Funchoza is a vibrant and tasty glass noodle salad that originates in Central Asia. Packed with vegetables and meat, tossed with a tangy zing. Perfect for a large gathering, lunch, as a side dish, or a zakuska appetizer.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Authentic Central Asian - with roots from the Duncan and Uyghur people, popular in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia
- Flavorful - you've never tasted anything like this before, bursting with flavor the caramelized vegetables (and fresh), tossed in chewy noodles with a flavorful zing
- Versatile - so many ways to make this your own by adding different vegetables, proteins or oils
Ingredients
- Onions - thinly sliced and caramelized
- Beef - sliced into thin strips (like for a stir fry)
- Carrots - caramelizing carrots really deepens the flavor
- Red Bell Peppers - thinly sliced or julienned
- Green Onions - adds flavor and color contrast
- Bean Vermicelli Noodles - glass noodles made from Mung Beans
- Eggs - fried omelette style and thinly sliced
- Vegetable Oil - for frying
- White Vinegar - to balance out oil in salad
How to Make Funchoza
- Caramelize Onions - heat 3 tablespoons of oil on high heat and cook the onions until they become translucent and start to brown – approx. 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Brown Beef - in the same frying pan, add 2-3 tablespoons of oil and fry the beef strips and until browned and cooked (8-10 minutes). Season with salt, set aside to cool.
- Fry Carrots - heat 2 tablespoons oil and add julienned carrots. Fry on medium high heat for about 10 minutes until carrots are caramelizing and cooked well. Set aside to cool.
- Fry Peppers - heat 2 tablespoons oil and flash fry julienned red peppers for 1 minute. Set aside to cool. Alternatively, can mix into salad without frying for crunchier texture.
- Flash Fry - heat 2 tablespoons of oil and flash fry green onions until the start to wilt, (about 20 seconds). Remove quickly, set aside to cool.
- Make Egg Strips - add 1 beaten egg into frying pan and fry thinly like a pancake or like a crepe. Remove from heat. Repeat with additional eggs. Allow to cool. Cut in quarters, roll it up like a cigar and slice into thin strips.
- Prepare Noodles - follow package instructions to prepare Bean Vermicelli. Alternatively, bring to a boil for about 4 minutes until they are translucent. Drain, set aside to cool. Using kitchen shears, cut noodles into shorter pieces (around 6″ pieces). Set aside and allow to cool.
- Make Funchoza - using your hands, combine vermicelli noodles, beef, onions, carrots, red peppers, egg strips and green onions until evenly mixed. Add vinegar, mix and taste. Adjust vinegar if needed, one teaspoon at a time. Season with salt if needed.
- Serve - refrigerate before serving. Serve with Chinese Black Vinegar for a tangy flavor boost.
Funchoza Variations
- Change Protein - substitute with chicken, prawns or tofu
- Spicy Funchoza - chop a red chili pepper or mix in Lazadzhan Sauce
- Fresh Funchoza - add crunchy julienned Cucumbers and uncooked Red Peppers and vegetables for a nice, fresh crunch
- Funchoza Sauce - mix 4 cloves of minced Garlic with ¼ cup oil, ¼ cup Soy Sauce, 1 tablespoon Sesame Oil and ¼ cup White Vinegar
- Vegetarian Funchoza - commonly made without meat, served as a vegetarian salad
Recipe Tips and FAQs
- Halve the Recipe - this is a large recipe, perfect for a dinner party or gathering. As a side dish, this recipe will serve up to 20 people
- Caramelizing Adds Flavor - while many Funchoza salads are made fresh, take the time to caramelize for a rich flavor, you won't regret it
- Oil Generous - oil adds amazing flavor, and will balance out when you add vinegar. Remember, it’s a salad (oil and vinegar)
- Julienne Peeler - the carrots in this salad were chopped by hand. Alternatively, a mandolin slicer or julienne peeler will save chopping time and keep the carrots uniform
- Black Chinese Vinegar - while Funchoza is mostly made with white vinegar, serving with Great Wall Black Vinegar adds amazing tang and flavor. Just add a bit over your own Funchoza on your plate when eating.
- Cut the Noodles - Vermicelli is very long and can be hard to eat. Cut cooked noodles to your preferred size. Recommend roughly 6 inches or 15cm long.
- Fry Vegetables Separately - while this method takes longer, it provides maximum flavor. Frying vegetables together dilutes the caramelization and taste.
Can I Make Funchoza in Advance?
Yes. Prepare the ingredients in ahead of time and keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Best to add vinegar or Funchoza dressing just before serving to maintain texture and freshness.
Can I Use Rice Noodles?
Mung Bean Vermicelli noodles are traditionally used for Funchoza. Rice noodles tend to absorb too much liquids and lose their shape, resulting in a soggy salad.
Storage
Place in an airtight container and keep refrigerated. Enjoy within 2-3 days.
Central Asian Recipes You'll Love
- Pumpkin Steamed Manti
- Lazadzhan Sauce
- Plov
- Lagman
- Kavardak
- Chak Chak
- Funchoza with Chicken and Shrimp
- Chinese Lettuce Stir Fry (Lagman)
Funchoza (Фунчоза) forms part of the rich tapestry of the amazing foods that is part of my family history. Often confused with Korean Japchae (it's not), but a Central Asian classic enjoyed by millions. Definitely worth the effort, gaining in popularity worldwide, be the first of your friends to discover this salad. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!
Ingredients
- 2 Onions sliced thinly
- 1 pound (500g) Beef sliced into thin strips
- 5 Carrots peeled and julienned
- 2 Red Bell Peppers julienned
- 7 Green Onions - sliced thinly diagonally along the stalk in 2" pieces
- 12 oz (350g) Asian Bean Vermicelli Noodles
- 3 Eggs
- Vegetable Oil
- ⅓ cup White Vinegar adjust to taste
Instructions
- Caramelize Onions - heat 3 tablespoons of oil on high heat and cook the onions until they become translucent and start to brown – approx. 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Brown Beef - in the same frying pan, add 2-3 tablespoons of oil and fry the beef strips and until browned and cooked (8-10 minutes). Season with salt, set aside to cool.
