How to Make Rice Noodles

In this recipe, we will guide you through the simple steps of how to make rice noodles from scratch, using common pantry ingredients~

Have you ever been disappointed by the dry texture and fragility of store-bought rice noodles when stir-frying them? By following this 30-minute recipe, you can create your own fresh, bouncy, and silky rice noodles right in the comfort of your own kitchen.

Don’t know what to do with your freshly homemade rice noodles? No worries! Here is my easy-to-follow yet authentic beef chow fun recipe. You can never have enough of rice noodles with this recipe.

So, roll up your sleeves and let’s embark on a journey of noodle-making mastery!

What Are Rice Noodles

Rice noodles, also known as rice vermicelli, are a type of noodle made primarily from rice flour or rice starch. They come in various shapes and sizes, ranging from thin to flat and wide.

These noodles have a light, delicate, and slightly chewy texture and a neutral rice flavor, making them versatile and adaptable to a wide range of dishes. They are commonly used in stir-fries like chow fun, soups like Pho, spring rolls filling, and noodle-based dishes like Pad Thai.

Due to their gluten-free nature (both rice flour and tapioca starch are gluten-free), rice noodles are also a popular choice for individuals with gluten sensitivities or those following a gluten-free diet. They offer a satisfying alternative to wheat-based noodles and provide a pleasant chewiness that complements various flavors and ingredients.

EQUIPMENT

• 2 flat baking dishes (I used two 9 inch round nonstick cake pans. You can also use rectangle baking dishes, glass dishes, or ceramic dishes. Remember to grease the dish with vegetable oil if the dish is not nonstick. )
• Large pan (For steaming)
• Steamer rack
• Kitchen scale (You can also use measuring cups. However, it is recommended to use a kitchen scale for a more consistent outcome.)

INGREDIENTS for making rice noodles

The basic ingredients for making rice noodles are:

1. Rice Flour: Rice flour serves as the primary ingredient in rice noodles, and you can either purchase pre-made rice flour or prepare it at home by grinding raw rice into a fine powder.
2. Water: Rice noodles require water to form a batter or dough-like consistency.

Optional ingredients for flavor and texture variations include:

3. Tapioca starch: Tapioca starch provides a stretchiness and bounce that enhances the overall eating experience of the noodles. This property is due to tapioca starch’s ability to absorb and retain moisture when cooked. When added to rice noodle recipes, tapioca starch interacts with water to form a gel-like structure, creating a more resilient and chewy texture in the noodles.
4. Salt: A small amount of salt is often added to the rice noodle batter to enhance the flavor.
5. Vegetable oil: By incorporating vegetable oil into the batter, you don’t need to grease the pans each time when making the noodles.

This ingredient list will yield approximately 530g of rice noodles, a quantity sufficient to serve two people:

• 150 g rice flour (1⅓ cup)
• 45 g tapioca starch (⅓ cup)
• 360 g cold water (1½ cup)
• 13 g vegetable oil (1 tbsp)
• 2 g salt (⅓ tsp)

Tips on how to make rice noodles

1. Resting time: Ideally, allow the mixed batter to rest for at least 30 minutes before steaming. This resting time helps the rice flour hydrate fully and ensures a better texture in the final noodles. And make sure you give the batter a good stir after the resting, cuz the flour might sink to the bottom.

2. Noodle thickness: Adjust the amount of batter used to control the thickness of the noodles. Opting for thicker layers will yield noodles that are more resistant to breaking apart during stir-frying. While thinner layers will produce thinner noodles, allowing them to absorb more flavors during the cooking process. Experiment with different thicknesses to find your preferred style.

3. How to steam without a steamer: You can always use a large frying pan and a steamer rack as a steamer. In case the steamer rack height prevents you from covering the pan with its lid, you can resolve this by positioning 3 to 4 metal cookie cutters underneath the baking dish. This ensures the dish is not submerged in water. Alternatively, if you don’t have metal cookie cutters, you can use foil balls as a substitute.

4. Observe when the rice noodle sheet has been fully cooked: It’s important to monitor the steaming process and remove the noodles from the steamer as soon as they are cooked and tender. If rice noodles are steamed for too long, they can become overcooked and turn mushy or overly soft. A helpful indication that the noodles are fully cooked is when you notice small bubbles, similar in size to ping-pong balls, forming on the surface of the noodle sheet. Typically, achieving this state of doneness takes approximately 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat.

5. Brush oil: To prevent the steamed noodle sheets from sticking together or drying out, apply a thin layer of oil between each layer as you stack them up. This simple step acts as a protective barrier and ensures the noodles retain their individuality and moisture over time.

6. How to store homemade rice noodles: For the best result, proceed to cook the fresh rice noodles right after they are made. To store your homemade rice noodles, gently separate and loosen the noodles, then place the rice noodles in a spacious airtight container or a sealable plastic bag. Store the rice noodles in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to use the stored rice noodles, gently soften them by briefly immersing them in hot water and then draining off the excess water.

7. Recipes using rice noodles:

• Beef chow fun (Cantonese wide rice noodles stir-fried with beef and various vegetables)
• Vietnamese soup pho (Vietnamese rice noodle soup made from beef bones, ginger, onions, and lots of aromatic spices)
• Pad Thai (Thai stir-fried rice noodles with ingredients such as shrimp, chicken, tofu, or vegetables)
• Char Kway Teow (Singaporean flat rice noodles fried with just garlic and chilli)

Step-by-step INSTRUCTIONS 

1. In a large bowl, combine the rice flour, tapioca flour, water, salt, and vegetable oil. Stir well until the batter is smooth.

2. Place a steamer rack in a large pan. (My steamer rack was too high. So I placed some metal cookie cutters underneath the baking dishes to replace the steamer rack. You can also use some foil balls instead.) Add water to the pan until the water level reaches about ⅔ of the height of the steamer rack. Place the lid on the pan, set the stove to high heat, and bring the water to a boil. After the water has reached a boil, reduce the heat to medium to maintain the water boiling.

3. Pour a thin layer of the batter into a flat baking dish, tilting the dish to spread the batter evenly. (Remember to grease the dish with vegetable oil if the dish is not nonstick. For a 9-inch round cake pan, I found that using approximately ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp of batter was just enough to cover the entire pan. Adjust the amount of batter accordingly based on the size of your dish.)

4. Open the lid of the large pan, carefully place the cake pan on the steamer rack, cover the pan with the lid and steam the batter on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes, or until you observe large bubbles on the noodle sheet.

5. Pour a thin layer of the batter into the other cake pan. Once the first noodle sheet has been fully cooked, carefully remove the cake pan from the steamer, and place the second cake pan on the steamer rack for steaming. (A second cake pan can save you some cooking time. But it is optional.)

6. Brush a large plate with a thin layer of vegetable oil. Gently lift the noodle sheet out of the cake pan and place it on the greased plate. Brush a thin layer of vegetable oil onto the top surface of the noodle sheet.

7. Repeat the process with the remaining batter, ensuring to brush the top surface of each noodle sheet before stacking the next layer.

8. Once you have completed stacking all the noodle sheets, proceed to slice them into noodles with a width of ¼ to ½ inch, adjusting the width according to your personal preference.

9. Separate the noodles by tearing them apart and gently toss them to loosen and separate them before using. Check out my Beef Chow Fun (stir-fried rice noodles) recipe here.

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