My Singaporean friend was surprised when he noticed the item on a Chinese restaurant menu here in the United States, and couldn’t imagine where it was from.
Where Do Singapore Noodles Come From?
So let’s dismiss any notion that Singapore noodles are an authentic Asian dish. Many take credit for the invention, but most think this noodle stir-fry was actually created at Chinese-American restaurants by Chinese immigrants, bringing in elements such as rice noodles from their country of origin.
What Are Singapore Noodles?
This dish—a popular Chinese take-out menu item in the U.S.—is a stir-fry made with rice noodles, lots of crisp vegetables, shrimp, strips of ham, and scrambled eggs. Curry powder is a seasoning, but lots of flavor also comes from a simple sauce of soy, rice vinegar, and Asian sesame oil. Whoever invented the dish is brilliant. You get crunch, heat, salt, sweet, smoke, and aromatics all at once. All the ingredients are added to the pan in stages, and from start to finish, it takes just over ten minutes.
Prep All Your Ingredients Before You Begin
Like all stir-fries, this dish cooks very quickly, so it’s best to be completely prepared before you start: Line up all the prepped ingredients so they’re right beside your pan, and you’re ready. A large, well-seasoned wok is ideal, but lacking that, use a 12-inch skillet, which is what I use.
Tips for the Best Singapore Noodles!
Scramble the eggs in a separate nonstick pan if you think they’ll stick to your large skillet.Buy rice sticks, rice vermicelli noodles, or Mei Fun noodles for this dish. They come in 6- to 8-ounce packages. You need only 6 ounces. You can cook the noodles ahead and refrigerate them in an airtight container. Let them come to room temperature and break them up with your hands before adding to the pan.For the sweet onion, look for Vidalia, OSO Sweet, or Walla Walla.
More Great Asian Noodle Recipes
Vietnamese-Style Noodle Bowls with Chicken Korean Spicy Cold Noodles Soba Noodle Bowls with Spinach and Poached Egg Quick Chicken Pho Sesame Noodle Salad
Drain, rinse with cold water, and use scissors to snip the noodles several times to break them up into shorter lengths. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, for 3 more minutes or until the shrimp are bright pink and cooked through. Add the remaining noodles and continue tossing for 1 minute more until they are thoroughly combined and the mixture is heated through.
