Mei Fun Vs Chow Fun

Mei Fun and Chow Fun are two popular noodle recipes that are served all over the world. These dishes, while may seem similar in theory, are completely different in how they actually look and taste.

While most people have heard of the uber-popular noodle dish Chow Mein, there are some that have yet to be acquainted with Mei Fun and Chow Fun.

The interesting thing is that all these dishes have just one common ingredient that may change the name of the entire dish: the noodles.

What is the difference between Mei Fun vs. Chow Fun? Mei Fun has thin rice noodles that can either be stir-fried or cooked in a broth while Chow Fun is made with wide, flat noodles that are stir-fried and served with lots of veggies and different types of proteins (meat).

Learn more about the similarities and differences of Mei Fun and Chow Fun and how you can make these amazing dishes at home below.

All In The Noodles

The primary difference between Mei Fun and Chow Fun is in the noodles.

There are so many types of Chinese noodles that it is completely understandable to get confused.

For example, noodles like Lo Mein, Chow Fun, Mei Fun, and more – and here you thought that the world revolved around Chow Mein.

The truth is, most of these dishes are prepared more or less the same way.

They involve a wok, some veggies, sauce, and meat, but where they start to differ is in how the noodles are prepared.

See, Mei Fun can be prepared in the same way as Chow Mein, but since Mei Fun has different types of noodles, they will slightly differ in their taste and texture even though the bases of both recipes are the same.

Mei Fun has thin rice noodles (vermicelli) that can be found in many authentic Chinese restaurants. They are also popular in countries like the USA and Australia.

These thin rice noodles are what make this dish irresistible. There is just something comforting about chowing down on thin, flavorful noodles with lots of veggies. They are a dream to eat with chopsticks and you can get a mouthful of them in one bite. 

Chow Fun uses wide, flat noodles that feel more like a meal. These noodles are soft but flatter and wider compared to other noodles. 

Chow Fun noodles can be a bit more delicate if they are not cooked and prepared properly and they pair extremely well with a range of meats and vegetables. Both these noodles can be made by either stir-frying or cooking them in a broth. 

Here’s a quick rundown on both these noodle dishes:

Feature	Mei Fun	Chow Fun
Noodle Shape	Thinner noodles (vermicelli)	Wider and flatter noodles
Preparation	Stir-frying or rehydrating in broth	Stir-fried or rehydrated
Pairings	Served with veggies and meat	Served with thick cuts of meat and veggies
Condiments	Made with soy sauce and other Asian condiments	Usually has thick sauce and seasonings
Texture	Usually a dry noodle dish	Can be served with some extra sauce

The noodles in both these dishes are different in how they look but are mostly similar in how they are prepared. For example, Mei Fun noodles are usually soaked in steaming water for not more than 3-4 minutes or until they are tender. 

Similarly, Chow Fun noodles can be rehydrated in warm or boiling water for about 3-4 minutes or as instructed according to your recipe.

These noodles are in contrast to typical wheat-based pasta or spaghetti, which require way more preparation and cooking time. 

If you boil Chow Fun noodles more than needed, they may easily break apart as you cook them.

Similarly, Mei Fun noodles need to be prepared more carefully since they are easy to break as well and should not be rehydrated or cooked for longer than intended. 

Chow Fun noodles can also come in a single long, folded strip, which you would have to carefully break before cooking them to make proportionally-sized noodles. The same goes for Mei Fun, which has vermicelli noodles.

Nutrition And Flavor

When it comes to nutrition, both these dishes offer more or less the same daily values.

If we are just talking about the noodles, then Mei Fun can deliver up to 25 grams of carbs in a 100-gram serving while Chow Fun can provide up to 26 grams of carbs in a similar serving size.

Both these noodles also provide about 5-6 grams of fiber and have virtually no fat (0.1 grams in a serving size of 100 grams). However, the nutritional values of both these dishes as a whole differ widely. 

Depending on the ingredients and the type of protein and condiments, both these noodle dishes can rack up lots of calories.

Texture

Also, another interesting point when it comes to these noodles has to do more with the human brain than nutrition. See, vermicelli noodles are more satisfying to eat than wide noodles.

They are easy to grip and you can get a huge chunk of them in one bite too. They are denser and highly easy to chew, no matter how big of a bite you take.

Chow Fun noodles are wide and flat and while they are more or less the same when it comes to flavor, most people will likely not get the same satisfaction as with vermicelli noodles. 

Condiments And Protein

Again, both these rice noodles taste the same when it comes to flavor, but the additional sauces and condiments set them far apart. Most restaurants will load up Mei Fun and Chow Fun with lots of soy sauce and vegetables like cabbage. 

Chow Fun and Mei Fun are incredibly easy and forgiving to make. As long as you cook the noodles right, you can mix and match different ingredients to make these dishes your own. 

You can even use a typical Chow Mein recipe and replace the noodles with either vermicelli or wide noodles and change the name of the dish. 

If you are looking to make these noodles at home, then we have a few great recipes that you can try with household ingredients.

