- Boil a pot of water, then turn off the heat.
- Add rice noodles to the pot, or pour the boiling hot water over the noodles in a wide bowl, covering them completely.
- Swish the noodles around briefly to separate.
- Soak the noodles for 6 to 10 minutes, until tender but still chewy.
- Drain the noodles.
“Gummy” should be used to describe gum and gummy bears. It should never be used to describe noodles. But if you don’t know how to prepare rice noodles, chances are that they’ll frequently become gummy, giving you a huge clump of starchiness rather than a lovely tangle of glorious slippery strands. It should be noodles, plural—not noodle.
You’re asking the right questions, and the solutions are actually quite straightforward: how do we avoid the gummy? how do we get rice noodles not to stick together? how do we cook them properly for dishes like pad thai or green shrimp curry? Here are a few tips for using medium-sized, flat rice noodles, like pad thai noodles.
The most crucial thing you can do is to adhere to the directions on the package your noodles came in, which may seem obvious. The biggest mistake people make when cooking rice noodles is not cooking them for the recommended amount of time to achieve that satisfying chewiness (similar to al dente pasta). On the package, there are typically two sets of instructions: one for cold noodles and one for hot noodles. The cook time for cold noodles will typically be a little longer because the noodles won’t be cooked a second time like they would be if you were stir-frying them and because they will firm up a little bit when they cool.
Noodles should be drained of water and placed in a colander to absorb as much water as possible if you intend to eat them hot, such as in a stir-fry. Transfer the noodles to your skillet as soon as you can, along with whatever else you’re cooking them with, and quickly coat them in sauce or oil. Making the noodles in sauce will prevent the starches on each noodle from coming into contact with one another, which is what causes the starches on the outside of the noodles to hang out and cause them to clump.
After removing the noodles from the boiling water, you should immediately rinse them in cold water if you’re not using them right away or in a dish that is either cold or room temperature. The noodles won’t continue to cook because the cold water will cool them and remove any surface starch. After the noodles have been rinsed, combine them with a little oil in a bowl to further prevent sticking. Every five or ten minutes until you’re ready to use them, throw them away.
The TL;DR is that Starch is attempting to ruin your day. Although it’s fantastic for giving rice noodles their pleasant texture, it also tends to become clingy. Like, really clingy. Get some sauce to put on those noodles to prevent the starch from sticking. If you do it correctly, you can keep the noodles separate while preparing the ingredients for your pad thai or curry. or eat gummy bears. Your call.
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Soaking Rice Noodles in Hot Water
Soaking rice noodles in extremely hot water, or water that has been brought to a boil, is one of the most popular techniques for softening them in advance of adding them to dishes where they will continue to cook. The noodles are either covered with hot water or submerged in hot water.
The thickness and width of your noodles will determine how long you need to soak them. To separate the noodles into strands while they soak, use tongs. To avoid clumping, make sure to stir and separate them frequently.
Soaking Rice Noodles in Lukewarm Water
You can also soften rice noodles in lukewarm water, which will take 30 to 60 minutes. Again, if you intend to continue cooking them in a stir fry or another dish, you might want to remove them from the heat and rise them while they are still firm but flexible. The softening process will move more quickly if you periodically refresh the water with warmer water.
FAQ
Do you have to soak rice noodles before cooking?
Prior to stir-frying, dried noodles must be soaked in boiling water to soften them. Since they will cook while frying, fresh rice noodles, which are available at Asian grocery stores, don’t need to be soaked before being added to a stir fry.
How do you cook rice stick noodles?
Bring three to four quarts of water to a boil in a 6- to 8-quart pan over high heat. Cook rice noodles for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just barely tender to the bite. Drain. Rinse thoroughly if not using right away to prevent the noodles from sticking together, then drain once more.
How do you cook rice noodles so they don’t stick?
The noodles won’t continue to cook because the cold water will cool them and remove any surface starch. After the noodles have been rinsed, combine them with a little oil in a bowl to further prevent sticking. Every five or ten minutes until you’re ready to use them, throw them away.
How do you know when rice noodles are cooked?
Pour the rice noodles into the boiling water, covering them completely. Give the noodles a stir to loosen them up every couple of minutes. Check to see if they are cooked through once they are completely limp.
