Variety of Chinese noodles
Silver needle noodle (), rat noodle (), bee tai bak (), runny nose vermicelli () or lot (), giam ee () is a variety of Chinese noodle. The noodles are short, about 5 cm long and 5 mm in diameter, and white semi-transparent in colour. The noodles are available in many Chinese markets in Chinese populated areas such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore.
Names.
Quite a number of names have been used to describe the noodle. The noodle is more commonly known as "silver needle noodle" in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and "rat noodle" or "runny nose vermicelli" in Malaysia and Singapore. They are sometimes also called as pin noodles. The noodles are named as such because the shape of the noodles is long and tapered much like a rat's tail, translucent white like needles, or from the way the noodles are made by pushing them through the holes of a sieve.
Production.
The noodles are made from a mixture of ground rice flour from glutinous or non-glutinous rice and water, but sometimes combined with cornstarch to reduce breakage during cooking. The noodles are hand-shaped and rolled into the iconic needle profile, then steamed. Shaping the noodles is an acquired skill. The noodles are made beforehand and then further prepared before serving. The noodles are only available fresh and they are made by noodle vendors or commercially produced and seldom homemade as it is too tedious to make a small amount for home consumption.
Preparation.
The noodles may be stir-fried, scalded and flavored with a mixture of sauces, cooked in soup or cooked dry in a clay-pot. As with most Chinese noodles, it can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner as a main course or supplementing a rice meal. Many Chinese restaurants, hawkers and roadside stalls serve the noodle in various forms. One of the famous dishes that can be found widely in Southeast Asia is Clay-Pot Lao Shu Fen. The purpose of using clay-pot is to keep warmth of the dish.
References.
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