Versatile and healthy, bean thread noodles are a wise choice for those who have gluten intolerance because they're made from ground mung beans, not wheat. Also, because bean thread noodles are flavorless, they take on flavors of other ingredients, particularly broths and sauces. Find them in the market under alternate names of sai fun noodles or cellophane noodles. Preparing them for your recipes is easy.
Instructions
1. Cut the bean thread noodles into smaller pieces to make them easier to manage, but not so small that they will disappear among other ingredients in the recipe.
2. Boil water, then add the bean thread noodles to the water a few strands at a time.
3. Stir until the water returns to a boil. This keeps noodles from sticking to the pan.
4. Keep the noodles cooking for 6 minutes. They'll be soft, slippery and translucent.
5. Take the pan off the fire, drain the bean thread noodles, and rinse them with water. The cold water stops the cooking process.
6. Use the cooked noodles to fill spring rolls, add them to soups, toss with sesame oil and sesame seeds for a side dish, or add them to stir-fry dishes near the end of the cooking cycle.
Tags: bean thread, bean thread noodles, thread noodles, other ingredients, thread noodles
