicelli)

1. Soak 1/3 lb (~150g) of bean vermicelli in cold water till turning soft (10-15 minutes). See the left-side picture below for product package (use 1/3 of the bag, ~1/3 lb).  Note 1- The Pagoda Brand (塔牌) shown here seems to work pretty well. It is important for the bean vermicelli NOT to disintegrate into smaller pieces after 2-3 minutes of cooking.
   
   
     
2. (Low-to-Medium Heat) Heat 1 Tbsp of hot chili pepper oil (get it from any Chinese market, or follow the recipe in Part III of this previous post, Some Useful Sauces and Dips) into a flat bottom cooking pot.  Add 1/4 lb of ground pork (not marinated) into the pot, slowly stir-fry the pork for 3-4 minutes (make sure the pork does not form lumps). 
3. (Medium Heat) Push the ground pork to the side, to form a well in the middle of the pot.  Add minced dry shrimp (4-6 dry shrimps, 蝦米, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes first) and minced garlic (1-2 cloves) into the well. Stir the newly added ingredients till fragrant. 
4. Add 1 Tbsp of Hot Bean Sauce (see right-side picture above for product package), 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce, 1 tsp Sugar, 1.5 cups Water, into the well. Bring the soupy sauce to boil. 
5. Add bean vermicelli into the boiling sauce, stir and mix thoroughly for 2-3 minutes (with a spatula in one hand and a pair of chopsticks in the other hand). Note 2- By now the bean noodle should have absorbed a large percentage of the water from the sauce. Add 1/2 cup of water and stir, if water is completely absorbed. Taste to make sure the bean vermicelli is moist.
6. Turn off heat. Sprinkle sesame oil and stir, garnish with chopped scallion or cilantro, and serve. Here is a picture of the finished product.
   

II. Bean Vermicelli Soup with Fried Bean Curd Puff (油豆腐細粉)

1. Follow Step 1 in Part I above to prepare 1/6 lb of bean vermicelli. 
   
2. Cut each piece of Fried Bean Curd Puff, aka Fried Soy Bean Cake, diagonally (each comes as a square, use 5-6 squares, see product package to the right). 
3. (Low-to-Medium-Heat) Heat 2 tsp vegi-oil, add mined green onion (1 tsp) and ginger (1 tsp), 1/2 tsp salt, stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Add 2 cups water and 2 cups of chicken broth. 
4. Add Fried Bean Curd Puffs into the soup, bring to boil, then simmer for 10-15 minutes. 
5. Chop 2-3 rolls of Soy Sheet Wrap (薺菜百頁包) into 1" segments and add into the soup (Soy Sheet Wrap- to be pasted later). Add some chopped leafy vegetables of your choice, if desired 
6. Add bean vermicelli into the soup and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Replenish the water absorbed by bean vermicelli (~1 cup). Season to taste (add 1/4 tsp salt a time).
   

III. Napa Cabbage with Bean Vermicelli (大白菜粉絲)

1. Follow Step 1 in Part I above to prepare 1/3 lb of bean vermicelli.  Soak 10-12 dry shrimp (蝦米) in warm water for 10-15 minutes (optional).
2. Chop half a small Napa Cabbage (or 1/4 of a large one) into bite size (~1.5"-square)...
3. (High Heat) Heat 1 Tbsp vegi-oil, 1/2 tsp salt, add chopped Napa Cabbage and stir-fry till the pieces are still crunchy but  no longer raw.  Add the soaked dry shrimps, and some chopped Simulated Crab Meat before adding Napa Cabbage, if desired.
4. Add 1 cup of chicken broth and 1/2 cup of water. Bring to boil.
5. Add Bean Vermicelli in, mix evenly with Napa Cabbage, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add water if the watery sauce is completely absorbed by Bean Noodle.  Season to taste (add 1/4 tsp salt a time), and serve.