- 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.
If you’re just learning to make Asian dishes that call for rice noodles, like pad thai or perhaps a soup or stir-fry, it can be very confusing. Because rice noodles, like Italian pasta, come in various sizes and cook at various rates, there is no one-size-fits-all method for cooking them. And sometimes those packages lack cooking instructions altogether or have confusing instructions written in an unfamiliar language.
So, you may have questions. Do rice noodles need to be soaked before cooking? Should they be soaked in hot or cold water? We have the answers. Heres how to prepare rice noodles perfectly. Vermicelli, flat rice noodles, and the wider, broad flat noodles that are frequently found fresh and used in dishes like pad see ew, can all be prepared using these tried-and-true methods.
Many Asian dishes frequently contain rice noodles as an ingredient. Being gluten-free allows you to use dried ones in a variety of ways, making them a great and practical pantry staple to keep on hand. However, you’ve probably had some disappointment with rice noodles because, if they’re not cooked properly, they can quickly become completely inedible mush.
Community Q&ASearch
Community Answer You can boil the noodles for 7-10 minutes to fully cook them. 
Community Answer Boil them in water for a few minutes. Depending on thickness, flat usually takes less time, with or without salt. Taste to see if it is undercooked. When done, wash with cold water or pour into a strainer. Community Answer There is no reason why you couldnt do that, as the rice noodles are plain in flavor, and will match well with many other flavors. It is not a traditional combination but home cooks are free to experiment and find their own preferred dishes! Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
• If the noodles are going to be used in a stir-fry dish like pad thai, you must slightly undercook them. When they are in the stir fry, they will take in more moisture and finish cooking. Even if your noodles are perfectly cooked when you first prepare them, the stir fry will make them mushy. We can’t tell you how many times we’ve done that, so trust us!
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. Spring rolls’ thin vermicelli noodles will be cooked through in a matter of minutes. Depending on thickness, the flat rice noodles may take up to ten minutes. Keep an eye on the noodles and check them frequently because they will overcook and become mushy.
Compared to wheat noodles, rice noodles are much more delicate and thin. They become so simple to prepare as a result that we hardly consider it to be cooking.
Here are some additional tips and our method for making perfect rice noodles for dishes like pad thai, pho, and spring rolls.
When the noodles are tender, drain them and stop the cooking by rinsing them in cool water. If you won’t be using the noodles right away, toss them with a little sesame oil to prevent the noodles from sticking to one another.
FAQ
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.
Do I need to soak rice stick noodles?
Extra starch is removed by soaking and rinsing, which reduces stickiness. Stir the rice noodles once you’ve put them in the boiling water to help them separate and make sure they cook evenly. In order to prevent them from becoming mushy, immediately drain and rinse them.
How long soak rice stick noodles?
The dried rice noodles should be soaked for 30 minutes in cool or lukewarm water, or until they are limp but still firm to the touch. Additional cooking in the wok will further soften the noodles. While preparing the other ingredients, thoroughly drain the noodles in a colander.
What are Chantaboon rice noodles?
Use these noodles for pad thai, pho soups, stir fries, Asian salads, or other noodle dishes. These 3MM noodles are a staple for many Asian dishes. Before using these rice noodles, soften them in hot water. Once they’ve softened, you can finish them off by boiling or stir-frying them.
