Noodles

Rice Noodle Stir Fry
1 C cubed tofu, 2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 3 Tbsp. soy sauce (marinade for chicken or tofu)
3 cloves garlic
1 thumb-size piece ginger, sliced thinly or matchstick-like pieces
1 cup or more fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
2-3 cups fresh bean sprouts
8 oz. very thin dried rice noodles
1/2 cup chicken stock
handful of fresh coriander
wedges of lime for garnish, and Thai Chili Sauce
2 1/2 Tbsp. oil
STIR-FRY SAUCE:
1 Tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tsp. dark soy sauce, 1 Tbsp. fish sauce (vegetarians substitute 1.5 Tbsp. soy sauce), 1 tsp. sugar, 1 Tbsp. lime juice, 1/4 cup chicken stock, 1-2 tsp. chili sauce, OR 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (to taste)
Marinate the tofu by pouring the cornstarch/soy sauce mixture over and stirring well. Set aside while you prepare the other ingredients. Soak rice noodles in a pot of hot water for 5-12 minutes, or just until noodles are soft enough to eat, but still firm (they will finish cooking later, so try not to over-soften them now). The timing will depend on how warm or hot your water is - the hotter, the faster the noodles will soften.
Drain and briefly rinse noodles with cold water (to keep them from sticking). Set aside. Combine all stir-fry sauce ingredients, mixing them together in a cup. Set aside.
Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add 2 Tbsp. oil. Swirl oil around, then add the garlic, ginger, tofu (together with the marinade), mushrooms, and a few tablespoons of stock. Stir-fry 5 minutes, or until chicken or mushrooms are cooked.
When wok or pan becomes dry, add a little more chicken stock, 1-2 Tbsp. at a time - enough to keep the ingredients frying nicely. Add the red pepper. Stir-fry another 1-2 minutes. The red pepper should still retain some of its crispness. Again, add stock when pan becomes dry.
Now add the noodles plus the stir-fry sauce. Using two utensils, lift and turn the noodles or use a tossing motion, like tossing a salad. Stir fry in this way until the sauce is well distributed throughout the noodles (1-2 minutes).
Finally, add the bean sprouts, continuing to stir-fry another minute. Remove from heat. Taste-test the noodles for salt, adding 1-2 tsp. (or more) fish sauce or soy sauce if not salty enough. If too salty, add another squeeze of lime juice.
To Serve: Lift noodles out of the wok or frying pan and mound on a serving platter. Sprinkle with fresh coriander, and garnish with wedges of fresh-cut limes. Serve with extra Thai chili sauce

Rice Noodles Coconut
14 ounces rice noodles, 1 t salt, 3 T vegetable oil, 1 t black mustard seed, 2 dried red chile peppers chopped, 3 T brown lentils, 4 T roasted peanuts, 3/4 C shredded or flaked coconut, 1/4 C water
Garnish with cilantro
Place noodles in a medium size pot and add water, just to cover. Add salt and bring to a boil. After boiling 1 to 2 minutes, transfer noodles to a colander and let cold water run through it for about 3 seconds. Drain and set aside.
Heat oil in a wok; when warm add mustard seed, chile peppers and lentils. Stir-fry until lentils start getting light brown, then add peanuts and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Stir in coconut and fry it until light brown; add cooked noodles and 1/4 cup water. Keep stirring all together over heat until well mixed, 10 to 20 seconds. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Rice Noodles Easy
1 (8 ounce) package dried rice noodles, 2 T vegetable oil, 1 clove garlic minced, 1 T soy sauce, 1/2 T chili sauce, salt and pepper to taste, 1 green onion, chopped
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add rice noodles, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until al dente; drain. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic until tender. Stir in noodles, and season with soy sauce, chili sauce, salt and pepper. Sprinkle top with chopped green onion.

Rice Noodles Fried
1/2 pack rice sticks (8 oz)
2-3 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 big handful of fresh bean sprouts
3 stalks scallions (cut into 2-inch length)
1 boneless & skinless chicken breast (cut into small pieces)
1/2 teaspoon corn starch (to marinate the chicken)
4 tablespoons oil
Seasonings:
4 T soy sauce , 1 T sweet soy sauce, 4 T water, 1T sugar, 3 dashes of white pepper powder
Method:
Soak the rice sticks in warm water for 30 minutes or until they turn soft. Set aside in a colander to drain the excess water. Rinse the bean sprouts with water and set aside to drain excess water. Lightly coat the chicken meat with the corn starch (to tenderize the chicken).
Mix all the seasonings and water together and set aside. Heat up a wok and add in the cooking oil. Add in the chopped garlic and stir-fry until aromatic or turn light brown. Add in the chicken meat and stir fry until the chicken is half done.
Add in the rice sticks and then follow by the seasonings. Stir the rice sticks continuously to blend well with the seasonings. Continue to stir fry for 2-3 minutes or until noodles turn soft or no longer wet, then add in the bean sprouts and chopped scallions. Stir-fry for another minute or until the bean sprouts are cooked.

