Shahe fen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Shahe fen

A box of Shahe fen
Alternative names	Ho fun, hofoen, hor fun, sar hor fun, kway teow, guotiao, da fen, guay tiew sen yai, kwetiau
Type	Chinese noodles
Place of origin	China
Region or state	Shahe District
Main ingredients	Rice
Variations	Kuyteav, hủ tiếu, kyay oh

Shahe fen (沙河粉), also known as he fen (河粉), is a popular type of wide Chinese noodle. These noodles are made from rice. You might also hear them called ho fun or hor fun. In places like Southeast Asia, they have other names such as kway teow or kwetiau.

Often, Shahe fen noodles are used in a dish called chao fen (炒粉). This dish is made by stir-frying the noodles with meat and vegetables. In North American Chinese restaurants, chao fen is usually known as chow fun.

What Are Shahe Fen Noodles?

Shahe fen noodles are white, broad, and a bit slippery. They have a bouncy, chewy texture. These noodles are best when bought fresh. They come in long strips or sheets that can be cut to any width you like. If fresh noodles aren't available, you can also find them dried in different widths.

Shahe fen noodles are quite similar to Vietnamese bánh phở noodles. It's thought that phở noodles came from their Chinese relatives. Wide phở noodles are often used in stir-fried dishes. Famous Thai dishes like phat si-io and drunken noodles also use similar wide noodles.

Different Names for Shahe Fen

The names shahe fen and he fen come from the Mandarin language. However, there are many other names based on Cantonese, like ho fun, hofoen, and hor fun.

Sometimes, shahe fen is also called kway teow (粿條). This name means "ricecake strips" and comes from Minnan Chinese. In Mandarin, it's called guotiao. You might know kway teow from dishes like char kway teow.

Even though they sound similar, shahe fen and kway teow are technically different. Hor fun (a type of shahe fen) is thin and absorbs sauces and flavors very well. This is because it has less starch. On the other hand, guotiao/kway teow is denser and doesn't absorb flavors as easily. It needs to be soaked longer when cooked.

In Sabah, these noodles are known as da fen (大粉). This means "wide vermicelli" because they look and feel similar to rice vermicelli. In Thailand, they are called guay tiew sen yai (เส้นใหญ่), meaning "large rice noodles." In Indonesia, they are called kwetiau, and in Vietnam, a similar version is called pho.

Where Shahe Fen Comes From

Sliced fish hor fun sold in Bukit Batok, Singapore

Shahe fen is believed to have started in a town called Shahe (沙河). This town is now part of the city of Guangzhou in southern Guangdong province, China. That's where the noodles get their name!

Shahe fen is a typical food in southern Chinese cooking. You can also find similar noodles in nearby Southeast Asian countries. These include Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore. Many people of Chinese background live in these countries.

Chao Fen: A Popular Dish

Shahe fen noodles are often stir-fried with meat and vegetables. This dish is called chao fen (炒粉). The name chao fen comes from Mandarin Chinese. However, in Chinese restaurants in North America, this dish is usually called chow fun. This name comes from Cantonese.

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  Beef chow fun

Images for kids

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  Steam Shahe Fen with Fish

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  Fried Shahe Fen with beef

See also

In Spanish: Shahe fen para niños