Shahe fen

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Shahe fen (Chinese: 沙河粉; pinyin: shā hé fěn, shaa-her-fern), colloquially called he fen (河粉), is a type of wide Chinese noodle made from rice. While shahe fen and he fen are transliterations based on Standard Mandarin, there are numerous other transliterations based on Cantonese Chinese, which include ho fen, hofen, ho-fen, ho fun, ho-fun, hor fun, hor fen, sar hor fun etc. In addition, shahe fen is often called kway teow (粿條, literally "rice cake string," transliteration based on Min Nan Chinese) or guotiao (pinyin: guǒtiáo) (corresponding transliteration based on Standard Mandarin), as in the name of a dish called char kway teow.

Shahe fen are believed to have originated in the town of Shāhé, now a district of the city of Guangzhou, in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, from whence their name derives. Shahe fen is typical of southern Chinese cuisine, although similar noodles are also prepared and enjoyed in nearby Southeast Asian nations such as Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, all of which have sizeable Chinese populations.

Shahe fen noodles are white in color, broad, and somewhat slippery. Their texture is elastic and a bit chewy. They do not freeze or dry well and are thus generally (where available) purchased fresh, in strips or sheets that may be cut to the desired width. Where fresh noodles are not available, they may also be purchased packaged in dried form, in various widths.

Shahe fen noodles are very similar to Vietnamese bánh phở noodles, which are likely derived from their Chinese counterpart. Although the phở noodles used in soups may vary in width, wide phở noodles are also common in stir fried dishes. The popular Thai dish pad Thai is also made with similar noodles.

[edit] Chao fen

Shahe fen is often stir fried with meat and vegetables in a dish called chao fen (炒粉; pinyin: Cháo fěn). While chao fen is a transliteration based on Standard Mandarin), chow fun - a transliteration based on the Cantonese language - is the name to which this dish is most often referred in Chinese restaurants in North America. Some people who do not realize the fact that chao fen and chow fun are merely transliterations sometimes mistakenly interpret the terms with the meaning of the English words "chow" and "fun."