Rice vermicelli is a thin form of noodle. It is sometimes referred to as "rice noodles" or "rice sticks", but should not be confused with cellophane noodles, a different Asian type of vermicelli made from mung bean starch or rice starch rather than rice grains themselves.

Presentation and varieties

Rice vermicelli is a part of several Asian cuisines, where it is often eaten as part of a soup dish, stir-fry, or salad. One particularly well-known, slightly thicker variety, called Guìlín mǐfěn (桂林米粉), comes from the southern Chinese city of Guilin, where it is a breakfast staple.

Names

Rice vermicelli is widely known in Asia by cognates of Hokkien 米粉 (bí-hún, lit. 'rice vermicelli'). These include bīfun (Japan), bí-hún or mifen (Taiwan), bíjon or bihon (Philippines), bee hoon (Singapore), bihun or mee hoon (Malaysia and Indonesia), and mee hoon (Southern Thailand). Other names include num banh chok (Cambodia), hsan-kya-zan (Myanmar), and bún (Vietnam).

Naming in Taiwan

Beginning July 1, 2014, Food and Drug Administration of Taiwan rules have been in effect that only products made of 100% rice can be labeled and sold as "米粉"(bihun, mifen) in Taiwan, usually translated as "rice vermicelli" or "rice noodle". If the product contains starch or other kinds of grain powder as ingredients but is made of at least 50% rice, it is to be labelled as "調和米粉", meaning "blended rice vermicelli". Products made of less than 50% rice cannot be labelled as rice vermicelli.

Naming in Philippines

In the Philippines, "bihon" is commonly referred to as rice noodles, but most retail versions are made from potato starch rather than rice. This makes the noodles more translucent and elastic when cooked, distinguishing them from traditional rice-based noodles. The substitution is due to cost-effectiveness and texture preferences in the local market.

Notable dishes

East Asia

Mainland China

As the term 米粉 (mifen) literally only means "rice noodles" in Chinese, there is considerable variation among rice noodles granted this name. In Hubei and historically in much of Hunan, mifen refers to thick, flat rice noodles made using a wet mix, similar to shahe fen. In Changde, the term refer to thick, round noodles that has supplanted the other mifen in Hunan. These are mifen in China, but not rice vermicelli noodles.

Hong Kong

Taiwan

South Asia

Indian Subcontinent

Southeast Asia

Cambodia

Indonesia

Malaysia

In Malaysia, rice vermicelli may be found as mihun, mi hoon, mee hoon, bihun, or bee hoon. There are various types of bihun soup, from pork noodles, chicken meat, fish balls and the list goes on, basically alternatives to different noodles that you prefer.

Myanmar

Philippines

Singapore

Vietnam