Proper Way To Prepare Rice Noodles?
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jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
You need only soak the noodles in very hot water.
This is Andy M.'s excellent Pad Thai recipe.
Pad Thai
3 Tb Tamarind Paste
3/4 C Boiling Water
4 Tb Fish Sauce
1 1/2 Tb Rice Vinegar
4 Tb Sugar
3/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
4 Tb Oil
8 Oz Dried Rice Stick Noodles
2 Eggs
1/4 tsp Salt
12 Oz Shrimp, (31/35 count)
1 tsp Garlic, minced
3 Tb Shallot, minced
2 Tb Dried Shrimp, chopped
2 Tb Thai Salted Preserved Radish, chopped
6 Tb Roasted Unsalted Peanuts
6 Oz Bean Sprouts
5 Scallions, green only, sliced
Rehydrate the tamarind paste for 10 minutes then push it through a fine seive.
Add the fish sauce, vinegar, sugar, cayenne, and 2 Tb of oil to the tamarind & set aside.
Cover the noodles with hot tap water in a large bowl; soak until softened, pliable, and limp but not fully tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the noodles and set aside.
Beat the eggs and 1/8 teaspoon of the salt in a small bowl; set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add the shrimp and sprinkle with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt; cook, tossing occasionally, until the shrimp are opaque and browned about the edges, about 3 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and set aside.
Add the remaining oil to the skillet; add the garlic and shallot, set the skillet over medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until light golden brown, about 1½ minutes;
Add the eggs and stir vigorously until scrambled and barely moist, about 20 seconds.
Add the noodles, dried shrimp and salted radish; toss with 2 wooden spoons to combine.
Pour the sauce over the noodles, increase the heat to high, and cook, tossing constantly, until the noodles are evenly coated.
Add ¼ cup peanuts, bean sprouts, all but ¼ cup scallions, and cooked shrimp to the noodles; continue to cook, tossing constantly, until the noodles are tender, about 2½ minutes.
Transfer the noodles to a serving platter, sprinkle with the remaining scallions, 2 tablespoons peanuts; serve immediately, passing lime wedges separately.
This is Andy M.'s excellent Pad Thai recipe.
Pad Thai
3 Tb Tamarind Paste
3/4 C Boiling Water
4 Tb Fish Sauce
1 1/2 Tb Rice Vinegar
4 Tb Sugar
3/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
4 Tb Oil
8 Oz Dried Rice Stick Noodles
2 Eggs
1/4 tsp Salt
12 Oz Shrimp, (31/35 count)
1 tsp Garlic, minced
3 Tb Shallot, minced
2 Tb Dried Shrimp, chopped
2 Tb Thai Salted Preserved Radish, chopped
6 Tb Roasted Unsalted Peanuts
6 Oz Bean Sprouts
5 Scallions, green only, sliced
Rehydrate the tamarind paste for 10 minutes then push it through a fine seive.
Add the fish sauce, vinegar, sugar, cayenne, and 2 Tb of oil to the tamarind & set aside.
Cover the noodles with hot tap water in a large bowl; soak until softened, pliable, and limp but not fully tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the noodles and set aside.
Beat the eggs and 1/8 teaspoon of the salt in a small bowl; set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add the shrimp and sprinkle with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt; cook, tossing occasionally, until the shrimp are opaque and browned about the edges, about 3 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and set aside.
Add the remaining oil to the skillet; add the garlic and shallot, set the skillet over medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until light golden brown, about 1½ minutes;
Add the eggs and stir vigorously until scrambled and barely moist, about 20 seconds.
Add the noodles, dried shrimp and salted radish; toss with 2 wooden spoons to combine.
Pour the sauce over the noodles, increase the heat to high, and cook, tossing constantly, until the noodles are evenly coated.
Add ¼ cup peanuts, bean sprouts, all but ¼ cup scallions, and cooked shrimp to the noodles; continue to cook, tossing constantly, until the noodles are tender, about 2½ minutes.
Transfer the noodles to a serving platter, sprinkle with the remaining scallions, 2 tablespoons peanuts; serve immediately, passing lime wedges separately.
fireweaver
Senior Cook
there is one type of rice noodle ("cellophane noodles"?) that works well either briefly done in hot/boiling water, like these guys said, or else quickly fried in oil. if you fry 'em, they immediately poof up into bleach-white super crunchy threads. after you scoop them out of the oil and let them drain over paper towels, sprinkle a *tiny* bit of salt...yum! extra crispy, and even more munchy-addicting than popcorn.
BreezyCooking
Washing Up
I have to add here that rice noodle prep can differ with brand & age of the noodles.
The first time I made them, I followed the directions - i.e. placed in a bowl & covered with boiling water. Thirty minutes later, the noodles were still way too hard. So - I drained them & added more boiling water & waited another 20 minutes. Still not edibly pliable. Finally, I just brought a pot of water to a boil, tossed the noodles in, & cooked them - tasting one every minute or so - until they were done. What a PITA!!!!!
From that day forward, I make my rice noodles just like I do regular pasta - I just start checking them after a minute.
The first time I made them, I followed the directions - i.e. placed in a bowl & covered with boiling water. Thirty minutes later, the noodles were still way too hard. So - I drained them & added more boiling water & waited another 20 minutes. Still not edibly pliable. Finally, I just brought a pot of water to a boil, tossed the noodles in, & cooked them - tasting one every minute or so - until they were done. What a PITA!!!!!
