The Japanese instant version of Chinese-
style noodles, ra-men, was born in1958.
They’re manufactured by making thin,
quickly rehydrated noodles, then steaming
them, frying them at 280ºF/ 140ºC, and air-
drying at 180ºF/80ºC.
Asian Starch
and Rice Noodles
All the pastas we’ve looked at so far are held
together by the gluten proteins of wheat flour.
Starch and rice noodles contain no gluten
whatsoever. Starch noodles in particular are a
remarkable, even startling invention: unlike
all other noodles, they’re translucent. They’re
often called glass or cellophane noodles, and
in Japan are given the lovely name harusame,
“spring rain” noodles.
Starch Noodles Dried noodles made out of
pure starch — usually from mung beans