posted by snot

Taiwanese Rice Noodles aka Bee-whun - (my Mom's version)
(i stole this pic from someone else)

You will get a lot of varieties for rice noodles. My cousin Dorfiesis makes a very tasty rice noodle that is quite different tasting from the one I grew up with and learned to make. Even on the island of Taiwan, there are varieties in cooking style based on where you live and your background. (I will let her expand more on her version herself) It's quite amazing how food is such a huge reflection of where you come from.

Ingredients:
1 package of Rice noodles - thin - (you will only need two or three squares out of the package)
1 cup Carrots - sliced... julienne? (sorry I don't know cooking terms but I'll learn!)
1 cup Napa - sliced into slim strips
**veggies choices are flexible, sometimes I will add carrots and green peppers, or no carrots and just green peppers. sometimes no veggies at all. But traditionally - carrots and Napa are in it.
1 onion - small to medium - depending on your taste for onions
2-3 mini cloves Garlic - depending on your taste for it
1/2 Pound - Meat (Usually Pork or Chicken) sliced into slim/small strips
Corn Starch
Soy Sauce
Salt
Pepper
La Si (which unfortunately I don't know WHERE to find it - my Mom always has it though so we can do without - call it our family's "secret ingredient")
Dried little Shrimp (optional)

For Sauce:  Garlice and Soy Sauce.

Preparation:
It is simpler to cook if you chop everything up first and put it aside - either on one big plate or many smaller plates - this way, when you get to it, you just dump it in. (maybe you already knew that, I always have to remind myself)

Soak the rice noodles in cold/lukewarm water until they soften - some brands you don't need to have this step. But it's easier to manipulate during cooking if you do this ahead of time. (**note instead of water, I will occasionally soak it in chicken brother instead... but it's up to you... I don't remember if it tastes different.. I haven't made it in so long!)

Marination:
Once you have chopped the meat, put it in a bowl.
Sprinkle a little Cornstarch on top of it (maybe about a teaspoon amount, this is to help tenderize the meat) 
Add a little soysauce (enough to coat it but not oversoak).
Add a little salt and pepper.
Even a little garlic to it.
(I will also add a sprinkle of sugar. Just for carmelization and it brings out a different type of flavor.)
Mix - make sure cornstarch is dissolved or you will have little cornstarch globs.

Cooking:
Turn high heat on.
Put oil into pan, enough for a light coating of the base of the pan. Let it warm up.
Once the oil begins to jump a little, put garlic in. Sautee for about a minute or until the garlic looks a little golden.
Add Meat Marinade. Sautee until it is pretty well cooked. Not thoroughly cooked but mostly cooked. Usually with a nice brown coating on the outside.
Remove meat from pan and set aside, leave the juices from the cooking process in.
Add rest of garlic, followed by onions. Sautee until Onions are carmelized.
Add carrots and napa.
Salt and pepper - light sprinking over everything.
Continue to stirfry/mix.
Add 1/4-half cup of water, cover quickly so the steam can cook the veggies in the pan.
Once veggies appear tender, remove cover and stir around more.
Add rice noodles, folding them into the previous mix. (Chopsticks can help with this process)
The noodles will be huge - You can add a little water or even chicken broth to help tenderize and cook the noodle more.
Cover again to let noodles tenderize and absorb the liquid from veggies.
Add previously cooked meat w/any juices from it.
Fold until there is even distribution of meat/veggie/noodles.
Add some soy sauce to taste - I usually put like a circular medium heavy drizzle over the noodles.
Mix/fold until even.
Cover again/add a little water/broth again as necessary to tenderize.
Salt and pepper/add soysauce again as necessary and mix/fold.

If you put too much water/broth - it's okay! Just either pour it out or cook uncovered to let it evaporate.

Sauce preparation: Chop up garlic into small pieces, add soy sauce as desired, mix, put on top of noodles as desired.

Hopefully I can provide pics soon!