they had rice noodles on sale at the farmers market so we grabbed a huge amount.

but, um i have never made rice noodles. anything special i need to know? any recipes that you really like? i know i love rice noodles (mmm pad thai) i have just never prepared them myself :)

be careful not to overcook so they don't get too gummy. Send me some pad thai...I could that any day.

Boil water, pour over the noodles, cover, soak til done. Oversoaking will mean mushy. Not enough water will mean rubbery. Boiling will frequently end up mushy.

LOVE rice noodles! :)

The following is from a blog post that I never actually got around to posting, lol.

One of our favorite restaurants is VanLang Cuisine in Little Rock. It has great food! There are not many Thai or Vietnamese restaurants in Little Rock, so we were thrilled when this one opened (it is Vietnamese), and even more happy to find that the food was excellent. When we go, we always eat the same thing. I don't really know what its called, but its number on the menu is V11.

Basically it is this:

In a large bowl:
Rice Vermicelli at room temp
Chargrilled meat (pork, beef, shrimp, or chicken)
Cucumber
Thai Basil
Cilantro
Mint
Green onion
Mung bean sprouts
Chopped peanuts
Lettuce

Then you pour a bowl of Nuoc Mam Cham with julienned carrots and something else (daikon radish?) over the noodles.

It is so good that we order this every time we go. Mmmmm...

So, my noodles are based on this idea, but I just use what I have on hand. It is still very tasty!

Laurie's Vietnamese Inspired Rice Noodles

Chopped veggies: I slice (julienne style) cucumbers, mushrooms, carrots, onions, radishes, and anything else that is in my fridge that sounds good.

Chopped lettuce

Chopped herbs: Definitely cilantro (since that's what I usually have on hand), but if you have any mint and/or basil, throw it in too!

Rice noodles, cooked according to package directions (soak them in very hot water until soft, then drain)

Meat: I usually use rotisserie chicken meat (from a store cooked chicken) and then saute it for a minute or so with some strong flavors, such as soy sauce, oyster sauce, thai chili paste, garlic, etc. I like it to have a strong flavor, because I don't use a whole lot

Chopped peanuts: None in the picture, but I usually do add some if I have it on hand.

Nuoc Mam Cham - Dipping Fish Sauce: recipe follows.


Place a handful of lettuce in a bowl, top with some rice noodles, add the veggies and meat, sprinkle with some chopped peanuts, and then pour several tablespoons worth of Nuoc Mam Cham on top of that. YUM!http://www.amitymama.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=62533&stc=1&d=1181828753
http://www.amitymama.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=62534&stc=1&d=1181828753

Nuoc Mam Cham
(I don't usually measure)

1 cup water
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 tablespoons sugar
Juice of 1 lemon (or more, to taste)
5 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped (or I'll leave it out if I have already added garlic somewhere else in the dish)
2 small fresh chili peppers (or I'll add some chili paste or sriracha sauce instead if I'm feeling lazy)

Combine in a bowl.

thanks mamas! off to grab my tofu and noodles and see what i can cook up!

I know Melly would know about this!
Ava's godmother is from Thailand- talk about a good cook and awesome food!!! Now i'm craving Thai:)

i was just out with friends last night and we had a discussion about rice noodles. i have never made them either, but i like them. i am going to have to try to make some soon.:)

Pad Thai Noodles

9 oz rice noodles
3 Tbs peanut oil
3 Garlic Cloves
4 1/2 oz chicken or pork (ground or cut into tiny peices)
1 1/4 c pealed shrimp
1 Tbs sugar
3 Tbs fish sauce
1 Tbs Katsup
1 Tbs lime juice
1 c bean sprouts

2 beaten eggs

Garnish:
chili flakes, cilantro, green onions

Soak noodles as per directions on package (usually pour boiling water over and let sit for 10 minutes).

Cook eggs seperately stiring with a wisk to get the smallest peices.

Heat oil and add garlic to saute'. Stir in pork or chicken and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Stir in shrimp, add sugar, fish sauce, katsup, and lime juice. Stir in noodles and eggs, add bean sprouts at the finish and tossing a few times.

Turn onto serving dish, and scatter w/cilantro, green onions and pepper flakes or crushed peanuts (gomaiso is good on this as well).

Laurie... WHY didn't you post that? Go post it... it will take seconds! ;)