Basics: Crispy Rice Noodles

These crispy noodles are great as a garnish for salads or a little crunchy topping for stir-fries.

Crispy Rice Noodles 

To make these noodles, take a pack (or just a little bit) of rice vermicelli (rice sticks), and soak it in warm water for about 20 minutes, until they get a chewy texture. Drain and allow to sit in the colander to try for about 10 minutes. Tear the noodles up in order to make relatively small pieces. 

Heat some oil for deep frying in a wok or pan. When the oil is hot, take a little bit of the noodles and carefully sprinkle them into the oil. WARNING: the oil will sizzle a lot when the noodles touch it, so be very careful not to get splattered!
The noodles are ready when they are crisp and the oil around them stops sizzling, about 1 minute. Carefully remove the noodles with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towel. Repeat with all the noodles.

If the noodles clump up during frying and you want smaller pieces, once they are fried it is easy to break them into smaller bits by lightly pounding on them with a spoon or knife.