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The tender, flavorful noodles serve as the perfect backdrop for the salty punch of the salted fish (kiam hu). The addition of vegetables provides a satisfying crunch, while the umami-rich sauce ties all the components together.
When it comes to Southeast Asian cuisine, few dishes capture the essence of flavor, texture, and tradition quite like Fried Bee Hoon with Salted Fish. This dish marries simplicity with complexity, offering a delightful fusion of rice vermicelli, salted fish, and an array of complementary ingredients.
What is salted fish by the way?
The salted fish known as kiam hu, which takes center stage alongside the bee hoon, is a unique ingredient that adds depth and character to the dish. Salted fish is created through a preservation process involving salting and drying fish. This results in a firm, intensely flavored fish that imparts a delightful saltiness to the dish. Varieties of salted fish may differ, with some being more pungent and others milder, allowing chefs to tailor the flavor profile to their liking.
Fried Rice Vermicelli Noodles with Salted Fish (Kiam Hu Bee Hoon)
Ingredients
- 250 g thin or medium dried rice noodles
- 50 g salted fish see notes
- 200 g pork tenderloin or use chicken thighs
- 1 tsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 4 Tbsp Cooking oil
- 3 eggs beaten
- 300 g cabbage
Aromatics:
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 3 stalks green onion
Seasonings: (adjust to your preference, this is just an estimate)
- 80 g water
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
Instructions
- Soak the rice noodles in water for about 20 minutes or until softened
- Cut the pork or chicken into bite-size pieces. Combine with oyster sauce and corn starch and let them marinate for 15 minutes while you prepare other things
- Remove salted fish from the oil. They come with bones too. Remove the bones and cut the meat part into small pieces. If you use the dried one, soak them in warm water for at least 30 minutes to get rid of excess saltiness, then cut into small pieces
- Cut the green parts of the onion into 2-inch pieces and finely chop the white portion
Start cooking:
- Preheat a large pan or wok with 1 Tbsp of oil over medium heat. Add the salted fish pieces and stir fry until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the salted fish pieces. To the same oil, add the garlic and white part of the onion and stir fry for about one minute, add the meat and stir fry until they are cooked through, which shouldn't take long, about a minute or two. Remove the meat from the pan/wok
- You don't need to clean the pan/wok as we want all those good flavor left behind. Add another 1 Tbsp of oil and let it heat up a bit. Pour in the beaten eggs and stir for a few seconds and then let them cook undisturbed for about 10 seconds then start scrambling them into smaller pieces. Remove them from the pan/wok
- Add another 2 Tbsp of oil and let it heat up a bit again. Add the cabbage mix and stir fry for about a minute. Add the pre-soak rice noodles. If you have a tong or a pair of chopsticks, it's easier to move the noodles around with it, especially if you are newbie with stir-frying noodles. It helps to mix things up and to loosen up the noodles a bit.
- Pour in the seasonings and use a tong or chopsticks to move things around again to make sure the noodles are mixed evenly with the seasonings. Let the noodles cooked and absorb the seasonings and liquid. The noodles should be soft but not mushy
- Add the salted fish crumbles, eggs, and meat back into the work and stir to combine everything. Have a final taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Add the green part of the green onion and stir one last time to combine. The residual heat will soften the green onion.
To serve:
- Serve while they are warm with some sambal if you like or with some chopped fresh red chilis
RECOMMEDED TOOLS
Marv’s Recipe Notes
*Nutrition facts are just estimates and calculated using online tools*
How to cook kiam hu bee hoon
1. Soak the rice noodles in water for about 20 minutes or until softened
2. Cut the pork or chicken into bite-size pieces. Combine with oyster sauce and cornstarch and let them marinate for 15 minutes while you prepare other things
3. Remove salted fish from the oil. They come with bones too. Remove the bones and cut the meat part into small pieces. If you use the dried ones, soak them in warm water for at least 30 minutes to get rid of excess saltiness, then cut them into small pieces
4. Cut the green parts and white parts of the onion into 2-inch pieces
5. Preheat a large pan or wok with 1 Tbsp of oil over medium heat. Add the salted fish pieces and stir fry until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the salted fish pieces. 
6. To the same oil, add the garlic and white part of the onion and stir fry for about one minute
7. Add the meat and stir fry until they are cooked through, which shouldn’t take long, about a minute or two. Remove the meat from the pan/wok
8. You don’t need to clean the pan/wok as we want all those good flavors left behind. Add another 1 Tbsp of oil and let it heat up a bit. Pour in the beaten eggs and stir for a few seconds and then let them cook undisturbed for about 10 seconds then start scrambling them into smaller pieces. Remove them from the pan/wok
9. Add another 2 Tbsp of oil and let it heat up a bit again. Add the cabbage mix and stir fry for about a minute. Add the pre-soak rice noodles. If you have a tong or a pair of chopsticks, it’s easier to move the noodles around with it, especially if you are a newbie with stir-frying noodles. It helps to mix things up and to loosen up the noodles a bit.
10. Add the pre-soak rice noodles. If you have a tong or a pair of chopsticks, it’s easier to move the noodles around with it, especially if you are a newbie with stir-frying noodles. It helps to mix things up and to loosen up the noodles a bit.
11. Pour in the seasonings and use a tong or chopsticks to move things around again to make sure the noodles are mixed evenly with the seasonings. Let the noodles cooked and absorb the seasonings and liquid. The noodles should be soft but not mushy
12. Add the salted fish crumbles, eggs, and meat back into the work and stir to combine everything. Have a final taste and adjust seasonings as needed. 
13. Add the green part of the green onion and stir one last time to combine. The residual heat will soften the green onion
14. Serve while they are warm with some sambal if you like or with some chopped fresh red chilis and some limes would be awesome too!
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