The rice noodles are an oriental paste opaque white color. Famous for being widely used in Chinese cuisine, they are also gaining ground in contemporary Italian food. The main reason lies in the fact that they are gluten-free and therefore adapt very well to gluten-free diets. They are also rich in nutrients: rice noodles contain phosphorus, iron, potassium, but not cholesterol, have very low fat and sodium content, and are easily digestible. Plus, you can make them at home.
Homemade rice noodles: ingredients and recipe
If you are among those people who do not bow to the dictatorship of ready meals on the shelves of ethnic food at the supermarket, know that you can make your own rice noodles.
Get one cup of rice flour, half a cup of tapioca flour or potato starch, and one and a half cups of water. In a bowl, mix the tapioca and rice flour. Stir with a hand whisk. Gradually add the water until a smooth but liquid mixture is created.
Take an aluminum tray and brush it with rice oil. Remove the excess with a piece of absorbent paper. Pour in half a ladle of mixture to make sure the bottom of the bowl is covered. Put everything in a steamer and cook for a couple of minutes. You will get a sheet of rice flour that you will need to brush with more oil. Once the batter is finished, you can shape your noodles: you decide the thickness.
Where to buy rice noodles
If the attempt to turn you into a test tube producer of rice noodles has failed miserably, do not worry: you can always go to the nearest supermarket and buy a pack of ready-made. Rice noodles are very popular throughout Italy, thanks to the large-scale distribution. Otherwise, you can turn to shops specializing in oriental gastronomic items. This minimizes the risk of ruining the preparation of your Asian dish.
Perfect cooking of rice noodles: the times
For example, if you want to prepare a very fresh dish of rice noodles and vegetables , buy one of the large skeins of this pasta that you find in supermarkets or shops specialized in oriental cuisine and put them to soak in warm water at least an hour before serve them. If you don’t have much time, soak them in boiling water and let them soak for 2-3 minutes. Do not leave them in the water for too long, they risk becoming watery. A drizzle of oil helps keep them from sticking.
Rice noodles in the wok
If you want to approach the most popular Asian recipes, know that you will need a wok . It is a conical-shaped pot, with a rounded and hemispherical bottom. There are several models of wok on the market: change the length of the handle, the non-stick coatings can be in ceramic or steel. Its diameter varies from 28 to 32 centimeters.
The most interesting thing is that the wok is not only suitable for cooking, for example, spicy rice noodles . It is also a valid tool for frying, steaming or simply for browning your dishes. What makes this versatile use of the wok possible is its ability to retain heat for a long time and to allow short cooking and above all with little oil, thus giving the dish a reduced fat consumption. This means that there is a good distribution of heat throughout the pan, which allows for rapid evaporation of liquids.
To cook the rice noodles in the wok it is sufficient to soak them with the procedure we have seen previously and then add them to vegetables cooked over a high flame with two tablespoons of oil. It will take you five minutes to get a perfect result.
Steamed rice noodles
If we don’t want to risk our pasta being ruined by contact with water, let’s try steaming rice noodles . In this case you will need to have a steamer available. All you have to do is lay the spaghetti on a perforated or permeable surface. Underneath, in the pot, there must be water. The steam, circulating in the pot, will do the rest.
After bringing the water to a boil, turn the heat down to low. For the spaghetti it will take no more than 15 minutes . If the consistency does not convince you, continue for a few more minutes.
Grilled rice noodles
To give a greater flavor boost to your first exotic, you can try making grilled rice noodles . Also in this case the procedure will begin with the cooking of the ingredients in the wok.
For example, you can choose to season your rice noodles with chicken that you will flour and brown in the wok for about five minutes. Add the vegetables and cook them with the chicken. After the noodles have been heated, add them to the mix in the wok and cook, seasoning with two tablespoons of soy. At the end of the process, transfer everything to a hot plate and saute for another two minutes.
Rice noodles in broth
Among the best-known oriental dishes, you too will have noticed those inviting steaming bowls served in every Asian restaurant in the world. Inside there can be ramen, udon, soy noodles but also rice noodles that absorb the aromas of the broths in which they are immersed.
For example, especially during the winter season, to combat tiredness and some seasonal ailments, why not prepare tasty rice noodles in broth ? After preparing the most classic chicken broth , using traditional vegetables and herbs together with the meat, put the rice noodles in water to make them revive.
After a few minutes, prepare a bowl on the bottom of which you will put a spoonful of soy sauce , some sauteed or boiled vegetables, a hard-boiled egg cut in half and our rice noodles. Cover everything with the chicken broth and enjoy hot.
Sauce for seasoning rice noodles
The most used sauce to season rice noodles is soy . Quite often it’s just a necessary base to give a flavor boost to this otherwise bland pasta.
Rice noodles: oriental recipes
Together with ramen , soy or buckwheat ones, rice noodles are the symbol of Chinese and Japanese cuisine. Among the traditional recipes to prepare at home, you can try the cold spaghetti salad . You’ll need julienned cucumbers, carrots, green mung bean sauce and some chicken. Everything must be served strictly cold.
You can also try them the Sichuan way. The rice noodles will be served with a very spicy sauce in which there will also be chicken and shrimp. The meat will be marinated in soy sauce and rice wine.