- Fry Carrots - heat 2 tablespoons oil and add julienned carrots. Fry on medium high heat for about 10 minutes until carrots are caramelizing and cooked well. Set aside to cool.
- Fry Peppers - heat 2 tablespoons oil and flash fry julienned red peppers for 1 minute. Set aside to cool. Alternatively, can mix into salad without frying for crunchier texture.
- Flash Fry - heat 2 tablespoons of oil and flash fry green onions until the start to wilt, (about 20 seconds). Remove quickly, set aside to cool.
- Make Egg Strips - add 1 beaten egg into frying pan and fry thinly like a pancake or like a crepe. Remove from heat. Repeat with additional eggs. Allow to cool. Cut in quarters, roll it up like a cigar and slice into thin strips.
- Prepare Noodles - follow package instructions to prepare Bean Vermicelli. Alternatively, bring to a boil for about 4 minutes until they are translucent. Drain, set aside to cool. Using kitchen shears, cut noodles into shorter pieces (around 6″ pieces). Set aside and allow to cool.
- Make Funchoza - using your hands, combine vermicelli noodles, beef, onions, carrots, red peppers, egg strips and green onions until evenly mixed. Add vinegar, mix and taste. Adjust vinegar if needed, one teaspoon at a time. Season with salt if needed.
- Serve - refrigerate before serving. Serve with Chinese Black Vinegar for a tangy flavor boost.
©PetersFoodAdventures.com *originally posted March 2016, updated March 2024
Paul Stupkin
Hello Peter, my family (The Lutsenko family) are also based in British Columbia and were from Xinjiang until they moved to Australia in the 60's. I grew up in Australia and ate funchoza.
There is one thing we dis differently though. We made "lazajan" to have in the funchoza. It's a traditional Uighur sauce. It's made in the following way:
1 - 5 or 6 cloves of garlic - crushed
2 - Equal volume of paprika (and some chilli powder if you like spice)
3 - Enough balsamic vinegar to turn the garlic and powder into a thick paste
4 - Heat a vegetable oil until it's nearly smoking, then add it to the paste slowly, mixing the paste and oil to avoid burning the ingredients
This will keep for about 3 - 6 months in the fridge and is the "secret ingredient" to traditional Uighur salads.
Peter Kolesnichenko
Nice to meet you. I'm not a fan of Lazadhzan made with dried powder, but prefer the chopped dried or semi-dried version, but it is very tasty. Although I don't think Balsamic vinegar is traditional in Central Asian cooking. It sure does add a great flavor to the dishes! https://petersfoodadventures.com/lazadzhan/
Dax
Thank you for the recipe, Peter. Your funchoza tastes very much like the funchoza I used to buy at the Green Bazar of Almaty, Kazakhstan: pre-cooked bean noodles separately from fried spicy vegetable mix (you get two bags). You can add your own meat at home, or just eat it as is by mixing the content of the two bags. I'd add that people who sell funchoza at the market place in Almaty were almost always the Dungans (known in China as Hui people. They are not Uighur, but Muslim minority still). Many Dungans ended up in Xingjiang and some came across the border to Kazakhstan in the 1960s when USSR and China had a falling out in the relationship over Stalin etc. Many ethnic Kazakhs, Uighurs and Dungans at the time settled on our side of the border with China. They brought much needed color and taste to our plain, kazakh, food, among other things.
Helen
My parents & siblings also grew up in Xinjiang.
I'm actually making this right now and was curious to see if this salad was referenced in the internet.
Beautiful salad.
Luda
Thank you Peter for this recipe my mum makes it for all our celebrations and we love it. We have it vegetarian style though . It was very interesting reading your info on your family bc it is where my mums family came from , and they never really talk about it.
So interesting to hear they we’re running from religious persecution- maybe mine were too??? I love lagman too!!
It’s funny bc my husband’s family if from Harbin China and he did not know of any of these recipes until we got married. Interesting background- thanks 😊 x
Peter's Food Adventures
Thanks for reading! Not all people in Singkiang were fleeing religious persecution, that would be true to one side of my family tree. It's amazing so there are so many people from around the world with similar roots and backgrounds.
Larisa Stacey
Hi Peter, I’ve just come across your blog & love your stories & recipes. Both my parents were born near Harbin & came to Australia (separately) under sponsorship in the early 1960s. My mothers parents had 16 children, my mother being the youngest. I also grew up with “fintoisa”, a very similar recipe to yours but my mum would make it with more veg, the fried carrot is a must & soy sauce, garlic & sesame. I look forward to reading more as I don’t know much of the history
Peter's Food Adventures
Hi Larisa! Thanks so much for writing and for your feedback. 16 children, wow! They sure had large families back then! There are many variations of making Funchoza out there. I've seen some with cucumbers, although my mom never added them. I have another Funchoza recipe that I call Asian Noodle Salad - except this one is made with Chicken and Shrimp. Shrimp isn't traditional to Funchoza, but I think it works well with that recipe. You could follow that recipe, and add whatever meat you like (you wanted to make it beef). The other recipe is made different and includes Daikon, Garlic Chives (dzhusai) and sesame oil. Feel free to check it out and adjust as needed, and thanks again for reaching out! https://petersfoodadventures.com/2015/05/28/asian-noodle-salad/
SUNČANA SUZANIĆ
this must be just great. i will make it
Peter's Food Adventures
Thanks so much! I hope you love it as much as we do! 👍🏻