How do you cook glass noodles?
Glass noodles are easy to make and cook quickly. They can be cooked like regular noodles, as in this Japchae recipe, or soaked in warm water for about ten minutes. They boil quickly, so watch out not to overcook them. Just cook them for about five minutes, or until they are tender. You might want to cook them for even less time if you are adding them to a soup that will cook for a longer period of time!
What are Glass Noodles?
As someone who is still learning about Asian ingredients and cuisine, I find it nearly impossible to distinguish between glass and rice noodles. Sure, once they’re cooked, I can tell them apart, but they look almost exactly the same in the package.
So, I always take a peek at the ingredients. Rice noodles will obviously have rice as the primary ingredient. Glass noodles will contain a combination of mung bean and potato starches. Although I’ve never seen these starches unprocessed, they sure can make one awesome noodle!
There are many different thicknesses of glass noodles available, but I prefer the thinner varieties because they are easier to use and cook more quickly. That being said, because the thinnest noodle in the aisle is so thin, I don’t usually choose it. I chose one labeled “vermicelli” on this particular day, and it’s about right.
When I took it out of the package, this is how it looked. As they tend to appear everywhere, be prepared!
There are really three ways to cook glass noodles. Let’s dive in!.
What are glass noodles made of?
The glass noodles’ exact composition will vary depending on where they are from. The most popular kind is made of mung bean starch and is imported from China. Glass noodles from Korea and Japan are usually made with sweet potato starch. Although arrowroot and tapioca starches can also be utilized, mung beans and sweet potatoes are the most popular types.