Seems like the white bee hoon trend in Singapore isn’t quite dying out yet as I’m seeing new stalls popping up in the neighbourhood again. I must say I’m not really a big fan of white bee hoon because I’ve yet to try one that comes with a robust-tasting broth that is rich in natural seafood sweetness without the addition of too much MSG or salt. I just dislike the after-effects of consuming such broth – extreme thirst and dry mouth. Eeew, not nice.

I guess the best way to truly enjoy the white bee hoon in the most healthy yet wholesome manner is to create a homemade version as I don’t use MSG or excessive salt in my cooking. However, I will not be able to make this as often as I want because I will need to accumulate a lot of prawn heads and shells to make the broth. So yes, before you start making this dish, plan ahead as you’ll need to start collecting and freezing those prawn scraps.

To make a rich and flavoursome broth, first fry prawn heads and shells with some olive oil till crispy and fragrant. Pour in fresh chicken soup/broth (made with bone-in chicken parts, carrots, onions and celery) and bring to a boil. With a wooden spatula, crush the prawn heads to release their juices. Simmer for at least half an hour, season with salt if desired and then strain the mixture to remove the unwanted bits. I used heads and shells of about 30-40 large prawns to 3 cups of chicken broth (approx. 750ml).

If you intend to make this broth in bulk, you may want to keep some for this Hokkien Prawn Mee Recipe.

My white bee hoon may look dry but it’s actually quite moist as most of the broth has been absorbed by the vermicelli. If you like a wetter version, add extra broth after Step 6 below to give it more liquid.

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