Instructions: Thirty years ago the traditional indian kitchen was equipped to cater for large numbers of people. There would be long afternoon sessions of snack pickle or poppadom making and the women of the house would spend hours bottling and drying products for later use. This is changing and ready made ingredients are fast replacing homemade ones. Rice noodles are a prime example of this shift. Exclusively made at home earlier they are now nearly always bought.

manufacture
Rice noodles are made by cooking rice flour in water until a soft spongy dough is formed. This is passed through perforated machines which shape the noodles. This procedure used to be performed by means of a hand held device which operated on a corkscrew mechanism and had holes in its base. This perforated base sheet was removable and came with various sizes of hole. After shaping the noodles were dried until hard either in long strips or in coils.

appearance and taste
Fairly thick white and translucent nce noodles are hard and rough textured. They snap quite easily. Although they have little aroma they have a pleasant taste that can be enlivened both by sugar and by salt.

buying and storing
Commonly available in indian grocery shops rice noodle must be consumed within 2 months of opening the pack.

culinary uses
Rice noodles are made into dishes in the same way as vermicelli. However as they are thicker they make a more filling substantial snack. They are first stir fried in ghee or oil and then made into a sweet with milk and sugar or into a savoury with salt and spices. They are sometimes boiled and added to sweet milk drinks as a garnish. On cooking rice noodles become soft and slippery.

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