10 Minute Peanut Sauce Rice Noodles - The Twin Cooking Project by Sheenam & Muskaan (2024)

FAQs

What culture is peanut noodles? ›

Peanut butter noodles might sound like an Americanised version of a Chinese dish, and you can find this item on menus all around New York's Chinatown, but its origins don't lie there. The dish, made from a ground peanut sauce, hails from Shaxian, in the south-eastern coastal province of Fujian.

Substitutions and Variations

Most store-bought chili garlic sauces contain added oil. Peanut-free option: If you have a peanut allergy, replace the natural peanut butter with creamy almond butter or cashew butter. These butters are much more neutral in flavor, but will still make a delicious creamy sauce.

Soak them in room temperature water using the following timing as a guide, keeping in mind that they vary between brands. Rice vermicelli: 5-15 minutes, depending on the brand. Wai wai brand is smaller and takes only 5 minutes, Erawant takes up to 15 minutes. Small size: 20-30 minutes.

Rice noodles are very easy for home cooks to make — simply soak them in warm water (not cold water, not hot water) for 10-15 minutes, or until they are soft. Unlike wheat pasta, you don't need to boil rice noodles; the warm water is enough to cook them through.

Although commonly associated with Thai cuisine, peanut sauce actually originated in Indonesia (source). What Americans know as peanut sauce is more commonly referred to as satay sauce (or bumbu kacang) in Indonesia, because it's most often served with the popular Indonesian dish, satay (skewered, grilled meats).

Rice noodles are most common in the cuisines of China, India and Southeast Asia. They are available fresh, frozen, or dried, in various shapes, thicknesses and textures.

Notably, they're suitable for people with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Rice noodles are low in fat and moderate in calories, making them a healthy option. Try pairing them with high fiber veggies and tasty sauces — though you may want to limit your use of high sodium add-ins like soy sauce.

Peanut Sauce Recipe Instructions

Add all of the ingredients (garlic, ginger, peanut butter, soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil) and any optional add-ins into a small bowl. Add the hot water, and stir to combine until you have a smooth sauce. Alternatively, you can make this in a food processor for a smoother texture.

You can easily substitute olive oil for butter in most pasta recipes, especially ones that have lots of fresh vegetables.

If you're not eating the noodles immediately or using them in a dish that's either cold or room temperature, you should rinse the noodles in cold water immediately upon taking them out of the boiling water. The cold water will remove surface starch and cool the noodles, keeping them from cooking any longer.

Can I boil rice noodles without soaking? ›

I don't have to soak rice noodles before cooking, but I find that it helps them cook more evenly. If I'm in a hurry, I'll just give them a quick rinse in hot water before cooking. I don't have to soak rice noodles before cooking, but I find that it helps them cook more evenly.

They require extensive stir-frying to fully cook, leading to dry and sticky noodles. Boiling the noodles, on the other hand, leads to gummy strands that glue themselves together in the pot, resulting in a soggy, clumpy stir-fry and a whole lot of frustration.

Pho (pronounced “fuh”) is a Vietnamese noodle soup that's made with broth, rice noodles, meat, and fresh garnishes. Authentic versions take much more time and love than this recipe (here's a great cookbook with authentic recipes from Andrea Nguyen, or check out this authentic recipe).

He Fen (河粉 ) (Flat Rice Noodles)

A thinner version, about half the thickness of the traditional rice noodles, is sometimes served in broths. Both variations are white and somewhat slippery. Made with rice flour and water, they are generally sold fresh in strips or sheets that may be cut to the desired width and length.

Peanut sauce – also referred to as satay sauce, it is a sauce made from ground roasted or fried peanuts, widely used in the cuisines of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Suriname and Africa. It is used as an ingredient in various dishes.

In India, peanuts are sold as street food (as in this peanut chaat). Peanuts are also added to rice dishes and curries, and peanut oil is commonly used as cooking oil in India. The legume is also popular in China, especially as a cooking oil and street snack, but they also add crunch to stir fries and other dishes.

Origin. The earliest written record of noodles is found in a book dated to the Eastern Han period (25–220 CE). Noodles made from wheat dough became a prominent food for the people of the Han dynasty. The oldest evidence of noodles was from 4,000 years ago in China.

Thai Peanut Sauce has such an interesting history and evolution that spans across several Asian countries including Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, and its rich flavors can be used in several different ways that go beyond what we commonly see the sauce paired alongside.