Searching For Instructions On How To Cook Rice Noodles

Before we learn how rice noodles are cooked, let's answer an important question, 'What are rice noodles?' Simple, noodles made from rice or rice flour. Water and rice are the 2 main ingredients, besides cornstarch and tapioca, while preparing these noodles. What the latter ingredients do is make the noodles jellylike and chewy once cooked. Included in various Asian cuisines, they are commonly found in fresh, dry, and frozen forms. Rice noodles come in different shapes and sizes such as thick spaghetti style ,Thai flat rice sticks, laksa noodles (used in soups), rice vermicelli (used in spring rolls, stir-fries, soups), thin rice sticks (used in soups, cold salads, spring rolls), river rice noodles (used in stir-fries, soups, and served with seafood), and many more. While cooking these varieties, it's important that you know how long it takes to cook and what are the specific steps.

If you are new to Asian cuisine and have never experimented with rice noodles, the process can be frustrating because of lack of proper information. When you take a look at the rice noodles package your purchased from the store, they don't include any directions on how to perfectly cook rice noodles. Again, as I said, frustration. But we are here to give you simple solutions on cooking rice noodles correctly. So read the following article properly and get the answers you are searching for.

Ways to Cook Rice Noodles

As we discussed earlier, there are different types of rice noodles, it may seem that you might have to use different directions to cook them. Well, not really. Even though the shapes and sizes may be different, in the end, they are still rice noodles. So the instructions don't necessarily have to change. The only alterations to cooking them would be after they are ready, would you like to add them in stir-fry or soup. So depending on your recipe, the uses of cooked rice noodles will change, but not the way the rice noodles are cooked in the first place.

Rice Noodles for Stir-Fries
Unlike wheat noodles, rice noodles are delicate and can break if not cooked properly. While cooking rice noodles, it's essential to know how long it should be soaked in water. Otherwise, you will be left with nothing just mushy noodles for your soups and stir-fires.

• The best way to cook these rice noodles for stir-fries is to take a big bowl.
• Add warm water in first and then add the noodles.
• Let them soak for no longer than 30 minutes. It's essential that you don't let them soak for longer time.
• The extra time these noodles stay submerged in the water, the more mushy they become.
• If you want to know how to fry rice noodles, take the wok add these soaked noodles in a lot of oil so they can cook properly.
• Make sure none of the other ingredients like vegetables, meat, or seafood is being cooked along with the noodles.
• This way, you keep the noodles tender and not mushy to eat when added with the rest of the ingredients later on.

Rice Noodles for Soups
With soups, again you need to remember that overcooking them can be disastrous. As it is when they are getting transferred into the soup, they will be in warm water again. So it's essential that you don't make any mistakes while cooking them. Also, don't make too much rice noodle soup as they are not ideal as leftovers.

• To begin cooking rice noodles for soup, you can add them in the end of your recipe.
• Once all the ingredients of your soup are almost cooked, you can add the rice noodles then.
• You want the noodles to be al dente and not completely cooked.
• Till the time you serve and have the soup, the noodles will keep cooking and getting more and more soft.

Rice Noodles for Salads
Finally, the cold salads. Now this calls for an entirely different instruction for cooking.

• Don't soak them in warm water.
• Take a pot of boiling water and add the rice noodles in.
• Boil only for 3 minutes tops and remove them immediately.
• If you keep the noodles in boiling water for long, you will be left with mush.
• Rinse them under cold water and add to your salad in the end.
• Toss properly and enjoy.

Cooking rice noodles for stir-fries, soups, and salads is easy; and you just saw why and how. I hope that these instructions helped you and you won't be left with mushy, but perfectly tender rice noodles for your recipes.

Spice Up Your Dining Table With Sticky Rice

Sticky rice, also known as glutinous rice, sweet rice, waxy rice, etc. is grown in most Southeast Asian countries, and is part of the traditional cuisine. No important function is complete without it. In China, glutinous rice has been grown for at least 2,000 years, and was also used in the construction of the Great Wall of China. It is unlike other rice varieties grown in Asia, i.e., the grains stick to each other at a higher degree than other rice grains. Glutinous rice does not contain gluten, but a high level of amylopectin, a polymer of glucose which is responsible for its sticky appearance and texture.