Recipes For Chow Fun And Mei Fun

How To Make Mei Fun

Ingredients:

• Vegetables of choice
• Meat of choice
• Vermicelli noodles
• 2 tbsp Char Sui sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• Cooking oil
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Sugar (optional)
• Curry powder (optional)

Instructions:

1. Start by cutting lots of veggies of your choice. Also, when it comes to meat, we recommend that you try a range of different types of protein. Beef and pork make a fantastic addition. You can also mix in chicken and shrimp for an interesting combination as well.
2. Marinated meat in this noodle recipe will make all the more difference. A quick marinade for beef or pork would be to mix in 2 tbsp of Char Siu sauce, which is basically a Chinese BBQ sauce, and 1 tbsp of soy sauce to give it that salty and umami flavor. Cook the meat separately using hot oil and keep it aside.
3. To prepare the noodles, simply pour hot water over the vermicelli noodles and let them sit for about 2-3 minutes. Give them a light stir to open them up and then drain the water and set them aside as well. 
4. Now fry some ginger and garlic in a wok until brown and add the vegetables and stir fry them for 2-3 minutes. Next, add the cooked and marinated meat back into the wok and mix everything together. Finally, add the noodles.
5. If you like, you can season them with soy sauce and a sprinkle of sugar and curry powder. 
6. You want this dish to be dry but very well coated. Mix everything on high heat for not more than a minute and serve them immediately. 

How To Make Chow Fun

Ingredients:

• Vegetables of choice
• Meat of choice
• Wide rice noodles
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Salt
• Chili oil or other cooking oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 tbsp potato starch
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
• Noodles

Instructions:

1. First, we will begin by cutting the vegetables. You can use any mix of vegetables and meat, including ingredients that you would normally use for Chow Mein. Go for solid winners like onions, cabbage, carrot, capsicum, chicken/beef, and more.
2. Finely chop some garlic and ginger as well. 
3. Now, prepare the sauce by mixing and dissolving half a tablespoon of potato starch in a quarter cup of water. Add 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce, and 1 tbsp hoisin sauce. Mix everything together until completely homogenous. 
4. Next, simply prepare the noodles by boiling a pot of water with some salt. Once the water has reached a rolling boil (when it starts to bubble at the surface), dip in the noodles and stir for about 3-4 minutes or until they are tender. Remember, you don’t want to overcook them.You can also follow the instructions at the back for more information on how to cook them as per the manufacturer.
5. Finally, bring everything together. Start by heating a wok and adding a splash of either your favorite chili oil or any other oil of your choice. Now fry the ginger and garlic until slightly brown. Add in the vegetables and stir fry them until they are cooked from the outside. You want to keep the veggies crunchy – so don’t overcook them.
6. Add in the noodles and drizzle the pre-mixed sauce over them. Coat the noodles completely and turn the heat on high. Carefully but quickly stir fry everything together for about a minute or two and then take the wok off the heat. 

Dish everything out on a plate and dig in! 

A Few Things To Keep In Mind

Mei Fun can include a range of different types of meat. For example, for the above recipe, you can also add in shrimp by stir-frying them after lightly browning the ginger and garlic and then follow the rest of the recipe as usual.

Remember, Mei Fun is not all about the sauce, as it gives more weight to the ingredients and the different combinations of meat and flavors. Unlike Chow Fun that depends on its thick sauce for its wonderful flavor.

You can also customize Chow Fun however you like by adding in more sauce or protein. There are hundreds of flavor combinations that you can try for these saucy noodles, ranging from sweet and spicy to something that is perhaps more smokey and savory. 

Final Thoughts

Both Chow Fun and Mei Fun are popular noodle dishes around the world. They both have a lot of similarities, but the key differences are in how the noodles are prepared and the sauces/condiments used in the recipes. 

Of course, there are no rules when it comes to making noodles at home. Sure, you can go the traditional and authentic route, but what makes Chinese noodle dishes so popular is the fact that you can make them in any way you like so long as you follow the right cooking method for the noodles. 

Related Questions

Is Chow Fun similar to Chow Mein?

Both these noodle dishes follow more or less the same ingredients but differ in the type of noodles that are used. Chow Fun has flat and wide rice noodles that don’t need to be cooked as much as rounded and typical wheat noodles. 

The sauce in Chow Fun also tends to be thicker than what is usually found in Chow Mein. 

Should you boil Mei Fun noodles in hot water?

Rice noodles are inherently delicate and don’t need to be boiled that much. They can be cooked and rehydrated using just steaming water.

A great way to know when the noodles are done is when they change their color and become white and tender. Overcooking rice noodles can make them sticky, clumpy, and soggy while in the wok. 

Can you use ramen noodles for Mei Fun?

Ideally, you would want to go with authentic vermicelli noodles for Mei Fun but if you only have ramen noodles at home and are short on time then yes, you may replace them with ramen.

However, we suggest that you instead make ramen noodles as they are intended, with a soupy broth. 

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