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Fish, South and Southeast Asian

Seafood hor fun with silky egg sauce

Seafood hor fun is a dish of wide rice noodles seared in the wok, topped with a silky egg sauce, shrimp, and squid. This recipe serves 4, takes 35 minutes, is moderately difficult, and costs about €4.40 per person. The key is dry frying the noodles well before saucing them, to get that signature smoky wok flavor.

Tonight, wide rice noodles seared in the wok and topped with a glossy egg sauce, shrimp and squid, a hor fun just like in Kuala Lumpur.

Seafood hor fun with silky egg sauce
Total time
35 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€4.40
Calories per person
650 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

Hor fun is really about contrast. Wide rice noodles, slightly charred at the edges, still soft at the center, covered in a glossy, silky egg sauce. The shrimp and squid bring a firm bite, the broccoli stays a little crisp, and the garlic with ginger wake everything up without ever overpowering that wok flavor.

This is a dish to make on a weeknight when you have a bit of time, or on a Sunday when you want to cook something that breaks from routine without aiming for restaurant level. Since it is not really built with kids in mind, it works better as a dinner for two or for adults, the kind of meal that shakes things up without complicating your life.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Fresh wide rice noodles 500 g
  • Chicken brothoften in the pantry 40 cl
  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Oyster sauce 1 tbsp
  • Cornstarchoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Neutral oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fish counter

  • Peeled shrimp 300 g
  • Squid rings 250 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Broccoli 1
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Fresh ginger 15 g

Dairy

  • Eggs 3

Allergens Shellfish, Mollusks, Eggs, Soy, Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Gently separate the rice noodles and cut the broccoli into small florets.

    If the noodles are cold and stuck together, microwave them for thirty seconds to loosen them without breaking them.

  2. Stir fry the noodles in a very hot pan with a spoonful of oil and half the soy sauce until golden in spots, then arrange them on plates. 6 min

    Barely stir them, let them caramelize by staying in contact with the bottom of the pan.

  3. In a wok, sauté the chopped garlic and ginger, add the squid, shrimp and broccoli, and cook for three minutes. 3 min

    Sear the seafood in small batches if your wok is small, otherwise it releases too much water.

  4. Pour in the broth, oyster sauce and remaining soy sauce, bring to a simmer, then thicken with the cornstarch slurry mixed in cold water. 3 min

    Always mix the cornstarch with cold water first to avoid lumps, then pour it in while stirring.

  5. Turn off the heat, pour in the beaten eggs in a thin stream while gently stirring, and spoon this glossy sauce over the noodles.

    The sauce should stay pourable, it thickens further as it cools on the plate.

Our tips to get it right

  • Get your pan or wok really hot before the noodles go in, otherwise they steam instead of searing and you lose that smoky flavor you are after.
  • Have every ingredient cut and measured before you turn on the heat, the seafood and sauce cook very fast once you start.
  • If your squid releases a lot of water, lift it out of the pan with a slotted spoon while the water evaporates, then add it back, otherwise the sauce turns too thin.

The variations

  • Swap the squid for thinly sliced chicken or pork if you prefer a dish without extra seafood, adjusting the cooking time.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the shrimp and squid with rehydrated wood ear mushrooms and firm tofu, and use vegetable broth instead.
  • For a faster version, use store bought precooked rice noodles and skip the dry frying step, the dish still works even with less smokiness.

What to serve it with

  • Green tea or jasmine tea
  • A few lime wedges on the side
  • A bowl of clear broth to start

Storage

Hor fun keeps for 1 day in the fridge in a sealed container, since the noodles soften quickly. It does not freeze well because of the egg sauce and seafood. Reheat it in a hot pan, uncovered, to bring back some texture.

Questions about this dish

Can I use dried rice noodles instead of fresh ones?

Yes, soak wide dried rice noodles in hot water according to the package instructions before searing them. They will be slightly less soft than fresh noodles, but the result still works well.

Why do my noodles stick together before cooking?

Fresh rice noodles are often compacted from the fridge. A thirty second trip in the microwave or a quick rinse under warm water is enough to loosen them without breaking them.

Can I make the sauce ahead of time?

You can mix the broth, soy sauce and oyster sauce ahead and keep it in the fridge. Add the cornstarch slurry and the eggs only right before serving, to keep the sauce glossy.

What exactly does the oyster sauce do in this recipe?

Oyster sauce adds umami depth and a light sweetness that balances the saltiness of the soy sauce. It is hard to truly replace, but a sweetened soy sauce can work in a pinch.

How long does it take to make a seafood hor fun with silky egg sauce?

Count 35 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a seafood hor fun with silky egg sauce?

About 650 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a seafood hor fun with silky egg sauce cost?

About €4.40 per serving, or €17.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains shellfish, mollusks, eggs, soy, gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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