Kerabu Beehoon is a vibrant Nyonya dish of rice vermicelli tossed with sambal belacan, calamansi juice, and lots of herbs. Kerabu means spicy, sweet & sour salad and Beehoon means rice vermicelli. Nyonya is a culture and cooking style, from the influence of Chinese and Malay cultures in areas of what is now Malaysia and Singapore.
Kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, shallots, garlic, torch ginger flower, and mint leaves mixed together with springy rice noodles, then tossed with spicy chili sambal and zesty calamansi lime. This colorful Kerabu Noodle truly represents Malaysian cuisine and also diverse culture.
Even though preparation takes a while – lots of herbs to chop, it’s worth the work. The flavors of the herbs will dance on your tongue (and continue to do so even after you are finished), will leave you sated and wishing for more.
This light & flavourful dish is eaten anytime of the day – for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even teatime. I don’t mind having them throughout the day.
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Kerabu Beehoon (Rice Noodle Salad)
- Total Time: 38 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Kerabu Beehoon is a vibrant Malaysian rice noodle salad, tossed with sambal belacan, calamansi juice, and a medley of fresh herbs, offering a spicy, sweet, and sour flavor profile.
Ingredients
- 200g Rice Vermicelli - soak in water until soft and drain
- 100g Beansprout
- 12 medium Prawns - shelled and deveined
- 2 pieces Firm Tofu
- 6 Kaffir Lime Leaves - finely sliced
- 3 stalks Lemongrass - bruised and finely sliced
- 10 Shallots - thinly sliced
- 2 cloves Garlic - minced
- 2" Ginger - minced
- 2 Torch Ginger Flower (Bunga Kantan - finely sliced
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) freshly Grated Coconut
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) Dried Shrimp - pounded
- 4 fresh Red Chili
- 4 Dried Red Chili
- 1 tbsp Belacan (Shrimp Paste)
- 1 tbsp Palm Sugar (Gula Melaka) or Raw Sugar
- Juice of 3 Calamansi Limes
- Pinch of salt, or to taste
Garnishing:
- A handful of Mint Leaves - finely sliced
- Calamansi Lime - halved
- Fried Shallots (optional)
Instructions
- Soak 200g of rice vermicelli in water until soft, then drain and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine finely sliced kaffir lime leaves, bruised lemongrass, sliced shallots, minced garlic, and sliced torch ginger flower.
- In a mortar and pestle, lb fresh chili and dried chili to make a paste, or pulse in a food processor.
- Heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chili paste and cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the prawns to the pan and cook until they turn pink, about 3-4 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, lightly fry the firm tofu until golden brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- In the mixing bowl with the herbs, add the cooked rice vermicelli, beansprouts, cooked prawns, and tofu.
- Add sambal belacan, calamansi juice, and salt to taste. Toss everything together until well combined.
- Garnish with mint leaves before serving.
Notes
- Chop the herbs finely to ensure they mix well with the noodles.
- This dish can be served at any meal, including breakfast and teatime.
- If calamansi limes are unavailable, substitute with lime or lemon juice.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Malaysian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 18
- Cholesterol: 85
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is torch ginger flower (Bunga Kantan) and can I skip it?
Torch ginger flower (Bunga Kantan) is a fragrant, slightly tangy blossom used widely in Malaysian and Nyonya cooking. It is one of the herb-forward elements the article specifically highlights as making the flavours of this salad distinctive, so leaving it out will noticeably change the character of the dish. Look for it fresh or pickled in Asian grocery stores.
What is belacan (shrimp paste) and is there a substitute?
Belacan is a fermented shrimp paste that forms the base of the sambal in this recipe, giving the dish its deep umami backbone. The recipe calls for 1 tbsp; it is not directly substituted in the source material, so if unavailable, a small amount of fish sauce or miso stirred into the chili paste is a common workaround, though the flavour will differ.
What can I use if I can’t find calamansi limes?
The notes explicitly say to substitute lime or lemon juice if calamansi limes are unavailable. The recipe uses the juice of 3 calamansi limes, so start with about 3 tablespoons of fresh lime juice and adjust to taste.
Can this salad be made ahead, and how long does it keep?
The notes say leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The article notes it is eaten across all meals in Malaysia, so it holds reasonably well, but the noodles will absorb the dressing and soften over time.
