Friday, June 8, 2012

Prepare Rice Noodles







Rice noodles are a common Asian starch ingredient found in many popular Chinese and Thai stir-fry or soup recipes. Much less dense than Italian pasta, rice noodles are easy to prepare, using a couple of different procedures, and can store in the refrigerator for a couple of days before applying to the intended recipe if desired.


Instructions


1. Boil enough water to cover the amount of rice noodles you're intending to prepare. A larger pot can be used for a higher yield of noodles if desired.


2. Turn the stove-top burner off once the water has boiled and add the rice noodles to the water.








3. Stir constantly with a fork or spoon until the noodles have achieved an al dente consistency (3 to 7 minutes). This is important because if you're adding the noodles to a recipe that requires more cooking (soup or stir-fry), overcooking of the rice noodles will make them mushy in the recipe. Drain the water and then run the noodles under a cool water rinse.


4. Soak the rice noodles in room temperature water if a quicker method such as boiling water is not required for the intended recipe. Immerse the noodles in enough water to cover them completely and let them stand for an hour before stirring. A firm, but flexible consistency of the rice noodle will result.


5. Add the noodles (no matter what preparation procedure used) to the recipe right away if desired or prepare to store the noodles.


6. Place the noodles in a food storage back once cooled (if applicable). Add a couple of tablespoons of water to the bag, or more if more noodles are used, and then close the food storage bag and fluff the noodles inside the bag. Sealing the bag tightly or compacting the noodles in the bag will create a pasty and clumpy noodle when ready to use. Store the sealed bag of rice noodles in the refrigerator for up to two days before adding to the intended recipe.

Tags: rice noodles, intended recipe, days before, enough water, enough water cover, food storage