Cooking noodle dishes

Alun

I was wondering whether there are tricks when cooking noodle dishes to get the other ingredients nicely mixed through the noodles, as opposed to staying more or less separate which is what usually happens when I do it.

I usually cook the noodles slightly in advance, stick them in a colander and cover in cold water and drain to stop them cooking and sticking, then stir fry all the other ingredients (meat, vegetables, sauces, spices etc.) and add the noodles at the end.

But, however much I stir away, and however I add the noodles, i.e. in one big lump or bit by bit, I always end up with just a small amount of ingredient mixed in with the noodles and everything else separate around the edges of the wok.

So, is there a trick to this? Maybe someone who works in a Chinese restaurant who seem to be able to pull this off successfully every time.

The Hill Billy

Maybe ask trackguy - he seem's to have a good mix going on here.

brick tamland

Not sure if this will help, how many are you cooking for?

I normally find I get better results when I only have indivudual portions in the wok. I do things much the same as you with noodles/veg/meat. I generally cook for 2 and sometimes I seperate everything into 2 for the last step and I generally find it gets better results then when i just do it in one big batch (end up with big lumps of noodles).

unkel

Alun wrote: »

cover in cold water and drain to stop them cooking and sticking

Covering them in cold water after cooking them removes the starch so the noodles will not stick to the sauce?

trackguy

Thanks Hill Billy

I've always found this annoying about noodle dishes so I use a plastic tongs and a large serving spoon at the same time.

I twist/ mix the noodles around with the tongs in one hand and in the other I keep spooning over the sauce/ veg/ meat that tends to sit at the bottom or side of the wok.

Odd, but it works.

Alun

brick tamland wrote: »

Not sure if this will help, how many are you cooking for?

I normally find I get better results when I only have indivudual portions in the wok. I do things much the same as you with noodles/veg/meat. I generally cook for 2 and sometimes I seperate everything into 2 for the last step and I generally find it gets better results then when i just do it in one big batch (end up with big lumps of noodles).

I'm usually cooking for two. I'll try your approach and see if it works any better.

Alun

unkel wrote: »

Covering them in cold water after cooking them removes the starch so the noodles will not stick to the sauce?

It's not so much the sauce that's the problem but the pieces of veg / meat.

Alun

trackguy wrote: »

Thanks Hill Billy

I've always found this annoying about noodle dishes so I use a plastic tongs and a large serving spoon at the same time.

I twist/ mix the noodles around with the tongs in one hand and in the other I keep spooning over the sauce/ veg/ meat that tends to sit at the bottom or side of the wok.

Odd, but it works.

I've tried using a pair of spaghetti tongs and kind of lifting the noodles out in small amounts and adding them back which helps, but I haven't tried the two pronged approach you use yet, so I'll give that a try as well.

Minder

With rice noodles, I find drying the noodles usually keeps them separate. If the noodles are wet, either hot or cold, when added to a wok the steam from the water in them causes them to clump together. So after draining and refreshing in cold water, I rub the noodles in a clean tea towel. Then add the noodles in handfuls to the wok while mixing as I go.

stmol32

I've never had this problem (I hope that doesn't sound like a brag) with noodles so I started wondering if there's any difference in the way we make noodles.

One thing I don't do is actually 'cook' them. I put them in a pot and pour over hot water from the kettle (about a minute or two off the boil).
Let them sit for at least three minutes and don't drain until you're ready to mix with the veg/meat.

I don't know if this will help but give it a lash.

Alun

The instructions on the packet say to put them in boiling water and simmer for 4 minutes. Personally I just do more or less what you do, i.e. bring a pan of water to the boil, put the noodles in and turn off the heat and leave them in there for 4 or 5 minutes with the lid on. They're not over cooked as far as I can see, and they don't really clump together although they are a bit sticky.