East Asia China (螞蟻上樹) In
Chinese, the most commonly used names are
fěnsī () and
fěntiáo or
hóngshǔfěn ( or or 'sweet potato noodles'). They are also marketed under the name
saifun, the
Cantonese pronunciation of the Mandarin
xìfěn (, though the name
fánsī (粉絲) is the term most often used in Cantonese. In China, glass noodles are a popular ingredient used in
stir-fries, soups, and particularly
hot pots. They can also be used as an ingredient in fillings for a variety of Chinese
jiaozi (dumplings) and
bing (
flatbreads), especially in
vegetarian versions of these dishes. Thicker glass noodles are also commonly used to imitate the appearance and texture of
shark's fin in vegetarian soups. Thicker varieties, most popular in China's
northeast, are used in stir-fries as well as cold salad-like dishes. A popular Shanghai cuisine using the ingredient is fried tofu with thin noodles (). A popular
Sichuan dish called "
ants climbing a tree" consists of stewed glass noodles with a spicy ground pork meat sauce. In
Tibetan cuisine, glass noodles are called
phing or
fing and are used in soup, in pork curry, or with mushrooms.
Japan In
Japanese cuisine, they are called
harusame (), literally "spring rain". Unlike Chinese glass noodles, they are usually made from potato starch. They are commonly used to make salads, or as an ingredient in
hot pot dishes. They are also often used to make Japanese adaptations of Chinese and Korean dishes.
Shirataki noodles are translucent, traditional Japanese noodles made from the
konjac yam and sometimes
tofu.
Korea '' from Korea In
Korean cuisine, glass noodles are usually made from
sweet potato starch and are called
dangmyeon (; literally "
Tang noodles"; also spelled
dang myun,
dangmyun,
tang myun, or
tangmyun). They are commonly stir-fried in sesame oil with beef and vegetables, and flavoured with soy and sugar, in a popular dish called
japchae (). They are usually thick, and are a brownish-gray color when in their uncooked form.
Taiwan In
Taiwanese cuisine, they are called
dōngfěn (). They are a versatile ingredient used in soups, stir-fries, hot pots, and street food. A popular Taiwanese dish featuring glass noodles is
bah-oân (肉圓), a translucent, doughy snack filled with meat and vegetables, often including glass noodles in the filling for added texture. Glass noodles are also a staple in Taiwanese-style
lu wei (滷味), a braised food stall dish where various ingredients, including glass noodles, are simmered in a spiced soy-based broth and served hot or cold. In Hakka cuisine, a traditional preparation called kè jīa fěn sī (客家粉絲) involves stir-frying glass noodles with dried shrimp, mushrooms, pork, and preserved vegetables. Glass noodles are also often included in festive banquet dishes, such as steamed seafood casseroles and
Buddha Jumps Over the Wall (佛跳牆), where they absorb rich flavours from broths and other ingredients. Taiwanese hot pots (火鍋) frequently include glass noodles as an essential add-in that soaks up the broth while maintaining a chewy texture, especially in spicy or medicinal broths popular in winter.
South Asia India In
India, glass noodles are called
falooda (see
falooda, the dessert dish), and are served on top of
kulfi (a traditional ice cream). They are usually made from arrowroot starch using a traditional technique. The noodles have minimal flavor so they provide a nice contrast with the sweet
kulfi.
Kulfi and
falooda can be bought from numerous food stalls throughout northern and southern parts of India.
Southeast Asia Indonesia In
Indonesian cuisine, they are called , , or , probably from . Its usually eaten with , , and . In
Klaten, there are made from starch.
Malaysia In
Malaysia, they are known as '
(冬粉). They are sometimes confused with ' (
米粉), which are
rice vermicelli. They are sometimes also known as or .
Myanmar (Burma) In
Myanmar, glass noodles are called
kyazan (; ), more specifically
pe kyazan (, ), which is typically made with mung bean flour. The other form of
kyazan, called
hsan kyazan (), refers to
rice vermicelli.
Kyazan is the primary starch used in a Burmese consommé called
kya zan hinga, and is also used in
Burmese salads.
Philippines , Philippines) In
Filipino cuisine, the noodles are called a similar name:
sotanghon because of the popular dish of the same name made from them using chicken and
wood ears. They are also confused with rice vermicelli, which is called
bihon in the Philippines.
Thailand made with glass hane noodles and shrimp In
Thai cuisine, glass noodles are called
wun sen (). They are commonly mixed with pork and shrimp in a spicy salad called
yam wun sen (), or stir-fried as
phat wun sen () and sometimes used as the noodles for
pad thai.
Vietnam In
Vietnamese cuisine, there are two varieties of glass noodles. The first, called
bún tàu or
bún tào, are made from
mung bean starch, and were introduced by Chinese immigrants. The second, called
miến or
miến dong, are made from
canna (), and were developed in Vietnam. These glass noodles are a main ingredient in the dishes:
miến gà (chicken),
miến lươn (eel),
miến ngan (muscovy duck), and
miến cua (crab). These glass noodles are sometimes confused with rice vermicelli () and
arrowroot starch noodles (Vietnamese: arrowroot:
củ dong, arrowroot starch:
bột dong/bột hoàng tinh/tinh bột khoai mì).
Polynesia French Polynesia In
French Polynesia, glass noodles are known as
vermicelle de soja and were introduced to the islands by
Hakka agricultural workers during the 19th century. They are most often used in
maa tinito, a dish made with glass noodles mixed together with pork, beans, and cooked vegetables.
Hawaii In
Hawaii, where cuisine is heavily influenced by Asian cultures, glass noodles are known locally as
long rice, supposedly because the process of making the noodles involves extruding the starch through a
potato ricer. They are used most often in
chicken long rice, a dish of glass noodles in chicken broth that is often served at
luaus.
Samoa Glass noodles were introduced to
Samoa by
Cantonese agricultural workers in the early 1900s, where they became known as "" (from meaning "to twirl" as in the method of twirling the noodles around chopsticks when eating). A popular dish called
sapasui (transliteration of the
Cantonese 雜碎
zaap soei) is common fare at social gatherings. Sapasui, a soupy dish of boiled glass noodles mixed with braised pork, beef, or chicken, and chopped vegetables, is akin to Hawaiian "long rice". ==Food safety incidents==