Beehoon (rice vermicelli) are thin rice noodles, sometimes referred to as rice sticks. They are a pantry staple used in noodle soups and stir fried noodles. They are white in color when soaked. Soaking time is approximately 30 minutes.
Bee tai bak (loh see fun/rice pin noodles/silver pin noodles) are short semi transparent noodles made from rice flour. About two inches long and tapered at the ends, they are a.k.a. “rat tail noodles” or “loh see fun” in the Cantonese dialect. In Hongkong and Taiwan, it is more commonly known as silver pin noodles while “rat tail noodles” is the norm in Malaysia and Singapore.
Bee tai bak are bland noodles that absorb flavors and sauces well. They are often stir fried, scalded and stirred in sauces, or cooked in soup. They clump together easily but once cooked, they can be very smooth and slippery.
Chor beehoon (thick rice noodles) are essentially a thicker form of rice vermicelli. A longer period of soaking and cooking is required.
Flat yellow noodles are a type of dried wheat noodles conveniently formed into bundles. Each bundle is sufficient for one serving. Dried yellow noodles need to be boiled for several minutes before use. Unlike rice noodles, they are never soaked.
Tunghoon (glass vermicelli) are a type of transparent noodles made from green bean (mung bean) flour. It is used in soups and stir fries. Often packaged in a plastic bags wrapped in a red net. Tunghoon should be soaked for about 20 minutes before use.
