How to prevent my wide rice noodles from breaking after cooked?
I’ve been making Pad See Ew a number of times. I cook my wide rice noodles according to the package instructions (place in boiling water for 6-8 minutes) followed by draining in a strainer and rinsing under cold water. However, they break when I place them in the wok to stir fry with the sauce/vegetables.
Any advice on how to prevent this from happening so they stay long noodles and not small chunks?
Best Answer
Two reasons I can think the noodle would break apart.
- Your noodles are overcooked.
- The noodles are sticking.
If you are stir-frying a noodle after cooking, likely I think the first would be the biggest factor. I would typically suggest undercooking the noodle first.
- Cook it a minute or two shy of al-dente. It should be soft enough to stir-fry, but still "undercooked".
- Drain and then stir-fry with enough oil to prevent sticking.
- If the noodles at this point are still not al-dente, you can add some broth/water to the sauce and let it soften some more.
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Quick Answer about "How to prevent my wide rice noodles from breaking after cooked?"
Why do my rice noodles fall apart?
Rice noodles that have been soaked too long will have a texture similar to over-cooked Italian pasta - soft and mushy. Over-soaked rice noodles tend to stick together with a gluey, gummy texture. They might also fall apart when stir-fried, leaving you with short pieces of noodles rather than long noodles.How do you fix cooked rice noodles?
One solution to overcooked noodles is to throw them in a pan with a little butter or olive oil and saut\xe9 them over low heat. This will crisp them back up a bit, allowing you to salvage dinner. Add some garlic or Parmesan cheese for an extra kick \u2014 and to disguise the overcooked flavor of the noodles.Why do my rice noodles always stick together?
Flat rice noodles tend to stick together when the starch coming out from the rice noodles while boiling makes them sticky. If you don't constantly stir-fry the flat rice noodles or are not able to maintain the moisture of the ingredients, you are likely to get flat rice noodles sticking and clumping together.How To Keep Rice Noodles From Sticking Together | KITCHEN HACKS!
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