From that day forward, I make my rice noodles just like I do regular pasta - I just start checking them after a minute.
Witchenkitsch
Assistant Cook
Tx, for the wonderful Thai Pad Recipe. Placed in my Recipe Folder, already.We are a family who eat together often who have recently discovered that 3 (of 10 who are local) members are either gluten-intolerant or celiac. Am collecting lots of rice noodle stuff.
Even my granddaughters, who do not require gluten-free cuisine, are learning to like rice noodles. (I clandestinely suspect that one granddaughter is either gluten/lactose intolerant--or both!
After all: a rice noodle is better than no noodles a-tall! In fact, being gluten-intolerant/celiac opens whole new avenues for cooking. Bad news: NO PROCESSED FOODS; Good news: NO PROCESSED FOODS.
You can see easily that I am a recovering wheat-alholic. I have found the bright side. On the other hand, after 64 years, being gluten-intolerant explains so many things. Blessingsbee: go for the new idea and always keep reading (posting/sharing!).
Makes me understand my hard-liquor preferences: we are talking the interesting combination of GIN/brandy/cognac/sourmash. (Pls. read the slashes as either/or.
)And all of those back-trax o'er the years. Finally starting to 'git' some of it, anyway.
Jus' goes to show: it is NEVER too late!!!
WK
ScruffyAsh
Assistant Cook
This post is a few days late but I thought I'd add my 2 cents.
If using dried rice noodes - eg rice sticks, pad thai noodles, green bean threads:
For soup noodle meal: Let soup stock come to boil, add meat and veges, then add dry noodles and cook straight in the stock. Quick easy meal in less than 3 minutes.
For stir fries: Soak dry noodles in COLD water for at least 10 minutes (depends on the type used) and stir fry with a little water or stock. If you soak in boiling water or pre-boil the noodles, they will be too soft for stir frying and will probably break up with the stiring movement in the wok.
My favourate would definitely have to be ho-fun (flat white rice noodles) which is usually sold in a slab style or already cut into strips. Tip is to microwave the required amount for about 1 min and toss in stir fries or alternatively wash noodles in warm water just to loosen the noodles and rinse off some of the oil.
Hope this helps.
If using dried rice noodes - eg rice sticks, pad thai noodles, green bean threads:
For soup noodle meal: Let soup stock come to boil, add meat and veges, then add dry noodles and cook straight in the stock. Quick easy meal in less than 3 minutes.
For stir fries: Soak dry noodles in COLD water for at least 10 minutes (depends on the type used) and stir fry with a little water or stock. If you soak in boiling water or pre-boil the noodles, they will be too soft for stir frying and will probably break up with the stiring movement in the wok.
My favourate would definitely have to be ho-fun (flat white rice noodles) which is usually sold in a slab style or already cut into strips. Tip is to microwave the required amount for about 1 min and toss in stir fries or alternatively wash noodles in warm water just to loosen the noodles and rinse off some of the oil.
Hope this helps.
Last edited:
Claire
Master Chef
I, too, have had erratic results with both rice noodles and bean threads (or whatever you wnt to call the other clear noodles). I love them, though. Mostly I just follow the package directions if there are some in English! I soak if I'm going to stir fry or put them in soup, then put them in at the last minute. They are something I'd probably never make for company because I find them unpredictable. I'll never understand how people make "Chicken Long Rice" for luaus in Hawaii. If I tried to make rice noodles for more than four it would be one big glutenous mass of .... well, clear squiggley things. I'm getting better at doing it, but I only use thin ones (more angel hair than fetuccini), and have to read the instructions every time (something I rarely do for other foods!).
Witchenkitsch
Assistant Cook
Rice Noodle Packages
I visit my local (20 miles away!) Asian Market regularly and stock up on the little soup packages that include rice or bean thread (clear) noodles. My grandchildren love them for after school snacks. Usually they prepare them in the microwave. They place the noodles in the bowl and cover with water. With 11 year olds, nothing is too exact. Microwave for 3 minutes, then add flavorings, if desired. Let sit for 5 minutes. This prevents scorched tongue syndrom and allows the noodles to expand (finish cooking). My granddaughter drains hers and adds butter and salt. The grandsons usually go with the bold package seasonings--although sometimes the red hot pepper package is not used.
Mostly they enjoy using the decorative chopsticks, which is definitely preferable to fingers, and tends to inhibit "wolfing" down the noodles.
So you might say that I am learning to cook the alternative noodles from the children.
I visit my local (20 miles away!) Asian Market regularly and stock up on the little soup packages that include rice or bean thread (clear) noodles. My grandchildren love them for after school snacks. Usually they prepare them in the microwave. They place the noodles in the bowl and cover with water. With 11 year olds, nothing is too exact. Microwave for 3 minutes, then add flavorings, if desired. Let sit for 5 minutes. This prevents scorched tongue syndrom and allows the noodles to expand (finish cooking). My granddaughter drains hers and adds butter and salt. The grandsons usually go with the bold package seasonings--although sometimes the red hot pepper package is not used.
Mostly they enjoy using the decorative chopsticks, which is definitely preferable to fingers, and tends to inhibit "wolfing" down the noodles.
So you might say that I am learning to cook the alternative noodles from the children.
