Look up hot or HOT in Wiktionary, the hot noodles dictionary. Hot”, by Smash Mouth from Get the Picture?
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Thuong Tan is a Noodle Expert and the Founder of Noodelist, a food startup producing plant-based instant noodles. This article has been viewed 512,462 times. Noodles make a hearty, delicious side dish or main meal. You can whip them up in five minutes and enjoy with butter and cheese, or dress them up with a special sauce when you have guests over. They’re wonderful in soups and casseroles, too. Different types of noodles require different cooking methods, but they’re all equally easy to prepare. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Fill up a big saucepan and place it on a burner over high heat. Drop a pinch of salt in the water. This helps flavor the noodles and helps the water boil at a higher temperature, reducing the cooking time. Place the noodles in the boiling water. If you have long, thin noodles, like spaghetti, you might need to break them in half to fit them all in the pot. Don’t add the noodles until the water has come to a rolling boil, or they’ll end up getting soggy and mushy.
Add the noodles gently so you don’t splash hot water back onto your skin. Depending on how thick the noodles are, you may need to boil them from anywhere from 5 minutes to 12. Read the instructions on your noodle package to determine the correct time. Test to see whether the noodles are done. Pull out one noodle with a fork or slotted spoon. It should be soft enough to easily chew, but still have a bit of bite, meaning the noodle is ‘al dente. If the noodle sticks, it’s ready.
Look at the ends of the noodles. If they’re white compared to the rest of the noodle, they need more time. Hold the noodles up with a fork. If they swing easily back and forth, they’re done. Remove the noodles from heat and drain. Pour the noodles into a colander to drain the water away.
Put the noodles in a bowl and add a few drops of olive oil. Stirring in just enough oil to finely coat the noodles keeps them from sticking together. Dress the noodles or use them in a recipe. Wheat and egg noodles are delicious with plain butter, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Soak dried rice noodles in cold water for 30 minutes. This softens the noodles to prepare them for cooking. If you’re using fresh, rather than dried, noodles, you can skip the soaking step.