Hu Tieu Xao, a Vietnamese Stir Fry dish, has similar counterparts in Chinese and other Southeast Asian cuisines. Traditionally, it is made with beef, Chinese broccoli, and wide flat rice noodles. Today, I took on the challenge of transforming leftover Bánh Cuốn, Vietnamese rice rolls, into a delicious non-traditional version.
The transformation was a hit! We had so much Bánh Cuốn leftover, we were sick of eating it. However, this dish was devoured so quick that I was shocked. I didn’t have all of the traditional ingredients on hand, but instead made with chicken, red bell pepper, white onion, and scrambled eggs. I didn’t change the sauce and used bean sprouts and green onions like the traditional dish uses too.
Transform YOUR way
If you’re making at home, you can replace any of the ingredients with what you have on hand. That’s the beauty of transforming leftovers! Wide noodles are definitely a favorite, but you can use whatever rice noodles you have – just make sure to only soak or cook until still al dente. If you cook them too long beforehand, it can become mushy when you stir fry. Here are some ingredient ideas, but again feel free to use whatever you have on hand!
- Bok choy or other leafy greens
- Tofu
- Shrimp – I had a delicious version at a restaurant recently with shrimp. This will be next on the list to try!
- Mushrooms – oyster would be my top pick, but any would be delicious
The Sauce
The sauce is where most of the flavor comes from. I used a mix of oyster sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, siracha, and sugar. I loosely followed the sauce recipe from Balance with Jess – definitely check out her recipe for a traditional version of this dish!
Tips
- If you are using a meat, seafood, or similar such as tofu, marinate beforehand if you have time. For a quick meal, I cut and marinated the chicken while I prepped all of my other ingredients and veggies. If you have more time, marinating for at least 30 minutes would be ideal for maximum flavor.
- For refrigerated fresh or leftover noodles, I recommend heating in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute until easy to break apart. I add a cover, or you can add a wet paper towel on top to help provide some steam inside the microwave.
- If you are in a rush, throw everything together and call it a day. If not, I recommend cooking in stages. First cook your meat, remove from pan, cook your eggs, remove from pan, and then stir fry the veggies, noodles, and sauce. This helps all the food retain its shape and ideal texture without overcooking or falling apart.
- Add some freshness! If using fresh herbs, bean sprouts, or green onions, don’t overcook them. Instead, keep them relatively fresh by adding at the very end of stir frying (green onions especially), or topping/mixing in without cooking at all (herbs and bean sprouts).
If you like this Vietnamese stir fry, check out these other Vietnamese influenced recipes. Enjoy!
Vietnamese Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 box leftover rice rolls (bánh cuốn) (or 1 pack fresh or dry noodles of your choice)
Mix Ins – Feel free to replace based on what you have available!
- 1 lb chicken, sliced or cubed
- 3 eggs
- 2 cloves garlic
- 0.5 sweet onion
- 1 bell pepper
- 0.5 bag bean sprouts
- 4-5 green onions
Sauce (from Balance with Jess)
- 2.5 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce low sodium
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 0.5 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp siracha
Other
- fish sauce, to taste
- salt and pepper, to taste
- vegetable oil for cooking
Instructions
Prep
- Mix all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup
- Slice or dice your chicken. Add 1.5 tbsp of the sauce and mix. Let marinate while you finish prep.
- Mince the garlic. Dice the onion and bell pepper. Slice all but one of the green onions into 4ths. With the last green onion, thinly slice into small pieces for garnish.
- Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk. Season with salt, pepper, and a dash of fish sauce.
- If needed, reheat your rice rolls or noodles in the microwave. If using leftover rice rolls (bánh cuốn), slice them into smaller strips.
Stir Fry
- In a wok or large pan, heat 1-2 tbsp of vegetable oil
- Cook your chicken until browned and cooked through, mixing with wooden spoon or chopsticks. Remove from pan.
- Add a little more oil if needed and add the eggs. Cook until slightly underdone, and then remove. They will finish cooking while they rest and/or when they are added back in later.
- Add 1-2 tbsp of oil again to the hot wok. Add garlic and onions and cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add bell peppers and cook until slightly soft.
- Add sauce and noodles. Mix and cook for 1-2 minutes. Keep the heat high so that you can get some caramelization on the noodles with the sauce.
- Add a dash of fish sauce, salt, and pepper to taste. You can also add more oyster sauce, soy sauce, or sugar to taste. Then add the chicken and eggs back in.
- Mix, and then turn off heat.
- Add big green onion slices and bean sprouts. Mix again.
- Serve, garnish with small green onion, and enjoy!