Rice Noodles in Spicy Peanut Sauce
2 bundles Ramen or somen noodles, 2 Tbs Garlic minced 3 Tbs Fresh coriander minced, 1/2 Cup Peanut butter, 1/4 Cup Soy sauce, 5 Tbs Sugar, 3 tsp Rice wine, 1/4 tsp Hot chili oil, 1 Tbs Sesame oil
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to directions. Drain. Cool and set aside. (You can add 1 tsp of sesame oil to the noodles to prevent them from sticking together while you make the sauce.)
Combine the rest of the ingredients together in a large bowl or food processor. Mix until the peanut butter has become smooth and the ingredients well-blended.
Add the noodles to the bowl and toss until noodles are well-covered with the sauce. Garnish with fresh coriander (cilantro). You can also garnish the noodles and sauce with:
Cooked peas, Pork, chicken or beef slices, Julienne carrots, Chopped spring onions

Rice Noodles Singapore 2
1/4 pound thin rice stick noodles (rice vermicelli), 1 pound medium shrimp, 2 C bean sprouts,
1 red bell pepper, 2 C shredded Napa cabbage, 2 carrots, 2 green onions, 3 teaspoons minced ginger, 1/4 C water or chicken broth, 1/2 t brown sugar, 1/2 t salt, 1/4 t pepper, 4 T vegetable oil for stir-frying, 1 1/2 T curry powder
Soak the rice noodles in warm water for 15 - 20 minutes, or until they have softened. Drain the noodles in a colander. Prepare the remainder of the ingredients while the noodles are soaking.
Shell and devein the shrimp if needed. Soak the shrimp in warm salted water for 5 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
Clean all the vegetables. Rinse and drain the mung bean sprouts. Cut the red bell pepper in half, remove the seeds and cut into thin strips. Shred the Napa cabbage. Peel the carrots and cut into thin slices. Cut the green onion into thin slices. Mince the ginger.
Prepare the sauce by whisking together the water or chicken broth with the brown sugar and salt and pepper. Set aside.
Heat the wok over medium-high to high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the shrimp. Stir-fry the shrimp until they turn pink. Remove from the wok.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the wok. When the oil is hot, add the curry powder. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds, then add the ginger and stir-fry until the ginger is aromatic. Stir-fry the vegetables, beginning with the carrot, then adding the red bell pepper, and the Napa cabbage.
Stir in the bean sprouts. Stir-fry for about 20 seconds and then add the shrimp back into the pan with the noodles. Stir in the green onions.Pour the sauce over, tossing the ingredients so that they are absorbed with the sauce. Add a bit more water or chicken broth if the mixture becomes too dry. Taste and adjust the seasoning , adding more sugar, salt, pepper or curry powder as desired. Cook until the sauce is absorbed. Serve hot.

Rice Noodles Singapore Noodles
1/2 lb Rice vermicelli
SAUCE
1/2 C Chicken stock, 2 Tbs Oyster sauce, 2 Tbs Soy sauce, 1 Tbs Sugar, 1 Tbs Sesame oil,
1 Tbs Rice wine, 2 tsp Corn starch
1/2 lb Raw shrimp, peeled & deveined
1 Tbs Peanut oil
3 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 Tbs Ginger root, minced
3 Spring onions, finely chopped
1 Tbs Curry powder
1 Onion, cut into eighths
1 Carrot, grated
1 Red pepper, thinly sliced
2 tsp Crushed red pepper
1/4 Cup Bean sprouts, washed & trimmed
1/2 Cup Snow peas, trimmed
Combine the sauce ingredients (chicken stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, rice wine & corn starch) together in a small bowl. Mix well, then set aside.
Heat wok over high heat. When hot, add the peanut oil and swirl to cover bottom. Stir-fry the garlic, ginger and spring onions until fragrant-- about 30 seconds. Add the curry powder; cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Next add the onion wedges, grated carrot, sliced red pepper and crushed red pepper. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes, until the onions become translucent.
Add the shrimp. Pour in the sauce and bring to a boil. Stir-fry for about 1-1/2 minutes, until shrimp have turned opaque and pink. Add the bean sprouts, snow peas and vermicelli. Toss to combine with the other wok ingredients. Continue cooking on high for about 2 minutes, occasionally tossing the ingredients, until everything is heated through.
Either serve the noodles on one large platter or divide into individual portions. Serve immediately.

