If you are a noodle lover then surely you have tasted starch noodles. These transparent noodles are usually made from some form of starch and water. They originate in China and are also known as Cellophane noodles because of their cellophane-like appearance.
It is easy to confuse Cellophane noodles with rice noodles, but they are in fact very different from each other. Cellophane noodles are transparent long threads while rice noodles, on the other hand, are opaque and have a semblance to Italian pasta. Both cellophane and rice noodles have low amounts of fat and carbohydrates when it comes to nutritional value. Carbohydrates, being one of the three macro-nutrients, are a major source of energy for the body. Thus their presence in the starch noodles serves the purpose of energy provision. But these noodles lack the presence of other nutrients.
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How to prepare them?
These starchy noodles are quite easy to prepare to make them a great pantry staple for quick weeknight meals. They are found in most Asian grocery stores in dried form so they must be rehydrated in order to be cooked. First, soak the dehydrated noodles in hot water for about 15 minutes and then boil them for an additional minute - be careful not to overcook. You can now proceed to add them to your favourite Asian recipes. Starch noodles are also very light on the palate so you won't be too full after eating.
A versatile noodle
These noodles are extremely versatile. Try them with your favourite meats or seafood such as shrimp or a nicely grilled piece of steak. Not to mention that it all comes together in less than 30 minutes. Did we mention that these noodles are also vegan and gluten-free? Yes, another reason to love them. Try them in flavourful and colourful vegetable stir-fries with cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts and fresh mushrooms like shiitake. Toss them with your favorite sauce to make an amazing, simple, tasty, and nourishing dinner.
Source: williams-sonoma.com/recipe/cellophane-noodles-shrimp-garlic.html
Starch noodles lie in the category of Asian noodles. Starch noodles and other types of pasta have almost the same proportions of carbohydrates. They have a trace amount of iron and selenium and the rest of the nutrients are not even present in them. Glass noodles and wheat noodles share almost the same taste. However, starch noodles offer a very neutral flavor. The mixture of other ingredients with these noodles fills the taste gap.
