Singapore-Style Curry Vermicelli with Chicken

4 servings · 20 minutes preparation · 12 minutes cooking · 10 minutes cooling, chilling or resting

Ingredients

• 7 ounces dried rice vermicelli noodles
• 10 ounces boneless, skinless halal chicken breast, cut into thin strips (use halal-certified ingredients)
• 1 tablespoon halal soy sauce (use halal-certified ingredients)
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2.5 tablespoons high-heat cooking oil (such as peanut or canola oil), divided
• 1.5 tablespoons mild Madras curry powder
• 0.5 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cored and cut into thin julienne
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1.5 cups fresh mung bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
• 3 scallions, cut into 2-inch batons
• 1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster-flavored mushroom sauce (halal-certified)
• 0.5 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth (halal-certified)

Step-by-step instructions

1. Place the 7 ounces of dried rice vermicelli into a large heatproof bowl, cover completely with warm tap water, and let rest for 10 minutes until softened and pliable yet firm to the bite.
2. Drain the softened vermicelli thoroughly in a colander, use kitchen shears to cut the noodles into manageable 6-inch lengths, and set aside on a clean tray.
3. In a medium bowl, toss the sliced halal chicken breast strips with 1 tablespoon halal soy sauce and 1 teaspoon cornstarch until evenly coated, allowing it to marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes.
4. In a small ramekin, mix 1.5 tablespoons Madras curry powder, 0.5 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce, 0.5 teaspoon sea salt, and 2 tablespoons halal chicken broth until smooth.
5. Heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil in a large 14-inch flat-bottom wok or heavy skillet over high heat until shimmering; add the marinated chicken strips in a single layer and stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until fully cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius), then transfer to a clean plate.
6. Wipe out the wok, add the remaining 1.5 tablespoons cooking oil over medium-high heat, and add the sliced onion, red bell pepper, garlic, and ginger, stir-frying rapidly for 2 minutes until aromatic and tender-crisp.
7. Pour the prepared curry spice liquid directly into the wok with the vegetables, stirring constantly for 30 seconds until the spices bloom and become fragrant in the bubbling oil.
8. Add the drained rice vermicelli and cooked chicken strips back to the wok, tossing continuously using two spatulas or long tongs for 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat until the noodles are uniformly dyed golden yellow and piping hot.
9. Toss in 1.5 cups mung bean sprouts and scallion batons during the final 30 seconds of cooking, remove immediately from heat to preserve vegetable crunch, and serve warm.

Kitchen notes

The key to preventing rice vermicelli from turning into a mushy, broken mess in the wok is avoiding boiling water. Submerge dried rice noodles in warm tap water for ten minutes until pliable yet still firm in the center, then drain thoroughly in a colander. Shake out excess moisture and snip long bundles with kitchen shears into six-inch lengths. When added to the hot wok, the moist noodles absorb seasoning sauces directly without overcooking or disintegrating during vigorous tossing.

Storage & make-ahead

Cool leftover stir-fried vermicelli promptly and place in a sealed airtight container in the refrigerator within 2 hours; consume within 2 to 3 days. Reheat in a lightly oiled nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or halal broth to loosen the strands, tossing constantly until steaming hot and reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius). Avoid microwave reheating as it dries the rice noodles unevenly.