Crispy Rice Sticks

One of the great thrills of Chinese cooking is to toss a handful of dry rice noodles into hot oil and watch them puff up in a nest. It’s a swift bit of kitchen magic: The opaque, wire-like strands loop and bloom within seconds into a snowy tangle. One can get easily carried away, producing buckets of the stuff.

A small wad of noodles and a modest amount of oil will yield enough noodles to enliven a stir-fry or salad dramatically. Try it when your spirits are low and/or your lettuce