Ways to Prepare Sticky or Glutinous Rice

One can make this in a steamer, a microwave as well as a rice cooker. Every method would result in the rice becoming sticky, although steaming is a traditional way of cooking the rice, a microwave will save you quite a bit of effort, and with a rice cooker - you can plug and serve as per your timing. Soak the rice at least for an hour before you begin cooking it. The grains have a tough exterior, soaking will soften it up, and make its texture sticky.

Steaming: Take a steamer, place water in it, and place the divider in place. Spoon the steam rice on the divider, and cover with the lid. The heat should be on medium, let the rice cook in the steamer for 20-25 minutes. Take the steamer off the flame, stand for five minutes and then remove the rice.

Rice Cooker: Add rice in the cooker along with water (1 cup rice with 1¼ cups of water). Plug and turn on the rice cooker for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Once the rice cooker gets switched off, stand the rice in cooker to soften with the steam for ten minutes. Uncover, and stir, serve hot.

Microwaving: In a microwave proof dish, add rice and water (½ cup rice and ¾ cup water). Cover the bowl, and cook on HIGH for three minutes. Stir it once, and aging cook on HIGH for two more minutes. In most cases the rice gets cooked in this much time, but given the variations of heat levels in each microwave, one may need to cook the rice for a few minutes more. Cooked rice should appear translucent.

Preparing Glutinous Rice Balls

This rice ball is easy to make, and has fillings unique to each Oriental country. Eaten round the year, and during special festivals, they can be flavored with interesting fillings or rolled in toppings. To make sticky rice balls, keep your rice cooked and ready. A note here, while cooking rice specifically for making balls, add in a little bit more water than usual. Prepare the filling and set aside. Take a tablespoon of warm rice (warm rice sticks better than cold rice) in your clean hands, and shape it into a ball, using a finger, dent a hole in the rice ball, add the filling, and round up the ball again. If you do not prefer to have a filling in the rice ball, roll them in crushed peanuts or sesame seeds.

Sticky Rice Dessert Recipe

Ingredients:

• Ripe yellow mangoes, 2
• Cooked glutinous rice, 1 cup
• Coconut cream, 1 cup
• Sugar, ¼ cup
• Salt, a pinch

In a small saucepan, mix together coconut cream, sugar and salt, and bring it to a boil, until consistency begins to thicken. Reserve, four tablespoons, mix the remaining in the rice. Let the cream set in the rice, meanwhile, cut mango slices. Spoon a portion of rice on a plate, top it with mango slices and the reserved coconut cream. Serve immediately.

Now that you know how easy it is to make rice in this form, spice up your dining table with this Oriental dish!

Whole Wheat Breads And Buns Add Nutritional Value To Your Food

Whole wheat breads and buns add nutritional value to your food. The fiber content of whole wheat grains is greater than the refined ones. The best way to eat this whole wheat grains is to make foodstuffs that can be included in your daily snack. How about making whole wheat buns, that can make burgers, both relishing and nutritious!

Whole Wheat Black Pepper and Garlic Buns

Ingredients

• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp instant yeast
• 3/4 tsp ground pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 cup warm milk
• 1 egg
• 2 cups of all-purpose flour

Procedure

Mix sugar, yeast, whole wheat flour, salt, garlic powder, pepper and all-purpose flour in a mixer. Mix water, milk and butter together and knead the mixture for 8 min. After enough kneading, this ball of dough is kept in a greased bowl in a plastic wrap for about 1 hour. The dough becomes double the size after one hour.

Deflate the dough, and scoop it on a surface floured with some all-purpose flour. Cut the dough into equal pieces and flatten each piece into a disc. Spritz oil on these pieces and again, cover them with plastic sheets. In the meantime, heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and whisk an egg in 1 tablespoon of water.

When the disc doubles in size in an hour, brush the tops with the whisked egg mixture. Place these discs in the oven for 15 min, and allow the buns to cool before you cut them. Your fluffy, pepper-ginger buns are ready.

