Lai fun (simplified Chinese: 濑粉; traditional Chinese: 瀨粉) is a short and thick variety of Chinese noodles commonly served in broth. It is commonly found in the Pearl River Delta region and to some degree amongst Chinatowns overseas. Its name comes from the Cantonese language, "濑" referring to "swift currents" and "粉" referring to "food (in this case noodles) made from starch or flour (in this case rice)". Lai fun may also be referred to as bánh canh, a thick Vietnamese noodle, in which case it is made from rice flour and tapioca starch.

Production

Lai fun noodles are often made from rice flour and/or tapioca starch and are available in short or long varieties. It is said that the original method of making lai fun was done in the old days when resources were scarce and the people of Guangzhou would dry overnight rice, grind it into rice flour, mix it into a paste, then sieve it into boiling water to cook.

Regional variations

There are several regional variations on the way lai fun is prepared and eaten.

Guangzhou

Hong Kong

Lai fun in Hong Kong has a more bouncy texture and is often served with roast goose, which lends both the noodles and broth a deeper flavor.

Comparison

Lai fun, a short and thick style of noodle, has a very similar appearance with silver needle noodles. One way to distinguish the two is to look at the ends of each lai fun piece. The ends of lai fun noodles are often cut straight down as opposed to leaving a tapering "tail."

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