Shahe fen
Shahe fen is a wide rice noodle from Shahe, a town in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. The noodles are pale white, broad, and a little slippery. They’re made from rice and soak up the flavors of the sauce or broth they cook in. Shahe fen is commonly stir-fried in dishes called chao fen and is also a key ingredient in char kway teow.
The noodles have many names in different languages. In Mandarin they’re guǒtiáo (guotiao); in Cantonese they’re hor fun or ho fun; in Thai they’re kuai tiao; in Malaysia and Singapore they’re kwetiau or kuetiao; and in Indonesia they’re kwetiau. In Vietnam you’ll find similar noodles used for pho (bánh phở).
Two similar noodles are often confused. Shahe fen (hor fun) is thin and porous, so it easily absorbs gravy and sauce. Guotiao/kway teow is denser, contains more starch, and doesn’t absorb flavors as easily; it’s usually soaked longer before frying.
Shahe fen is a southern Chinese staple, and fresh noodles are preferred when available. It’s also related to other wide rice noodles found in Southeast Asia, with each region giving it a different name and style.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 06:29 (CET).