Whole Wheat Sun-dried Tomato Buns

Ingredients

• 2 cups of whole wheat flour
• 7-8 chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 tbsp of honey or sugar
• 2 cups of warm water
• 2 tbsp of dry yeast
• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp of garlic powder
• 2 tbsp of cornmeal
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 egg

Procedure

Take a mixing bowl and combine yeast, honey and 2 cups of water, until it turns frothy. Add whole wheat flour, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic powder, all-purpose flour, oil, salt to the frothy mixture in the mixer bowl. Knead the flour for 6-7 min, till it becomes elastic.

Make small balls of the dough and press them into discs. Cover them with plastic sheets and let them rise for 1 hour. Mix egg white with 2 tablespoons of water and brush the surface of the buns with this egg mixture. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on the buns. Pre-heat the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit and place these buns for baking. Bake the buns for 20-25 min, until they turn golden-brown.

Honey and Oatmeal Whole Wheat Buns

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of oatmeal
• 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour
• 3 tbsp of honey
• 2 tbsp of sugar
• 2 tsp of salt
• 1 cup of warm water
• 2 tbsp of yeast
• 1 egg
• 2 cups of all-purpose flour (for kneading and sprinkling on the surface of baking dish)

Procedure

Combine yeast and water and mix them. Mix the oatmeal, whole wheat flour, honey, sugar and salt in the mixer. Knead this dough with the warm water and yeast mixture, till it becomes soft. Make small bun-shaped pieces and let them rise for 1 hour. Mix egg white in water and apply this whisked mixture to the buns, before keeping it in oven. Set the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 min.

Whole wheat grains have both soluble and insoluble fibers. The soluble fibers help to lower your cholesterol levels and the insoluble fibers are necessary for a good digestive system. Bran and germ are a rich source of vitamins and minerals. Ordinary white wheat flours do not contain bran and germ; but whole wheat flour has them. So, next time you have a burger, go for the easy-to-make whole wheat buns.

Home-style Meatloaf Recipes That You Can Serve Your Family

The meatloaf originated in the 5th century in Europe, where it was known as minced meatloaf. Meatloaf is a dish that consists of seasoned ground meat in a loaf shape. The meatloaf is cooked by baking or smoking. The American meatloaf recipe is versatile and can be cooked with a combination of meat, herbs, vegetables and cheese and is usually topped with a desired sauce. Following is a list of home-style meatloaf recipes that you can serve your family in the comfort of your own home.

False Hare (German Meatloaf)

Ingredients for Meatloaf

• Lean ground pork, ½ pound
• Lean ground beef, ½ pound
• Large eggs, 2
• Peeled hard-boiled eggs, 2
• Bacon strips, 4
• Chopped medium onion, 1
• Chopped parsley, 2 tbsps
• Mustard, 1 tsp
• Paprika, 1 tsp
• Salt as per taste
• Bread crumbs, 3 tbsps
• Cold water, 3 tbsps
• Vegetable oil, 4 tbsps
• Beef broth, 1 cup

Ingredients for Sauce

• Sour cream, ½ cup
• Cornstarch, 1 tsp
• Hot water, ¼ cup
• Water, ¼ cup

Meatloaf Preparation

In a large bowl, mix lean ground meat, eggs, bread crumbs, cold water and season with parsley, mustard, paprika and salt, blend it thoroughly. Flatten out the meat mixture in a square shape. Place whole hard-boiled eggs in the middle, in a row and fold the sides to cover the eggs. Shape the meat, into a flat bread loaf. Meanwhile, cook 2 bacon strips in the oven until cooked. Heat oil on a flat oven dish and place the meatloaf on it. Bake the loaf in a Dutch oven, until browned from all sides. Uncover the oven and arrange the remaining 2 bacon strips on top of the meatloaf and gradually pour beef broth over it. When cooked, place it on platter and keep it warm.

Sauce Preparation

Boil ¼ cup of hot water and add cornstarch which has been dissolved in ¼ water. Cook until thick, stir continuously to ensure no lumps are formed. Remove from heat and add the sour cream. Season with salt and paprika. Serve the meatloaf with the sauce as an accompaniment.

Meatloaf is a traditional comfort food and one can enjoy varied flavors, just by using different meats, vegetables and spices. This is one wholesome home-cooked meal that you would never get bored of and would always be left wanting just one more slice.