Dry Egg Noodles | Bamee Hang | บะหมี่แห้ง

A Thai street food classic, these Dry Egg Noodles known as Bamee Hang are popular for good reason. The noodles are salty, sweet, and oh so garlicky. Topped with your choice of meats and vegetables, this dish is a perfect quick and easy Thai meal.

On my husband's most recent visit to Thailand, he fell in love with the Dry Egg Noodles known as Bamee Hang (บะหมี่แห้ง). Bamee Hang is one of the more popular versions of "dry noodles" that people often order on the streets of Thailand. These dry noodles are basically versions of noodle soups that are served without the broth. The noodles are mixed with flavorful seasonings instead, and topped with all of the other yummy ingredients that usually come with the soup.

Since returning from his trip, he has eagerly been experimenting in the kitchen, trying to recreate his favorite version of Bamee Hang. This recipe is the result of his efforts, and it is absolutely delicious. Salty, sweet, and garlicky, this is a bowl of noodles I would be happy to eat every day!

What is Bamee Hang?

In Thai, Bamee refers to Egg Noodles and Hang is the word for Dry. So Bamee Hang is literally "Dry Egg Noodles". They are labelled this way to distinguish them from noodles that are served in a broth, AKA noodle soups.

The Dry Egg Noodles are boiled until they are al dente, then placed in a bowl without broth. They are seasoned very simply with fish sauce, sugar, dried chilis, and fried garlic with garlic oil. The noodles are delicious when eaten just like that, or you can add a variety of toppings.

The topping choices are meats and vegetables that are usually served with the soup version of this dish. One of the most common choices is a combination of wontons and Thai Red Pork known as Moo Dang (this dish is therefore known as Bamee Moo Dang). There are many other topping choices, which are listed below, as well. The final dish is then sprinkled with cilantro and green onions to finish it off.

Why You'll Love Bamee Hang

1. Quick and easy: You can make this Thai noodle dish in less time than it takes to boil pasta. Fresh egg noodles only require 20-30 seconds of cooking time. Then top them with a few seasonings sauces and sprinkle on some fresh herbs. Voila, you're ready to eat in a matter of minutes!
2. Great for warmer months: When you feel like noodles, but don't want a bowl of steaming hot broth in front of you, Bamee Hang is a great choice. Your noodle cravings can be satisfied during those warm summer months.
3. Easily customizable: You can choose which toppings you'd like on your noodles, or if you'd like any at all. That makes this dish perfect for family dinners or dinner parties. Simply lay out all of the choices and let your guests choose how they'd like to eat their noodles.

Ingredients

• Bamee Noodles: In Thai, Bamee Noodles refer to egg noodles. The egg noodles used for this dish are usually thin, round, and yellow. I have linked to a shelf-stable version, but fresh egg noodles are best. Fresh egg noodles can be found at your local Asian market in the refrigerated section. If they are coated in flour, you can dip them in water before cooking to remove the starch.
• Fish Sauce: As this dish is seasoned quite simply, it's important to use a good quality Thai fish sauce. Here's more information all about Thai fish sauce.
• Sugar: White granulated sugar is the sugar of choice for this dish. Sugar is added to give the noodles a more round flavor, balancing out the fish sauce and dried chilis.
• Fried Garlic and Garlic Oil: Fried garlic and the oil that it's fried in are key flavors in this dish. Fried garlic and garlic oil are easy to make at home, and the taste and aroma is much better than store-bought. See link for instructions to make your own.
• Dried Chilis and/or Ground White Pepper: Dried red chili flakes known as Prik Bon or Ground White Pepper known as Prik Thai can be added to the noodles. You can add as much or as little as you like.
• Cilantro and Green Onions: Cilantro and green onions are sliced finely and sprinkled on top of the noodles to give them some fresh, herbaceous flavor.
• Toppings of Your Choice: See below for a list of topping choices that are often served with Bamee Hang. You can choose as many or as few as you'd like to add to your noodle dish.

Instructions

If you are just eating the noodles without toppings, or if your toppings are already prepared, Bamee Hang comes together really quickly. Simply follow these steps and you'll be enjoying these Thai noodles in a matter of minutes:

Rinse the egg noodles in water to remove any extra flour. Then cook them in boiling water for 20-30 seconds. Scoop them into a bowl and coat with garlic oil so they don't stick together.

Add the fish sauce, sugar, dried chili flakes and/or white pepper, and fried garlic to the noodles. Toss together until the noodles are well-coated.

Sprinkle the noodles with chopped cilantro and green onions. Mix everything together and do a taste test. Adjust the seasonings to your preference.

Add the toppings that you'd like. See below for a list of topping choices. If you're making Bamee Moo Dang, add Roast Red Pork, wontons, and choy sum.

Topping Choices for Bamee Hang

Bamee Hang can be customized by the addition of various meats and vegetables. A very popular topping combination known as Bamee Moo Dang includes wontons, Roast Red Pork known as Moo Dang, and Choy Sum. Some other topping choices are:

• Pork: Red Pork, Crispy Pork Belly (Moo Grob), wontons, pork meatballs, minced pork
• Duck: Roast duck
• Seafood: Fish balls, fish cakes, shrimp
• Vegetables: Choy sum, bok choy, gai lan, water spinach, bean sprouts, napa cabbage

The vegetables can be quickly blanched in boiling water before adding to the noodles. The uncooked meats and wontons can likewise be cooked in boiling water. The pre-cooked meats can simply be sliced and added to the noodle dish.

Storage

Any leftover noodles can be stored in the refrigerator. To reheat them, simply pop in the microwave. Once the noodles are hot, you can add additional crispy fried garlic and the toppings of your choice.

I'm so glad my husband fell in love with Bamee Hang on his last trip to Thailand, and introduced it to me. After recreating it, I can definitely understand why this Dry Egg Noodle Dish is such a popular street food classic. Its simplicity, versatility, and sweet and salty deliciousness make it the perfect addition to our family's summer meal rotation!