Rice noodle rolls, or Jyu Cheung Fun, are a traditional breakfast or snack dish in Hong Kong. These delicate steamed rice noodles have a unique, soft texture and are rolled into thin layers, then drizzled with flavorful sauces. With peanut and hoisin sauces, the dish has a creamy, savory, and slightly sweet flavor, making it a satisfying start to the day. The recipe comes from Christine Wong’s cookbook The Vibrant Hong Kong Table, which showcases vegan versions of Hong Kong staples.

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Preparing the rolls takes a bit of practice, but the process is simple. Steaming the rice flour batter gives the noodles a soft, chewy texture, which pairs perfectly with garnishes like sesame seeds, fresh cilantro, and scallions.

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Rice noodle rolls

These rice noodle rolls are fun, interactive, and a great way to make an easy, chewy rice dish from scratch. Cooking rice flour and rolling it up into little pieces can create a texture similar to Korean rice cakes or tteokbokki.

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Servings

Ingredients

For the noodles

1 cup [140 g] rice flour
¼ cup [30 g] tapioca starch
¼ cup [35 g] wheat starch
½ tsp salt
3 cups [720 ml] warm water
Neutral oil for coating the pan

For the peanut sauce

2 tbsp plus 1 tsp just-boiled water
2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
½ tsp raw cane or granulated sugar

For the runny hoisin sauce

3 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 to 2 tsp just-boiled water
1 tsp raw cane or granulated sugar

To serve

Sriracha for garnish (optional)
Toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Fresh Chinese parsley/coriander/ cilantro and/or scallions for garnish

Instructions

Make the noodles

In a large bowl, mix together the rice flour, both starches, and the salt. Pour in the water while stirring to combine, breaking up any lumps of flour, until you get a smooth batter with the consistency of thick, runny glue.
In a wok or a wide pot with a tight-fitting lid, add 3 inches [7.5 cm] of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lightly oil a shallow baking pan and place it on the water so that it floats on the surface, or use a steamer rack to rest the pan above the water line. Use a ladle to pour about 1⁄3 cup [80 ml] of the batter into the pan (1 to 2 mm thick).
Use steamer tongs to tip the pan slightly so that the entire base of the pan is evenly coated with batter. If there are visible holes in the noodle’s surface, spoon in a little more batter to fill it. Cover the pot and steam for 3 to 5 minutes until opaque.
Carefully lift the pan out of the water and let it rest on the countertop for 1 minute before rolling the noodle up from one edge to the other, tipping it out of the pan onto a plate. I prefer rinsing and quickly drying the pan after each noodle roll, as some bits get stuck on the bottom, but it’s not necessary. Repeat until all the batter is used. Make sure to stir the batter each time before pouring it into the prepared pan.

Make the sauces

In two separate small bowls, combine the peanut sauce ingredients in one and the hoisin sauce ingredients in the other until both sauces are smooth and slightly runny. Drizzle onto the rice noodle rolls, along with a squirt of sriracha, if using, a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds, and Chinese parsley and scallions, and serve.

Taken from ‘The Vibrant Hong Kong Table: 88 Iconic Vegan Recipes from Dim Sum to Late-Night Snacks’ by Christine Wong (Chronicle Books, £25).

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