CRISPY RICE VERMICELLI PANCAKE
SERVES 4
½ cup vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 eggs
400g dried rice vermicelli, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes then drained
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
½ tsp fish sauce
1 tsp ground white pepper
sambal oelek, to serve
Heat half the oil in a wok or non-stick frypan over high heat. Add minced garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, then add eggs. Fry eggs, beating with a spatula until they begin to foam, then add softened rice vermicelli. Fry over medium–high heat, tossing continuously to disperse egg through noodles. Add oyster, soy and fish sauces, pepper and a pinch of salt. Stir-fry over high heat until noodles begin to dry out. Check seasoning and transfer to a plate. Allow Heat remaining oil in the cleaned wok or non-stick frypan over high heat until smoking. Add stir-fried noodles and pat down into a pancake shape, continuously moving the pan but no longer stirring noodles. This is to ensure even browning. Continue to press noodle pancake against base of wok or pan with your spatula. Once the bottom has crisped up, and if you’re daring enough, flip pancake over to brown the other side. If you would rather play it safe, transfer pancake to a plate and slide it back into the pan, crisp-side up. Fry other side for a further 3–4 minutes. Serve rice vermicelli pancake with a good spoonful of sambal oelek, and eat either by itself or as part of a larger banquet.
