Rice noodles are semi transparent and are prepared with water and rice flour. They are usually very thin and very long, but they can also take the form of thick linguine. Because of their thin thickness, they cook in a very short time and it is easy to turn them into an inedible mash if you don't know how to proceed. This article will teach you how to cook them in the correct way and timing.
Ingrediants
For 4 - 6 servings
- 225 g of rice noodles
- Waterfall
- Sesame oil (optional)
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Soaking in warm water
Step 1. It is important to know if and when to soak in lukewarm water
If you want to use your rice noodles to make a "pad Thai" or for another quick cook dish sautéed in the pan or in the wok this step will allow you to partially cook the noodles so that they are soft on the outside and still hard on the inside.
This method is also useful if you want to add spaghetti to soup, although you can incorporate it into the broth without first soaking or cooking it in water
Step 2. Place the spaghetti in a large bowl or pot
Be careful, rice noodles are very fragile so when raw, handle them gently to avoid breaking them.
Freshly made rice noodles are soft, but the ones commonly found for sale are dry and crumbly. Fresh spaghetti does not need to be rehydrated in water and is incorporated directly into the final dish or steamed
Step 3. Cover the spaghetti with warm water
The water should be warm to the touch, but not steaming. Leave them to soak for 7 - 10 minutes or until they begin to separate from each other.
Step 4. Prepare the spaghetti for the next step
Since they will be partially cooked at this point you will need to immediately transfer them to another dish and store them so they do not dry out or stick together.
- Drain them. The easiest way to do this is to pour them into a colander.
- Rinse them under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Drain them again.
- If the main dish is almost cooked, add the spaghetti.
- If you're not quite ready to add the spaghetti to your main course, toss them with a small amount of sesame oil to prevent them from drying out or sticking together. Store them in a closed container and at room temperature to further slow down the dehydration process.
Part 2 of 4: Immersion in boiling water
Step 1. It is important to know if and when to immerse yourself in boiling water
This step can be used to partially or completely cook spaghetti and is the only one that will allow you to do this if you are not planning on cooking them while preparing the dish.
This method is perfect if you want to add them to a dish to be served cold, such as a salad or legumes. Boiling water is also recommended for rice waffles used to wrap spring rolls, for example
Step 2. Place the spaghetti in a heat resistant pot or bowl
Be careful, rice noodles are very fragile so when raw, handle them gently to avoid breaking them.
Freshly made rice noodles are soft, but the ones commonly found for sale are dry and crumbly. Fresh spaghetti do not need to be immersed in boiling water and are incorporated directly into the final dish or steamed
Step 3. Pour the boiling water over the spaghetti
Unlike classic pasta, rice noodles or noodles do not need to be cooked in boiling water placed on a stove, they just need to be immersed in boiling water away from the fire.
- If you want to cook them completely, leave them to soak for 7 - 10 minutes, stirring them gently every couple of minutes to help them untangle. When they are completely softened they will be ready. Thin rice noodles usually cook in under 7 minutes, while fettuccina-shaped ones can take over 10 minutes to soak, especially if they're thick.
- If you are going to finish cooking in another dish, remove them from the boiling water beforehand. When you see them start to separate you can take them out of the water, normally it will take a couple of minutes.
- If you want spaghetti with a more chewy consistency, pre-soak them in warm water and then finish cooking in boiling water. Leave them in the lukewarm water until they become flexible, drain them and then cover them with boiling water for another 2 minutes or until you get the desired consistency (with a chewy, not hard center).
Step 4. Season the spaghetti with a drizzle of sesame oil
This will prevent them from sticking together or drying out.
If you immediately add the spaghetti to another dish, avoid this step
Part 3 of 4: Fixing spaghetti that has been soaked for too long
Step 1. Let them sit for a few moments
If your noodles have been in the water for too long, but they haven't melted and aren't too mushy, you can dry them a little by exposing them to air. They will not return to their original state, but will partially dry out.
- Drain them. The easiest way is to pour them into a colander.
- Roll them out and spread them into a thin layer. Put them on a large plate and let them dry for at least 30 minutes in a place protected from drafts.
Step 2. Put them in the microwave for a few seconds
If your noodles are only slightly too soggy, pour them into a suitable container and turn on the microwave for 5 - 10 seconds.
- Drain them by pouring them into a colander.
- Put them in a microwave-safe dish. Turn it on, after 5 - 10 seconds turn it off, you should get some chewy noodles.
Part 4 of 4: Tips for serving rice noodles
Step 1. Stir-fry them
Rice noodles are a good alternative in all those oriental recipes that involve adding rice.
- Rice noodles are a key ingredient in Pad Thai, a Thai recipe in which eggs, fish sauce, red chillies, tamarind and other vegetable or animal ingredients are stir-fried.
- If you add spaghetti to a stir-fried recipe, pre-cook it only partially and add it in the last few minutes of preparation.
- If, on the contrary, you are going to pour the stir-fried ingredients directly onto the spaghetti, cook them completely in boiling water.
- If you have fresh rice noodles available, add them directly to the pan in the last few minutes of cooking without having immersed them in water.
Step 2. Incorporate them into the soup
Rice noodles go perfectly with all Asian-derived soups as well as those of other cuisines.
- The best way to do this is to add the raw noodles to the broth in the last few minutes of cooking the soup. Do not lose sight of them so as not to risk overcooking them.
- You can also add partially cooked spaghetti to the broth, but in this case do so only after removing the soup from the heat and just before serving it. The heat of the broth will be sufficient to finish cooking.
Step 3. Add rice noodles to cold dishes
In this case, pre-cook them completely.
