When I saw the picture for this recipe, I was attracted by the two different types of noodles, and the beautiful shrimps. On top of that, when reading the recipe, I noticed the broth that's like a tomato pork broth. While eating it, it really reminded me of the taste of a good spaghetti sauce with pork, like my Aunt's husband made for us, several summers ago. This dish is amazing, you definitely need to try it.
So as usual, I took this from the best source of Vietnamese cooking videos, DanangCuisine.com / Helen's recipe on YouTube. Unfortunately, she doesn't mention the fact that there's two types of noodles in the dish anywhere... But I wanted to reproduce it like the picture because it seemed so good, so following, you'll find my recipe for homemade Ho Fun noodles. If you decide to use both noodles like I did, cook half the amount of noodles that Helen suggests and replace the other half by two recipes of my Ho Fun noodles! Here's the Mi Quang recipe!:
http://danangcuisine.com/recipes/recipe-24-cach-nau-mi-quang-ga-chicken-mi-quang/
Making the noodles is really easy and not that long, if unlike me, you got 2 flat trays. On top of that, the noodles are already cooked, so think of the time you'll save when it's time to cook your pad sew or whatever, you won't have to use a burner-space and have to boil these noodles last minute, then drain them, rinse them, cool them. They require ZERO kneading, the quantities, unlike with wheat noodles, don't need to be adjusted. Also everything is better fresher and homemade! I wrote down the recipe here for convenience, but I totally started with this recipe (then developed my own way) from this cooking channel on YouTube, the video will help you with the visual, watch it!:
(serves 2 - I used it for 4 bowls of Mi Quang since it has 2 different types of noodles)
-1/2cup tapioca starch
-1cup rice flour
-1 1/2cup of water
*See? So easy to remember!
Start boiling water in a steamer. In a bowl, mix the rice flour and tapioca starch with a whisk. With that same whisk, add a little water at a time and incorporate well, then add more water until it's finished. It helps getting rid of pockets of flour and starch so your batter will be smooth.
Now you'll need to prepare this:
-keep your whisk and a ladle by your batter bowl
-1 or 2 trays is better, they have to have a bottom that's totally flat, so your noodles are flat and even, also they can be square or round but they need to fit in the steamer
-some oil in a tiny bowl and a brush
-1-2 paper towel sheets
-a butter knife
-a flat plate or cutting board to pile your noodles, lightly greased with oil
Start by brushing your first (or only) tray with oil and remove the excess by rubbing with paper towel. This is really important, don't skip it! Add a little batter. Depending on your trays' surface, it might be different. You'll need to adjust it the first couple noodles, but you'll figure it out fast. You just want a thin layer to cover your tray completely, but you don't need that much batter: when you put the tray on the steamer, jiggle it a little and as the batter cook, it will stick (after 2-3 seconds) and just make sure the bottom of the tray is covered with batter before you put the lid on your steamer. My stove is uneven so I put a butter knife under one side of the noodle tray to even it a little better. You'll figure it out.
After a minute or two, when there's no more bright uncooked white spots on the sheet, it's ready! If your noodle sheet is cracked, check on the next one earlier, it happens only when you overcook it I think. Remove the tray from the steamer (and put your second one if you have it), brush the surface of the noodle with oil then run the butter knife around the edge. You don't need to go all around, just make enough space for your fingers to fit on top of the tray, under the noodle sheet. I use both hand. Then, with confidence but delicately, pull the noodle slowly towards you and nicely place on the oiled plate. Repeat until the batter is done, whisking the batter each time before pouring some on your tray since the starch tends to settle at the bottom.
Cut your noodles to the wideness you like and separate them or use the whole sheets to make fresh rolls (I'll add a link here to a recipe I'll post later). If using the same day, keep them covered in cling film in a fresh corner of the kitchen. You can keep them in the fridge for a couple day, but only if you didn't cook them in a dish yet, or you're gonna microwave the leftover. By that I mean that if you make cold rolls filled with raw veggies, herbs and lettuce, that you can't really microwave the day after, they'll become stale after being in the fridge. Also, if using the noodles after a day or more, I would recommend keeping them on the plate with cling film in the fridge as they are, and cut them before cooking.
I think my tray was, maybe, 6". I made this recipe twice and it made 7 sheets each time. The first time I made them, I ruined a noodle sheet, and the other ones weren't perfect, had cracks. But the second time, I felt like I already mastered this recipe and I knew it by heart. All sheets looked perfect.
That might seem like a lot, but I really wanted to include all my observations, so your first time is perfect! In reality it's the simplest kind of noodles to make, way easier than pasta (my recipe here: http://sunnysdelights.blogspot.com/2014/04/homemade-egg-noodlespastas-basics.html) or udon noodles, almost foolproof. And if you start your steamer first thing, it's really fast too. Enjoy cooking!
(I act like somebody will actually read and try this. I guess that's what blogging is... That'd be cool if someone did try it though!)
I made Mi Quang lunches with leftovers! Just plate everything but the broth the same way as in a bowl, and put the pork sauce in another container. You can get out the noodles an hour before your lunch break so they are less cold, and microwave the sauce when ready to eat, pour it over the noodles and enjoy! Don't microwave the noodles because of the fresh greens at the bottom.
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