Glass noodles
Glass noodles, or fensi, sometimes called cellophane noodles, are a type of transparent noodle made from starch and water. They originated in China. A stabilizer such as chitosan or alum may also be used.
They are generally sold in dried form, soaked to reconstitute, then used in soups, stir-fried dishes, or spring rolls. They are called "glass noodles" because of their glass-like transparency when cooked.
Glass noodles are not the same as rice vermicelli, which is made from rice and white in color rather than clear.
Varieties
Glass noodles are made from a variety of starches. In China, glass noodles are usually made of mung bean starch or sweet potato starch. Chinese varieties made from mung bean starch are called Chinese vermicelli, bean threads, or bean thread noodles. Chinese varieties made from sweet potato starch are called fentiao or hongshufen. Thicker Korean varieties made with sweet potato starch are called sweet potato noodles or dangmyeon.Glass noodles are available in various thicknesses. Wide, flat glass noodle sheets called mung bean sheets are also produced in China. In Korea, napjak-dangmyeon refers to flat sweet potato noodles.
Production
In China, the primary site of production of glass noodles is the town of Zhangxing, in Zhaoyuan, Shandong province. Historically the noodles were shipped through the port of Longkou, and thus the noodles are known and marketed as Longkou fensi.Use
East Asia
China
In Chinese, the most commonly used names are fěnsī and fěntiáo or hóngshǔfěn. They are also marketed under the name saifun, the Cantonese pronunciation of the Mandarin xìfěn is the term most often used in Cantonese.In China, glass noodles are a popular ingredient used in stir-fries, soups, and particularly hot pots. They can also be used as an ingredient in fillings for a variety of Chinese jiaozi and bing, especially in vegetarian versions of these dishes. Thicker glass noodles are also commonly used to imitate the appearance and texture of shark's fin in vegetarian soups. Thicker varieties, most popular in China's northeast, are used in stir-fries as well as cold salad-like dishes. A popular Shanghai cuisine using the ingredient is fried tofu with thin noodles. A popular Sichuan dish called "ants climbing a tree" consists of stewed glass noodles with a spicy ground pork meat sauce.
In Tibetan cuisine, glass noodles are called phing or fing and are used in soup, in pork curry, or with mushrooms.
Japan
In Japanese cuisine, they are called harusame, literally "spring rain". Unlike Chinese glass noodles, they are usually made from potato starch. They are commonly used to make salads, or as an ingredient in hot pot dishes. They are also often used to make Japanese adaptations of Chinese and Korean dishes. Shirataki noodles are translucent, traditional Japanese noodles made from the konjac yam and sometimes tofu.Korea
In Korean cuisine, glass noodles are usually made from sweet potato starch and are called dangmyeon. They are commonly stir-fried in sesame oil with beef and vegetables, and flavoured with soy and sugar, in a popular dish called japchae. They are usually thick, and are a brownish-gray color when in their uncooked form.Taiwan
In Taiwanese cuisine, they are called dōngfěn. They are a versatile ingredient used in soups, stir-fries, hot pots, and street food.A popular Taiwanese dish featuring glass noodles is bah-oân, a translucent, doughy snack filled with meat and vegetables, often including glass noodles in the filling for added texture. Glass noodles are also a staple in Taiwanese-style lu wei, a braised food stall dish where various ingredients, including glass noodles, are simmered in a spiced soy-based broth and served hot or cold.
In Hakka cuisine, a traditional preparation called kè jīa fěn sī involves stir-frying glass noodles with dried shrimp, mushrooms, pork, and preserved vegetables. Glass noodles are also often included in festive banquet dishes, such as steamed seafood casseroles and Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, where they absorb rich flavours from broths and other ingredients.
Taiwanese hot pots frequently include glass noodles as an essential add-in that soaks up the broth while maintaining a chewy texture, especially in spicy or medicinal broths popular in winter.
South Asia
India
In India, glass noodles are called falooda, and are served on top of kulfi. They are usually made from arrowroot starch using a traditional technique. The noodles have minimal flavor so they provide a nice contrast with the sweet kulfi. Kulfi and falooda can be bought from numerous food stalls throughout northern and southern parts of India.Southeast Asia
Indonesia
In Indonesian cuisine, they are called soun, suun, or sohun, probably from. Its usually eaten with bakso, tekwan, and Soto. In Klaten, there are sohun made from Arenga pinnata starch.Malaysia
In Malaysia, they are known as tanghoon. They are sometimes confused with bihun, which are rice vermicelli. They are sometimes also known as suhun or suhoon.Myanmar (Burma)
In Myanmar, glass noodles are called kyazan, more specifically pe kyazan, which is typically made with mung bean flour. The other form of kyazan, called hsan kyazan, refers to rice vermicelli.Kyazan is the primary starch used in a Burmese consommé called kya zan hinga, and is also used in Burmese salads.
Philippines
In Filipino cuisine, the noodles are called a similar name: sotanghon because of the popular dish of the same name made from them using chicken and wood ears. They are also confused with rice vermicelli, which is called bihon in the Philippines.Thailand
In Thai cuisine, glass noodles are called wun sen. They are commonly mixed with pork and shrimp in a spicy salad called yam wun sen, or stir-fried as phat wun sen and sometimes used as the noodles for pad thai.Vietnam
In Vietnamese cuisine, there are two varieties of glass noodles. The first, called bún tàu or bún tào, are made from mung bean starch, and were introduced by Chinese immigrants. The second, called miến or miến dong, are made from canna, and were developed in Vietnam. These glass noodles are a main ingredient in the dishes: miến gà, miến lươn, miến ngan, and miến cua. These glass noodles are sometimes confused with rice vermicelli and arrowroot starch noodles.Polynesia
French Polynesia
In French Polynesia, glass noodles are known as vermicelle de soja and were introduced to the islands by Hakka agricultural workers during the 19th century. They are most often used in maa tinito, a dish made with glass noodles mixed together with pork, beans, and cooked vegetables.Hawaii
In Hawaii, where cuisine is heavily influenced by Asian cultures, glass noodles are known locally as long rice, supposedly because the process of making the noodles involves extruding the starch through a potato ricer. They are used most often in chicken long rice, a dish of glass noodles in chicken broth that is often served at luaus.Samoa
Glass noodles were introduced to Samoa by Cantonese agricultural workers in the early 1900s, where they became known as "lialia", a Samoan word meaning "to twirl", after the method of twirling the noodles around chopsticks when eating. A popular dish called sapasui is common fare at social gatherings. Sapasui, a soupy dish of boiled glass noodles mixed with braised pork, beef, or chicken, and chopped vegetables, is akin to Hawaiian "long rice".Food safety incidents
There were several food safety incidents originating in China. In 2004, a number of companies in Yantai, China, were found to be producing Longkou glass noodles with cornstarch instead of green beans, to reduce costs. In order to make the cornstarch transparent, they were adding sodium formaldehyde sulfoxylate and lead-based whiteners to their noodles.In December 2010, Czech food inspection authorities inspecting Chinese glass noodles determined that of aluminium had been added to them. Above is an illegal amount for noodles in Czech and EU markets No 669/2009 and its amendments.