Cookbook:Glass Noodle

Glass Noodle
Category	Noodles

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Glass noodles, also called cellophane noodles, are a general class of thin noodles made from vegetable starches. They should not be confused with rice vermicelli.

Characteristics

The exact characteristics of glass noodles will depend on their ingredients. The starch used can be derived from mung bean, potato, sweet potato, cassava, canna, arrowroot, and/or pea. They are typically transparent to translucent when cooked, with a chewy, gelatinous texture and not much flavor. The color ranges from light brown to white, depending on the starch used to make it. The noodles typically get all their flavor from other ingredients in the final dish.

Types

• Dangmyeon (당면): Korean variety made from sweet potato starch
• Fensi (粉絲): Chinese variety, usually from mung bean
• Harusame (春雨): Japanese variety made from potato starch
• Falooda: South Asian variety made from arrowroot
• Kyazan: Burmese variety made from mung bean starch
• Wun sen (วุ้นเส้น): Thai variety
• Bún tào: Vietnamese variety made from mung bean starch
• Miến dong: Vietnamese variety made from canna

Selection and storage

The noodles are typically sold dried and should be kept in a sealed container away from moisture.

Preparation

Glass noodles must be rehydrated before use. This can be done by a brief period (3–5 minutes) of boiling or a more extended period (~10 minutes) of soaking in warm-to-hot water. They cook very quickly, and care must be taken to avoid overcooking, which will make them too soft. They will also absorb a good amount of liquid, so take this into account if adding the dried noodles to something like a soup.

Use

Dried cellophane noodles are either soaked in warm water or briefly boiled before adding to the final dish. After cooking, they can be used in a variety of soups, salads, stir-fries, dumplings, and other dishes. They may even be deep-fried. Conveniently, most glass noodles don't become sticky as they cool, preserving their texture.

The noodles are widespread across South, East, and Southeast Asia. Chinese cellophane noodles are often used in soups or to stuff dumplings and flatbreads. In Korean cuisine, dangmyeon glass noodles are used to make the stir-fried noodle dish called japchae. Japanese harusame are often used in salads. Thai wun sen are often used in the salad called yam wun sen or in the stir-fry dish called phat wun sen. In Vietnam, glass noodles are used to make miến gà, miến lươn, miến măng vịt, and miến cua. Indian falooda noodles are often served with kulfi ice cream, where they provide a textural contrast.

Substitution

If you can't get your hands on glass noodles, rice vermicelli can make a reasonable substitute.

Gallery

• 
  Canna starch noodles being dried
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  Cooked dangmyeon noodles
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  Korean japchae, made with dangmyeon
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  Cooked cellophane noodles
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  Steamed scallops with minced garlic and glass noodles
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  Falooda glass noodles and kulfi in India

Recipes

Category Glass noodle recipes not found