How to Cook 3 International Dishes Using the Same Noodle
At first glance, dried noodles seem like familiar territory. You ate a ton in college because it was easy and convenient. It’s likely you still enjoy it today when you hop to your favorite hot pot spot. But unless you grew up eating noodles constantly, any fancy noodle recipes seem daunting and scary to make. What if the flavors don’t compare to the ramen shop on Valencia? I won’t bother, you say.
There is no such thing as a fancy noodle dish. They’re all as simple as a cake recipe. What’s even better is if you only have one type of noodle, you’ll be able to create an array of easy and delectable dishes. I’m going to walk you through three ways to utilize rice noodles, a staple in Asian cuisine, so you don’t feel trapped in recreating classic chicken noodle soup. You’ve definitely had enough of those.
Recipes courtesy of Bon Appétit.
Sichuan-Style Rice Noodles
Ingredients:
1½ bunches scallions, divided
1 8-inch piece dried kombu
1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
3 star anise pods
1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more
1 3½–4-pound chicken
8 ounces dried thin rice noodles (not vermicelli)
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, divided
½ bunch Tuscan kale, tough stems removed, leaves very thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
Pinch of sugar
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon furikake seasoning, plus more for serving
Chili oil (for serving)
Ingredient Info
Furikake, a dried blend of seaweed, sesame seeds, fish flakes, salt, and other seasonings, can be found at Asian markets, some supermarkets, and online.
Preparation
Cut 1 bunch scallions into 1" pieces; thinly slice remaining bunch of scallions and set aside. Bring 12 cups water to a brisk simmer in a large stockpot and add scallion pieces, kombu, ginger, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, ¼ cup soy sauce, and 1 Tbsp. salt; cook until kombu is softened, 10–15 minutes.
Add chicken to pot and reduce heat so liquid is at a very gentle simmer. Poach chicken, uncovered, until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breast registers 160°, 40–45 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and let cool.
Meanwhile, increase heat to medium-high and bring poaching liquid to a boil; cook until reduced by half, 30–45 minutes. Fish out scallions, ginger, and star anise from pot with a slotted spoon and discard. Add noodles to poaching liquid and cook according to package instructions. Drain and toss in a large bowl with 1 tsp. sesame oil.
Combine kale, sugar, a pinch of salt, and remaining 1 tsp. sesame oil in a medium bowl and massage kale, rubbing between your fingers, until softened and shiny, about 30 seconds. Add vinegar, rice noodles, reserved sliced scallions, 1 Tbsp. furikake, and remaining 2 Tbsp. soy sauce and toss to combine; season with salt.
Remove skin and bones from chicken; discard. Slice or shred meat. Serve with noodles, drizzled with chili oil and sprinkled with more furikake.
Do Ahead: Chicken can be poached 1 day ahead; let cool, cover and chill chicken and liquid separately. Bring to room temperature before slicing. Noodle mixture can be made 3 hours ahead; store at room temperature. Moisten with more soy sauce and vinegar before serving.
Vietnamese inspired Pork Noodle Soup
Ingredients:
1 medium onion, peeled, halved through root end
2 chiles de árbol or ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise pods
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 1” piece ginger, peeled, crushed
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 bone-in pork shoulder steaks (about 12 oz. each)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces thin rice noodles
Mung bean sprouts, fresh cilantro leaves with tender stems, thinly sliced scallions, chopped unsalted, roasted peanuts, and lime wedges (for serving)
Preparation
Heat a dry large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Cook onion, cut side down, until lightly charred, about 5 minutes; transfer to a plate.
Add chiles (if using crushed red pepper flakes, add with fennel seeds), garlic, cinnamon stick, and star anise to skillet and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add fennel seeds and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 20 seconds (do not burn). Quickly transfer to a large saucepan (reserve skillet) and add onion, ginger, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until broth is flavorful.
Meanwhile, heat oil in reserved skillet over medium-high heat. Season pork with salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before thinly slicing.
Cook noodles according to package directions. Divide among bowls; add pork. Strain broth and ladle into bowls. Top soup with bean sprouts, cilantro, scallions, and peanuts and serve with lime wedges.
Thai Black Noodles
Ingredients:
6 garlic cloves, smashed
1 cup vegetable oil, divided
3 ounces baguette, sliced into ½” pieces (1½–2 cups)
Kosher salt
12 ounces dried thin rice noodles (not vermicelli) or 20 oz. fresh rice stick noodles
⅓ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup Thai sweet soy sauce
1 dried bird chile, ground
4 celery heart stalks with leaves, chopped
3 cups chopped green leaf lettuce (about 1 head), plus whole leaves for serving
2 cups mung bean sprouts
3 scallions, thinly sliced
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves with tender stems
⅓ cup chopped unsalted, roasted peanuts
Freshly ground white pepper
Ingredient Info
Thai sweet soy sauce can be found at Asian markets and online.
Preparation
Combine garlic and ½ cup oil in a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until bubbles form around garlic. Continue to cook until garlic is golden brown and oil is fragrant, 10–15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Discard garlic and transfer garlic oil to a large bowl; set aside.
Meanwhile, heat remaining ½ cup oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add bread and cook, tossing constantly, until bread is golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer croutons to paper towels; season with salt.
Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package instructions, separating strands with a fork or chopsticks as they cook. Drain and immediately rinse with cold water. Drain well, add to bowl with garlic oil, and toss to coat.
Add lime juice and soy sauce to noodles and toss to coat; season with salt and ground chile (you may not use all of it). Add celery, lettuce, and bean sprouts and toss.
Top noodles with scallions, cilantro, peanuts, and croutons, season with pepper, and serve over whole lettuce leaves.
No matter what you decide to cook with your rice noodles, we assure you it will be easy to make and delicious. Take this opportunity to share your new knowledge with friends or family that also see noodle dishes as reserved for the master chefs.
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