Cooking Noodles

All noodles need to be cooked in a generous amount of water to prevent sticking, and fresh noodles cook significantly quicker than their dried counterparts. Many of the starch-based Asian varieties like cellophane, rice, or glass noodles only need to be rehydrated by soaking them in boiling water. Ideally, all noodles are finished and served immediately after cooking, and this is typical in food-service operations, especially those specializing in Asian noodle dishes. However, if this is not possible, care must be taken to keep noodles from clumping together after they are cooked. Italian pasta is best tossed in a small amount of oil, and most Asian noodles can be rinsed in water to remove excess starch. See Table 5.5 for the applications of noodles.