Sha Cha Glass Noodles in under 10 minutes

Last Updated on December 29, 2023

This Sha Cha Glass noodles in under 10 minutes is my first go-to speedy meal every time I want a quick feed. Learn how to cook Sha Cha Glass Noodles in under 10 minutes with this simple and delicious recipe with me!

Taiwanese Barbeque Shacha Sauce is the sauce that always eases off my homesickness. Mung bean glass noodles are also a.k.a. mung bean thread or Dongfen (冬粉), they look so delicate with a unique slippery and silky texture when they are cooked.

They are also super low in calories and gluten-free! Very quick and easy to cook!

What are Glass Noodles (Mung Bean Noodles)?

As known as Cellophane noodles, are a type of transparent noodle made from a variety of starches. In China, cellophane noodles are usually made of mung bean starch or sweet potato starch.

Chinese varieties made from mung bean starch are called Chinese vermicelli, bean threads, or bean thread noodles.

Some varieties made from sweet potato starch are Fentiao or Hongshufen. Thicker Korean varieties made with sweet potato starch are called sweet potato noodles or dangmyeon.

Cellophane noodles are available in various thicknesses. Wide, flat cellophane noodle sheets called mung bean sheets are also produced in China. In Korea, napjak-dangmyeon (literally “flat dangmyeon”) refers to flat sweet potato noodles.

They are sold in dried form, soaked to reconstitute, and then used in soups, stir-fried dishes, or spring rolls. They are called “cellophane noodles” or “glass noodles” because of their cellophane- or glass-like transparency when cooked.

Cellophane noodles should not be confused with rice vermicelli, which is made from rice and is white rather than clear.

Generally, glass noodles are sugar-free, hence may be a great option for people with diabetes. They are also fat-free and may prove to be an excellent inclusion in the weight-loss diet.

How to Cook Glass Noodles

Glass noodles are easy to make and cook quickly. They can be soaked in warm water for about 10 minutes or boiled like regular noodles.

Here I use thin mung bean threads, just add them to a large bowl and cover them with warm water. Let them soak for around 10-15 minutes. They don’t take long to boil, so be careful not to overcook them. Only cook them until they are soft and transparent, which usually takes about 2-3 minutes( after soaking in warm water).

What is Sha Cha Sauce?

Vegetarian Taiwanese Barbeque Shacha Sauce is a delicious, vegetarian barbeque sauce. The pictures above are my favorite brands from Taiwan( AGV and Bull Head, they can easily be found at Asian supermarkets or you can buy them online). Barbeque sauce can be used in many dishes to enhance the flavor. It has a savory, very subtle spicy flavor. Shacha sauce is a very popular condiment used in Taiwanese cuisine. We use Sha Cha sauce a lot in stir-fries, hotpot dipping sauce, soup…etc.

What does it taste like? It has an intensely savory, mildly seafood-y flavor. The name 沙茶醬 in Chinese means “sand tea sauce.” Unsure how it got this name, however, it is usually described in English as, “Chinese BBQ sauce.” But it has nothing that tastes similar to BBQ sauce.

It can last for months in the refrigerator in its sealed container. Just make sure you always use a clean utensil before scooping it out from the jar.

P.S. You might feel confused about the word ” Vegetarian” on the labels here. Actually, they don’t contain any forms of animal products in them. The definition of Vegan in Asian countries is slightly different. For religious reasons, aside from alcohol, some Buddhists avoid consuming strong-smelling plants, specifically garlic, onion, chives, leeks, shallots, and some spices, as these vegetables are thought to increase sexual desire when eaten cooked and anger when eaten raw.

Check out other sauces I use for my cooking to ensure the best results are always achieved: The magic ingredients in my vegan cooking

Ingredients for Sha Cha Glass Noodles

• Mung Bean Glass Noodles( Bean threads)– add them to a large bowl and cover them with warm water. Let them soak anywhere from 10-15 minutes.

• Mung Bean Sprouts

• Minced Garlic– freshly grated is preferred.

• Fried Shallots– You can buy them from Asian supermarket, they are pretty cheap.

• Spring Onion (Scallion)

• Coriander (Cilantro)- for garnish

• Vegetarian Sha Cha Sauce– AGV or Bull Head brand, they can easily be found at Asian supermarkets or you can buy them online.

• Light Soy Sauce– L.K.K and Pearl River Bridge are my favorite. Recently I found L.K.K. also have gluten-free soy sauce, one more option for gluten-free people.

• Vegetable Stock Powder– I use this Singaporean brand mushroom seasoning.

• Organic Sugar, Ground Black Pepper, and Water

• Red Chili (optional)

How to make Sha Cha Glass Noodles+ Video

1. Mix Vegetarian Sha Cha sauce, light soy sauce, vegetable stock, sugar, ground black pepper and water together.
2. Add mung bean noodles( bean threads) to a large bowl and cover them with warm water. Let them soak anywhere from 10-15 minutes.
3. Heat up a pan on high heat, pour in the sauce mixture and add minced garlic.
4. Add fried shallot then bring the liquid to boil.
5. Once the liquid is boiling, add mung bean noodles( bean threads)
6. Cook until the liquid is disappeared and also mung bean noodles become transparent and soft, add chopped spring onion to finish and then serve.

Hope you like this Sha Cha Noodle Recipe!

More Quick n Easy Noodles

Other meal ideas you will like:

• Tempeh popcorn with basil
• Vegan Curried Tofu Fried Rice
• Vegan Yaki Udon
• King Oyster Mushroom Stir Fry with Cashew Nuts
• Vegan Thai Basil Stir Fry
• Vegan Chop Suey
• Easy Vegan Pho
• Best Vegan Fried Rice
• Pickled Chilies
• Chinese Stir-Fried Water Spinach
• Easy Vegan Ramen

Fluff Diary

Oops! There is a bird coming out from the screen~