Lao Shu Fen, is a special rice noodle among all the chinese rice noodles, with the shape barely shorter and thicker compared with other rice noodles like rice vermicelli and egg noodle, therefore it is called Short Rice Noodle in English. Lao Shu Fen or Lou Shu Fen (Cantonese) literally means Rat Noodle, (what a funny name huh!) but don’t worry, it doesn’t mean this type of noodle is a rat’s food or made from any part of rat, just because its shape tapered like rat’s tail, so, it gained this wonderful name!
Perhaps only people in Southeast Asia think this rice noodle looks like rat’s tail, Hongki and Taiwanese think otherwise. They call it Yin Zhen Fen, literally means Silver Needle Noodle, because they think it looks like silver needle. Why it is called silver needle not gold needle?? Oh, because of its color, it is a bit silver, definately not gold.
Hah, remember this, if you want to order this short rice noodle in Hong Kong or Taiwan, don’t say “ Please give me Lao Shu Fen”, because they will think you want rat poison (Fen means powder too), you gonna scare them off! Just tell them you want Yin Zhen Fen.
Lao Shu Fen - tapered rice noodle
Check out this picture, this is how Lao Shu Fen looks like. What do you think, does it looks like rat’s tail or needle? You decide.
Well, they are the same rice noodle, same look, same taste, given different name in different region, all due to different perception by different people.
# Read also Claypot Lao Shu Fen
