Rice noodle roll

History

Rice noodle rolls trace their roots to Guangdong, where they became a breakfast staple and a key part of Cantonese dim sum. The dish grew out of a local tradition of steaming rice batter into thin sheets, a method made possible by the region’s long history of wet-rice farming. In cities like Guangzhou, vendors used portable steamers to make them fresh on the spot. By the 1900s, these rolls were a fixture in teahouses across Guangdong and Hong Kong.

Their smooth texture worked well with fillings like shrimp, beef, or pork, and a simpler version came with just soy sauce. Another variation, zhaliang, wraps the sheet around a fried dough stick. Similar dishes emerged in Southeast Asia, such as Vietnam’s bánh cuốn, shaped by migration from southern China.

Preparation

The rice noodle sheets are made from a mixture of rice flour and tapioca or glutinous rice flour and water, with the consistency of heavy cream. The rice flour provides bulk and flavor, while the tapioca flour gives elasticity and springiness; tapioca or glutinous rice flour may be omitted when using aged rice, as chemical changes produce the same texture. The liquid mixture is poured into a specially made flat pan with holes, or commercial restaurants use oversized steamers lined with steam-permeable cloth.

The mixture is steamed from the bottom up to produce thin square sheets, roughly 1/8 inch thick. Fillings such as shrimp or beef may be added before the noodle is fully cooked, setting around the filling. After steaming, the noodle is scraped onto an oiled metal surface and lightly folded about three times. The noodle itself has little flavor; the fillings and warm sweetened soy sauce provide the umami.

Traditional fillings include marinated fresh or dried shrimp, beef mixed with rice flour, or pork and chopped green onions. The roll is generally served in multiples of three, scored to reveal the filling, and accompanied with plain or flavored oil and warm sweet soy sauce.

Regional

In Cantonese cuisine, rice noodle rolls are most often served in dim sum, with common types including beef, shrimp, dried shrimp, char siu, zhaliang, and pan-fried rolls. Modern varieties may include chicken with bitter melon, conpoy with pea shoot, fish, or stir-fried with XO sauce. A version absent outside Guangzhou uses sliced meat fillings, typically beef or pork, with blanched lettuce added for crunch. Canton and Hong Kong–style rolls emphasize thin rice sheets, while Chaoshan rice rolls focus on sauce and toppings, requiring thicker sheets that are not transparent.

Puning rice rolls, a popular Teochew variety, typically have fresh minced pork, dry mushrooms, dry shrimps, and preserved radishes as filling, with fresh beef, shrimp, or oyster as toppings. In Malaysia, Penang style chee cheong fun is served with a shrimp paste called hae ko. In Ipoh, it is served dry with sweet red sauce and chili sauce, or wet with curry and pork rind or minced meat gravy. Teluk Intan has variations containing turnips, shallots, and deep-fried shrimp.