Wheat-free noodles made from rice flour. Vary from ribbon-flat to thread-thin; central to Thai, Vietnamese, Burmese, and southern Chinese cooking.
Rice noodles emerged in southern China before the Tang dynasty (~600 CE) and spread through trade routes into Vietnam (phở, bún), Thailand (sen lek/sen yai), and Malaysia/Singapore (kway teow, bee hoon).
Mild, slightly sweet, takes on the flavour of the broth or sauce.
Phở (banh phở, flat). Pad thai (sen lek, narrow). Pad see ew (sen yai, wide). Vietnamese bún (round, thin). Singaporean laksa (vermicelli + thick).
Dried versions are pantry-stable. Fresh kway teow is best when available. Brands: Erawan (Thai dried), Vinawang (Vietnamese fresh).
No good wheat substitute that gives the same chew. Glass noodles (mung bean) are the closest in some applications.
Dried: pantry, 2 years. Fresh: refrigerated 1–2 weeks, freezing not recommended (texture suffers).
