Shahe fen (沙河粉), or simply he fen (河粉), is a type of wide Chinese noodle made from rice. Its Minnan Chinese name 粿條, is adapted into alternate names which are widely encountered in Southeast Asia, such as kway teow, kwetiau, and kuetiau. Shahe fen is often stir-fried with meat and/or vegetables in a dish called chao fen. While chao fen is a transliteration of Mandarin, chow fun from Cantonese is the name most often given to the dish in Chinese restaurants in North America.
Boxes of shahe fen
Sliced fish hor fun sold in Bukit Batok, Singapore
Wide shahe fen stir-fried with soy sauce, as served in Switzerland
Dried shahe fen before cooking
Chinese noodles vary widely according to the region of production, ingredients, shape or width, and manner of preparation. Noodles were invented in China, and are an essential ingredient and staple in Chinese cuisine. They are an important part of most regional cuisines within China, and other countries with sizable overseas Chinese populations.
Chinese noodles at a noodle shop in Tuen Mun, Hong Kong
Noodles at a store in Yuen Long
Two men making noodles in Shanghai
Cutting thin strips of dough from a loaf directly into a container of boiling water to make knife-cut noodles in Datong, Shanxi