Stir fried glass noodle and crab meat: a twist for the taste buds

Mien xao cua be (Stir glass noodle and crab meat) is a traditional Vietnamese dish of stir-fried glass noodle and crab meat. Other ingredients that are commonly used in the dish include wood-ear mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, and bean sprouts. The ingredients are stir-fried in a big wok, then dressed with a combination of lime juice, minced garlic, sugar, water, and fish sauce. Once done, stir fried crab vermicelli is garnished with chopped green onions and cilantro before serving. This traditional dish often appears in restaurants, but it's also prepared at home for special occasions. Ingredients: 100gr crabmeat, 200gr glass noodles, 100gr beansprouts, half carrot, 1 bowl of chicken broth. (Photo: Vietnam+)

Ingredients: Shallot, shiitake mushroom, wood ear, garlic, fish sauce, soy sauce, monosodium glutamate, pepper, spring onion, and cilantro. In Vietnam, shallots and garlic are planted mainly in the deltas of the rivers. Yet, these varieties of plants have stuck deep roots into the sand and grown well on Ly Son Island of the central province of Quang Ngai, and become famous specialties. The island has about 300ha for cultivating onions and garlic, accounting for nearly one third of the total area of the island. Each crop, Ly Son Island provides the market with over 5,000 tonnes of dried onions and garlic. (Photo: Vietnam+)

When having most Vietnamese food, “nuoc mam” or Fish Sauce is the indispensable spice of much deliciousness. The origin of fish sauce in Vietnam dates back to ancient times as a primary source of protein. Early fishing boats were unable to venture into the deep ocean to catch larger fish for more fish meat. Instead, they mostly stayed close to the shore and net small fish. Later on, it was found that they could produce a richer protein sauce by layering these small fish in barrels with salt. Since then, there appeared such a delicious sauce. In the photo: All the ingredients for the dish, including fish sauce. (Photo: Vietnam+)

Choose the chewy type of cellophane noodle to have delicious dish. Cellophane noodles, sometimes called glass noodles, are a type of transparent noodle made from starch (such as mung bean starch, potato starch, sweet potato starch, tapioca, or canna starch) and water. They are generally sold in dried form, soaked to reconstitute, then used in soups, stir-fried dishes, or spring rolls. They are called "cellophane noodles" or "glass noodles" because of their cellophane- or glass-like transparency when cooked. Cellophane noodles should not be confused with rice vermicelli, which are made from rice and are white in color rather than clear (after cooking in water). (Photo: Vietnam+)

On weekends, instead of cooking rice as usual, you can customize the menu with ingredients that are not too new, but bring a special taste with making a very tasty stir fried glass noodle with crab meat. Sea crabs have sweet taste, fragrant meat fibers, high nutritional value, and is easy to cook many delicious dishes. Glass noodle, which does not contain too much starch, is suitable for both adults and children. The combination of starch in glass noodle with diverse nutrients in crab meat will ensure a happy weekend meal for the whole family. In the photo: Fresh, firm texture crab meat. (Photo: Vietnam+)

Clean the crab, boil in water and take the meat. When taking the crab meat, be gentle so that the it does not break. Then, marinate the crab meat with half a teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, half a teaspoon of fish sauce, one teaspoon of cooking oil and a quarter of teaspoon of pepper corn, mix it all and then marinate in about 15 minutes. Tip to buy tasty crab: Do not buy dead sea crabs or crabs that have been improperly frozen. Do not choose crabs with bright white shells, or the spines on the crabs are small, which mean the crabs are still young. These crabs have less meat and rich of fat. You should buy crabs at reliable locations and remember to consult prices before buying. (Photo: Vietnam+)

Stir-frying is a Chinese cooking technique that is done over high heat and with a small amount of oil. Vegetables and proteins are tossed together in a wok, which is a round-bottomed pan, shaped like a bowl. The bottom of the wok gets the highest temperature, and the ingredients that call for lower heat can be pushed up the sides of the wok. The high sides also allows the ingredients to be stirred quickly without spilling over. Heat a wok over high heat until it is hot. Swirl in 2 teaspoons of oil, and when it is very hot and slightly smoking, toss in half of the garlic and shallot, stir fry for 20 second until they turn to golden colour. Add crab meat with several drops of fish sauce and pinch of pepper. Stir-fry over high heat until the crab color changes to golden. (Photo: Vietnam+)

Stir fry wood ear, shiitake mushroom in some minutes, add bean sprout, carrot, seasoning then pour into a bowl. Black mushrooms, also called shiitake mushrooms, are a staple ingredient in Chinese cuisine. The name "black" is a bit of a misnomer since the mushrooms can be light or dark brown, and even gray when dried. They are also frequently speckled. They are sold fresh but are more commonly purchased dried. The mushrooms have been utilized for their health benefits in traditional Asian healing systems for centuries. These mushrooms are more expensive than white button and cremini mushrooms, but their rich, earthy flavor and meaty texture make them worth the extra cost. (Photo: Vietnam+)

Stir fry the remaining shallot, garlic, add glass noodles. Pour in broth so that the noodle will not be too dry. Add 2 tbsp of soy sauce to make the noodle more yummy. Soy sauce is a liquid condiment and seasoning, originating in China and brewed by fermenting soybeans, grains (usually wheat, which is why most soy sauce is not gluten-free), and mold cultures or yeast. The process can take months, or in the case of very high quality artisanal varieties, even years. Soy sauce sounds like a simple ingredient, and for the most part, it is. However, there are many types: light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, mushroom flavored dark soy sauce , gluten-free soy sauce. (Photo: Vietnam+)

The soy sauce also makes the transparent glass noodle turn into brown colour. Soy sauce is one of the oldest condiments in the world that is made from fermented soybeans and mixed with wheat, barley or rice. Basically, it’s made by boiling and fermenting soybeans. The soybeans are then covered with salted water for weeks. It results in a thin reddish-brown liquid that has salt and umami flavors. This is a staple Asian seasoning ingredient. In China, the cultivation of soy beans has taken place for thousands of years. This is a highly flexible crop that you can pickle and ferment then soak and grind to make soy milk. it’s used to make tofu by curdling at times. (Photo: Vietnam+)

Mix all the ingredients in a wok. A wok is a round-bottomed cooking pot, originating in China. It is common in China and similar pans are found in parts of East, South and Southeast Asia, as well as becoming popular in other parts of the world. Woks are used in a range of Chinese cooking techniques, including stir frying, steaming, pan frying, deep frying, poaching, boiling, braising, searing, stewing, making soup, smoking and roasting nuts. Wok cooking is often done with utensils called chahn (spatula) or hoak (ladle) whose long handles protect cooks from high heat. The wok is thought to have been introduced during the Han dynasty of China, where it was first used to dry grains. (Photo: Vietnam+)

Pour the stir-fried mixture on a plate, spread it evenly, sprinkle with a little pepper and a little coriander, green onions decorated on top. Now you have a plate of fried crab glass noodles, fragrant with eye-catching colors for the whole family. It can be eaten with soy sauce or fish sauce mixed with lemon garlic chili to enhance the flavor of the dish. Sea crab stir-fried with glass noodle is one of the favorite dishes that everyone loves, the easy-to-eat chewy noodles combined with the sweet, rich taste of the delicious crab will make the dish really attractive to the most demanding diners. (Photo: Vietnam+)