Thai Fusion Rice Noodles with Basil
10 oz. Thai rice noodles (preferably flat, Pad Thai-type noodles), Tbsp. oil for stir-frying
Toppings:
handful fresh basil, plus a handful of chopped or ground cashews
PESTO SAUCE:
1/2 C fresh basil, 1/3 C dry roasted unsalted cashews, 3-4 cloves garlic, 1/4 cup coconut OR olive oil, 1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice, 1 Tbsp. fish sauce OR soy sauce, 1/2 tsp. dry crushed chili
Bring a pot of water nearly to a boil, then remove from heat and add the rice noodles. Stir well, making sure all the noodles are submerged. Allow noodles to soak while you prepare the pesto sauce (8-15 minutes, depending on how thin or thick your noodles are). Tip: Noodles are done soaking when they have softened enough to eat, but are still quite firm and slightly "crunchy". The idea is only to soften them, as they will be stir-fried later.
Process pesto sauce ingredients.
Drain the noodles and briefly rinse with cold water to keep them from sticking. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Swirl oil around to cover bottom of pan/wok, then add the noodles. You will hear them sizzle when they hit the hot pan. Using a couple of flat utensils (spatulas or Asian-style "shovels"), gentle turn the noodles, scooping them up from the bottom of the pan/wok. Tip: Rice noodles have a tendency to stick, which is normal - just keep loosening them from the bottom of the pan and gently turning them. Stir-fry in this way for 1 minute.
Add 2 Tbsp. of the pesto and continue frying another minute, or until noodles are soft but chewy (al dente) in texture. If the noodles are still too firm or crunchy, add another Tbsp. of pesto and continue stir-frying another minute, or until desired softness is reached. Remove from heat. Add all remaining pesto and toss well to mix in.
To serve, slide noodles onto a serving platter, or onto individual plates or pasta bowls. Top with a sprinkling of fresh basil plus chopped or ground cashews

Thai Glass Noodles in a Savory Sauce
7-8 oz. Thai-style vermicelli, 4-6 shiitake mushrooms, handful of fresh basil leaves,
4 vegetarian wheat gluten "chicken" pieces
SAUCE:
1 C vegetarian "chicken" broth, 1 Tbsp. ground bean sauce, 3 cloves garlic minced, 1 thumb-size ginger, 1 C fresh coriander, Tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tsp. dark soy sauce, 1 Tbsp. fish sauce or soy, 1/2 cup water
optional: 1 red or green chilli, OR 1 tsp. to 1 Tbsp. chilli sauce
Soak noodles in a pot of cold or room-temperature water for approximately 20-30 minutes, or until soft enough to eat (some brands may take up to 1 hour). The noodles will absorb much of the water and expand - they will also magically turn from white to transparent. Drain and set aside.
While noodles are soaking, make the sauce. Place broth in a wok or deep frying pan over medium-high to high heat. Bring to a boil. Add all other sauce ingredients plus chicken (or wheat gluten) and mushrooms. Stir well. Turn heat down to medium. Cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked. Now add the drained noodles, gently turning them in the wok/pan with 2 large spoons or wooden "shovels". Turn down the heat to minimum.Stir-frying Tip: If the noodles remain too clumped together, use a pair of clean scissors to cut them into smaller, easier-to-manage lengths. You can cut them directly in the wok/pan, without removing or touching them with your hands. Just be careful not to "cut" or scrape the bottom of the wok/pan.

Vegetarian Pad Thai
8 oz. Pad Thai rice noodles, 2 eggs or 1/2 cup soft tofu, 4 cloves garlic, minced1 shallot,-4 "heads" of baby bok choy, 2 cups bean sprouts, 2 green onions,
1/3 C cilantro, 1/4 Cground peanuts
PAD THAI SAUCE:
3/4 Tbsp. tamarind paste . 1/4 cup hot water, 3+1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce , 1/2 to 2 tsp. chili sauce , 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
OTHER: 3-4 Tbsp. oil for stir-frying, 2-3 Tbsp. vegetable stock, lime wedges for serving
Preparation:
Bring a pot of water to a boil and remove from heat. Soak noodles in the hot water for 6-10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Tip: Noodles are ready to drain when they are soft enough to eat, but still firm and a little bit "crunchy". The noodles will finish cooking when they are fried.
Dissolve the tamarind paste in the hot water. Add the other pad thai sauce ingredients and stir well to dissolve the sugar. Add as much or as little chili sauce as you prefer, but don't skimp on the sugar (you need it to balance the sourness of the tarmaind). Reserve.
Place your wok (or large frying pan) over medium-high heat. Add 1-2 Tbsp. oil plus the garlic and shallot. Stir-fry 1 minute to release the fragrance. Add the bok choy plus the stock. Stir-fry 2 minutes, or until bok choy is bright green and slightly softened. Push ingredients aside and add 1/2 Tbsp. more oil to the center of the wok/pan. Add the eggs (if using) and stir-fry briefly to scramble them. Push eggs aside and add a little more oil to the middle of the wok/pan.
Now add the drained noodles and 1/3 of the sauce. Stir-fry everything together for 1 minute using 2 utensils and a tossing motion (like tossing a salad). Add a little more sauce and continue stir-frying in the same way for 1-2 more minutes, or until the noodles begin to soften and become sticky. Reduce heat to medium if noodles begin to stick and burn. Add the bean sprouts plus the remaining sauce. Stir-fry to incorporate everything together for 1-3 more minutes, or until noodles are done.
Noodles are cooked to perfection when they are soft but still deliciously chewy and a little bit sticky. Remove from heat
To serve, scoop noodles onto a serving platter. Sprinkle with the green onion, coriander/cilantro, and ground nuts. Add wedges of fresh-cut lime on the side. Serve immediately and ENJOY!. (Thai chili sauce can also be served on the side for those who likes their noodles extra spicy). If using soft tofu: add it when you add the noodles. It will break up into small bits and be distributed throughout the dish, just as the egg would.