rice noodles  = rice-flour noodles   Equivalents:  Four ounces fresh rice noodles = 1 ounce dried  Notes:   Rice noodles are made with rice flour, and are especially popular in Southeast Asia.   It's easy to find dried rice noodles in large supermarkets, but you'll probably have to visit an Asian market to find them fresh.   Rice noodles should be soaked in hot water before using.  When they're soft and transparent, drain them and ...

 

Varieties:

laksa noodles  Notes:    These rice noodles look like white spaghetti.  They're used to make laksa, a noodle dish popular in Indonesia and Malaysia.  Don't confuse the noodles with laksa leaves, a kind of mint that's often used to season the noodles.   Substitutes:  rice sticks OR bean threads OR Chinese wheat noodles (as thin as possible)

medium rice sticks = Thai flat rice sticks = dried rice noodles = rice fettuccine = Mekong rice stick = ban pho (Vietnamese) = banh pho (Vietnamese) = ho fun (Chinese) = hor fun (Chinese) = haw fun (Chinese) = lai fen  (Chinese) = laifen (Chinese) = sen lek (Thai) = kway teow (Malaysian) = kway tio (Malaysian) = gway tio (Malaysian) = kui teow (Malaysian) = kuey teow  (Malaysian)   Notes:   These rice noodles are especially popular in Southeast Asia.  They come in different widths; the thinner ones are best for soups, the wider ones for stir-fries.  Before using, rice sticks should be soaked in hot water until they're soft and transparent.  They can then be used in soups, or add along with some broth to stir-fries.   Substitutes:  wide rice noodles OR rice vermicelli OR fettuccine OR bean threads OR somen

rice flake noodles = kuay chap = kuay jabb = banh uot mien   Notes:   These big, flat rice noodles look like tortilla chips.  They're used in soups and stir-fries.  Before using them, soften them in hot water, then boil or stir-fry them briefly, usually not more than a minute.  Substitutes:  wide rice noodles

rice sticks = rice stick noodles   Notes:   They come in many shapes and sizes, but they can be roughly classified as thin, medium, and wide.  Thin rice noodles are used in soups, salads, and spring rolls.  Medium noodles are the most versatile, and can be used in soups, stir-fries, salads, or as a bed for meat or fish.  Wide noodles are best used in soups, stir-fries, and braised dishes.  Before using rice noodles, soften them in hot water.  This will take anywhere from a few minutes to a half hour, depending upon the thickness of the noodles.  After they've softened, boil or stir-fry them briefly, usually not more than a minute.   It's easier to stir-fry noodles if you break them into shorter lengths.

rice vermicelli = sen mee (Thai) = mi fen (Chinese) = mei fun  (Chinese) = mai fun  (Japanese) = maifun  (Japanese) = mee fun (Chinese) = pancit bijon (Tagalog) = pancit bihon (Tagalog) = bijon (Tagalog) = bihon (Tagalog) = bihoon (Tagalog) = banh hoi (Vietnamese) = bee hoon (Malay) = beehoon (Malay)   Notes:  These are used throughout Asian in soups, spring rolls, cold salads, and stir-fries.  They're similar to bean threads, only they're longer and made with rice flour instead of mung bean starch.  Before using, soak the dried noodles in hot water until they're soft (about 15 minutes), then boil them briefly (from 1 to 3 minutes) and rinse with hot water. You can also deep-fry the dried noodles until they're crunchy and then use them in Chinese chicken salad, or as a garnish or bed for sauces.      Substitutes:  thin rice sticks OR bean threads OR flat rice noodles (wider) OR vermicelli

thin rice sticks = thin rice stick noodles = thin sticks = bun (Vietnamese) = pancit palabok (Tagalog) = sen yai (Thai)    Notes:  These are used throughout Asian in soups, spring rolls, cold salads, and stir-fries.  They're similar to bean threads, only they're longer and made with rice flour instead of mung bean starch.  Before using, soak the dried noodles in hot water until they're soft (about 15 minutes), then boil them briefly (from 1 to 3 minutes) and rinse with hot water. You can also deep-fry the dried noodles until they're crunchy and then use them in Chinese chicken salad, or as a garnish or bed for sauces.      Substitutes:  bean threads OR flat rice noodles (wider) OR vermicelli

silver pin noodles = mee tye bak = nen dzem fen = loh shee fun = rat-tail noodles  Notes:  These are thick, round rice noodles that are usually homemade.  Substitutes:  laksa noodles

wide rice noodles = jantaboon (Thai) = chantaboon (Thai) = shan shui ho fun (Chinese) = sha ha fun (Chinese) = sha he fan (Chinese) = sen chan (Chinese)  Notes:   These thick rice noodles are popular both in Southeast Asia and China.  Soak the noodles in hot water until soft, then either boil them or add them along with some broth to your stir-fry.      Substitutes:  medium rice noodles

river rice noodles = rice ribbon noodles = vermicelli sheets = sha he fen = fen noodles = sha ho fen = chow fun guo tiao = kuay taew = khao pun = hu tieu = hieu tieu = hu tieu    Notes:   These chewy rice noodles are popular in southern Vietnam, where they're often served with seafood.  They're usually sold as fresh sheets, which are either left whole or sliced into various widths.  Rinse them in warm water before using, then add them to stir-fries or soups, or use the sheets to wrap meat fillings before steaming them.      Substitutes:  medium rice sticks

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Copyright © 1996-2005  Lori Alden