Soft Steamed Rice Noodle Roll — Cheung Fun (IDDSI Level 5)

IDDSI Level 5 (Minced & Moist) | 40 minutes | Medium

Cheung fun (腸粉) — steamed rice noodle rolls — is one of the most recognisable items in Hong Kong’s dim sum canon, appearing at yum cha restaurants, street-side cheung fun stalls, and hospital canteen breakfast menus alike. The dish consists of a thin, silky sheet of steamed rice batter rolled around a filling of shrimp, char siu pork or beef, served with a sweetened soy sauce and sesame oil. The rice sheet itself is naturally very soft — its texture is inherently close to IDDSI Level 5 compliance. The primary modifications required are: cutting the rolls into pieces no larger than 1.5cm, ensuring the filling is finely chopped and thoroughly cooked, and thinning the sauce to a low-viscosity liquid. This recipe produces a reliable Level 5 result using a simple flat tray steaming method accessible to home carers.

Ingredients (2 servings)

Rice batter:

• 100g rice flour (粘米粉)
• 20g wheat starch (澄面, tang flour)
• 10g cornstarch
• 350ml water
• ¼ teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Filling (choose one):

• 6–8 medium fresh shrimp (shelled, deveined, poached until just cooked, cut into 0.5cm pieces)
• OR: 80g char siu pork (store-bought or homemade, cut into 0.5cm pieces)
• OR: 1 steamed egg, chopped

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons water (to thin)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon sesame oil

Method

Prepare the sauce:

1. Combine soy sauce, water and sugar. Microwave for 20 seconds to dissolve the sugar; add sesame oil and stir. The finished sauce should be thin and freely pourable (IDDSI Level 0–1) — not syrupy.

Make the rice batter: 2. Combine rice flour, wheat starch, cornstarch and salt in a bowl. Gradually add the water, stirring until completely smooth and lump-free. Add the oil and mix. Rest for 15 minutes. 3. Lightly oil a flat stainless steel tray or heatproof flat-bottomed plate using a paper towel. 4. Place the tray in the steamer and bring water to a boil. Pour approximately 80ml of batter onto the tray — a thin, even layer that just covers the base. 5. Cover and steam over high heat for 3–4 minutes until the batter is completely set and slightly translucent. 6. Place a small amount of filling on the lower third of the set batter sheet. Using a silicone spatula, roll the sheet from one end to form a cheung fun roll. 7. Remove and cut into pieces no more than 1.5cm long.

Serve: 8. Arrange the cut pieces on a plate. Drizzle with a small amount of the thinned sauce — enough to keep the pieces moist but not submerged. Serve immediately.

Texture Test

IDDSI Level 5 (Minced & Moist) confirmation: Press a piece of cheung fun with fork tines — it should yield and flatten easily with minimal force, requiring no cutting. Filling pieces should be soft throughout (shrimp should be fully cooked and tender, not springy). Each piece must not exceed 1.5cm in any dimension. The rice sheet should be uniformly soft with no hard or dry edges.

Moisture confirmation: The pieces should be sufficiently coated with sauce to remain moist and cohesive during chewing. The sauce itself must be thin (IDDSI Level 0–1) — if the sauce is thick and syrupy, dilute further with water before serving.

Safety Notes

⚠️ Cutting is mandatory — a whole cheung fun roll (typically 8–12cm long) does not meet Level 5 requirements. Every piece must be cut to no more than 1.5cm before serving. Round cross-sections (from rolling) are preferable to elongated strips.

⚠️ Filling selection — avoid whole large shrimp, fibrous vegetables (spring onion, garlic chives), sesame seeds, or any hard small particles. All filling ingredients must be finely diced and thoroughly cooked until tender.

⚠️ Sauce viscosity — traditional cheung fun sauce (such as oyster sauce or thick sweet soy sauce) is too viscous for Level 5 service. Always thin with water to a freely pourable consistency before applying.

⚠️ Serve immediately — the rice sheet dries out and hardens quickly at room temperature. Serve within 5 minutes of steaming. If the cheung fun has cooled and stiffened, briefly re-steam for 1–2 minutes to restore softness before cutting and serving.

Sourcing in Hong Kong

• Rice flour (粘米粉): Dry goods section of wet markets and supermarkets; White Crane brand or equivalent; do not substitute with glutinous rice flour (糯米粉), which produces a stickier, chewier texture
• Wheat starch (澄面): Baking ingredients section at PARKnSHOP, Wellcome; also available at wet market dry goods stalls
• Fresh shrimp: Wet market seafood stalls; medium size (approximately 1cm after shelling and dicing); frozen peeled shrimp from supermarkets is a convenient substitute

Nutrition

Approximately 250 kcal per serving (shrimp version), 12g protein, 5g fat, 40g carbohydrate. The rice flour batter provides easily digestible refined carbohydrate, appropriate for residents with reduced digestive capacity. Shrimp is an excellent source of lean protein, zinc and selenium. The dish is naturally low in fat. The sauce contributes meaningful sodium — residents with hypertension should limit sauce quantity or use reduced-sodium soy sauce (城市超市 and PARKnSHOP stock low-sodium alternatives).

Cultural Note

Cheung fun occupies a dual role in Hong Kong food culture: it is simultaneously a refined dim sum item served from the push cart at yum cha restaurants and an unassuming street food available from neighbourhood stalls for breakfast. The dish’s silky, yielding texture and mild flavour have always made it a gentle, comforting choice — qualities that translate naturally into a dysphagia-adapted format. By applying the IDDSI Level 5 modifications described above, this recipe makes it possible for elderly residents with reduced chewing or swallowing function to participate in the yum cha table alongside family members, enjoying the same dish in a form that is safe, familiar, and prepared with the same care and respect as the original.