Taiwanese Oyster Vermicelli Noodles

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A beloved Taiwanese street-food classic, this comforting bowl pairs briny fresh oysters with whisper-thin wheat vermicelli in a glossy, lightly thickened savory broth. Fragrant fried shallots and fresh cilantro finish the dish with a fragrant, slightly herbal lift.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 395 kcalCalories
• 12 gFat
• 2 gSaturated Fat
• 52 gCarbs
• 2 gFiber
• 3 gSugar
• 19 gProtein
• 1180 mgSodium
• 420 mgPotassium
• 95 mgCalcium
• 6 mgIron
• 9 mgVitamin C
• 85 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the oyster broth

• 240 g fresh shucked oysters, drained
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

For the noodles and garnish

• 200 g dried mee sua (thin wheat vermicelli), about 4 bundles
• 3 tablespoons fried shallots, plus more for serving
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• Chili crisp or black vinegar, for serving (optional)

Directions

1. Prepare the oysters: rinse the shucked oysters gently under cold water, drain, and set aside. Pick over for any shell fragments.
2. Bring the chicken stock to a gentle boil in a wide pot. Stir in the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sugar, then simmer for 3 minutes to meld the flavors.
3. Meanwhile, soak the mee sua in warm water for 5 minutes to loosen the bundles; drain and set aside. They will finish cooking in the broth.
4. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and fry until pale golden, about 1 minute. Pour the seasoned stock through a fine-mesh strainer into the skillet and bring back to a simmer.
5. Add the soaked mee sua to the simmering broth and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring gently, until the noodles are translucent and tender.
6. Lower the heat to a bare simmer. Carefully slide the oysters into the broth and poach for 60-90 seconds, just until their edges curl; do not boil or they will turn rubbery.
7. Stir the cornstarch slurry and drizzle it into the broth in a thin stream, stirring gently for about 30 seconds, until the broth turns glossy and lightly thickened, coating the back of a spoon.
8. Divide the noodles and oysters among four bowls, ladle the thickened broth over each, then top with fried shallots, cilantro, and scallions. Serve immediately with chili crisp or black vinegar on the side.

Cook’s Notes

• Choose the freshest oysters you can find; small to medium Pacific or Kumamoto-style oysters are traditional and stay tender in the hot broth.
• Do not let the broth boil once the oysters go in, or they will toughen and shrink. A bare simmer for under 2 minutes is plenty.
• Mee sua cooks very quickly and can turn to mush if overcooked; the pre-soak plus 2 minutes in the broth gives the ideal silky-but-still-intact texture.
• For a deeper color and slightly sweet caramel note, swap the dark soy sauce for a splash of black vinegar at the very end of cooking.
• Leftover noodles can be stored separately from the broth for up to 1 day; reheat gently and add fresh oysters to revive the bowl.

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