Sweet Potato Noodles

While Sweet Potato Noodles may have originated in China, they have been of particular importance in Korea since the last half of the 20th Century

Thin Korean Style

- [#230; Dangmyeon (Korea); Mien Hàn Quoc (Viet)]
Skein of Thin Korean Sweet Potato Noodles

These noodles came to Korea from China in the last half of the 20th Century, and are now very important to Korean cuisine. They are essential to most of the famous Korean Japchae dishes. The photo specimens were made in China, 0.06 diameter by 22 inches folded length. Ingred: sweet potato starch, sulfur dioxide, water. They cook to a firm gelatinous consistency. Flavor and texture are pleasant and these noodles are much more durable in liquid recipes than bean starch noodles. They are used in salads, cold dishes, appetizers, or as an ingredient in soups and hot pots

Challenges:

Uncooked, these noodles are very stiff, difficult to break, and impossible to cut. Even after an hour soaking, they are too stiff to cut with a knife, but could then be cut to lengths with kitchen shears. I cook them in a 3-1/2 quart sauté pan, 10 inches diameter, into which they will fit. I prefer the "cut" version, which are 9 inches long, but the folded 20 inch ones can also be used, working them in as they soften, as you would spaghetti into a pot.

Cooking:

Boil until no longer stiff in the center (10 to 15 minutes). They should remain fairly firm and very slippery. Drain and refresh with cold water. They are now recipe ready.

Recipe Prep:

Cooked, these noodles remain extremely slippery. For soups, or any liquid dish eaten with a spoon, you want to cut them to no longer than 1-1/2 inch, or you'll find them impossible to get into the spoon, they'll just slip out. For dishes eaten with a fork or chopsticks, they are probably best cut to 4 to 5 inches long.

Broad Noodles

- [229 Sichuean Hot Pot Noodle; Kuan Fen Tu Dou Fen Tiao (China)]
Strands of Wide Sweet Potato Noodles

These noodles are much used in Hot Pot recipes, in Sichuan, China and in Korea, but are also used in Salads and Stir Fries. The photo specimens were made in Sichuan, China, 0.45 inch wide, 0.045 thick and 11 inches long. Ingred: sweet potato starch.

Buying:

I have found these in a large Asian market in Los Angeles (San Gabriel), but they are probably also available in some Korean markets.

Cooking:

The package instructions were wildly optimistic. In actuality: pour hot water over these noodles and let soak for at least 30 minutes. Drop them into boiling water and boil for 10 minutes or until as tender as you need - for Hot Pots a little less tender than for other uses, as they will get a little cooking in the pot. They are then ready to be cut into desired lengths for recipes.

Hot Pot Green Bean Stripe

- [290]

Strands of Wide 'Green Bean Stripe' Noodles

These noodles are used in Hot Pot recipes in China. The photo specimens were made in Shanghai, China, 0.68 inch wide, 0.035 inch thick and 10.75 inches long. Ingred: sweet potato starch, water, salt.

Buying:

I have found these in a large Asian market in Los Angeles (San Gabriel).

Cooking:

The package instructions were only in Chinese, but the clock icon for soaking time suggests they were rather optimistic anyway. Pour hot water over these noodles and let soak for at least 30 minutes. Drop them into boiling water and boil for 15 minutes or until as tender as you need - for Hot Pots a little less tender than for other uses. They are then ready to be cut into desired lengths for recipes.