Rice Noodles

Rice noodles are very popular in southern China and South-east Asia where not much wheat is grown.

Unlike most other noodles, which are made from flour of one type or another, rice noodles are made from whole grains of rice, which are soaked and then ground with water into paste. This paste is drained through a sieve to form a dough, which is divided into two. One half is cooked in boiling water for 15 minutes, before it is kneaded with the raw half to make a firm dough. The dough is then put through a press, which cuts it into various shapes and sizes. The finishes strands are blanched in water, drained and rinsed before being sold as fresh noodles, or dried in the sun before packaging.

Although they are know by different name, the rice noodles sold in southern China, Thailand and Vietnam are all similar. Like wheat noodles, they come in various widths, from the very thin strands known as rice vermicelli or mai fun ( sen mee in Thailand) to rice sticks, which start at around 2 mm and can be as wide as 1 cm, as in the case of ho fun, a special variety from south China reputedly made with river water rather than tap water. In Thailand it is possible to buy a rice noodles enriched with egg. Called ba mee, it is sold in nests. A wide range of dried rice noodles is available in Asian or Chinese stores, and fresh ones can occasionally be found in the chiller cabinets.

Because all rice noodles are precooked, they need only be soaked in hot water for a few minutes to soften them before use. If they are soaked for too long, they will go soggy and lose the texture that is part of their appeal.

Fresh rice spaghetti = laksa noodles

This rice noodles are fresh, round, white rice noodles that resemble cooked spaghetti. They are used to make laksa, a noodle dish popular in Indonesia and Malaysia. If not readily available , used dried vermicelli.

Medium rice stick= Thai flat rice sticks = rice fettuccine = Banh pho (Vietnamese) = hor fun (Chinese) = lai fen ( chinese) = sen lek (Thai) = kuey teow (Malaysian)

This rice noodles are especially popular in South-east 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.

Rice Flake noodles = Kuay chap

These big, flat rice noodles look like tortilla chips. They are 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.
 

Rice vermicelli = sen mee (Thai) = mi fen (Chinese) = mai fun (Japanese) = pancit bihon (Tagalog) = nanh hoi (Vietnam) = bee hoon (Malay)

These dried rice vermicelli are thin translucent noodles, sold packaged in blocks. They're similar to bean threads, only they're longer and made with rice flour instead of mung bean starch. These are used throughout Asian in soups, spring rolls, cold salads, and stir-fries. 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.

Thin rice sticks = bun (Vietnamese) = pancit palabok (Tagalog) = sen yai (Thai)

These Thin rice sticks noodles 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.

Wide rice sticks = jantaboon (Thai) = Sha ha fun (Chinese)

These thick rice noodles are popular both in South-east 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.
 

River rice noodles  = vermicelli sheet = sha ho fen = chow fun guo tiao = kuay teow = hu tieu

These chewy rice ribbon noodles are popular in Southern Vietnam, where they are often served with seafood. They are 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.