If noodles are actually fresh, soft, and have never been refrigerated, use your finger to pull them apart. If they are still in whole sheets, cut them into the desired shapes and lengths. I suggest that even if you don’t plan to use the entire package, you separate the contents into individual strands, use what you want, and then place the remaining noodles in small bags. A simple dunk in boiling water later will bring them back to life.
- If chilled: Once refrigerated, fresh rice noodles get very firm and are tough to peel apart. This can be rectified with some lukewarm water and a lot of patience. Break or cut off however many noodles you need, and cover them with lukewarm water for 10 minutes. Then peel back the individual layers of noodles.
- If fresh: If they have never been chilled, they will soften within a few seconds of entering boiling water. Really, no more than 10 seconds is needed. Longer cooking actually ruins their texture.