While steamed rice is the focus of all Vietnamese evening meals, rice noodles are the favored partner for singer-dish meals, particularly at breakfast and lunch. Use fresh noodles directly from the package, as the are already cooked and require no further preparation. Once refrigerated, they harden.
Dried rice noodles-especially thin vermicelli ice noodles-come in varying widths, from thin anger hair to thicker rice stick. Generally speaking, thin noodles are softened and served at room temperature to accompany salads and grilled meats and are also used to fill fresh spring rolls. Thicker noodles are favored in soups and Chinese-style stir- fries.
Preparing dried rice noodles
1. Soak noodles in very hot water until just tender, 10-15 minutes, depending on thickness.
2. Drain and cover until ready to sever. Rice sticks require longer soaking, up to 30 minutes. Alternatively, plunge dried noodles into a large pot of gently boiling water. Stir to separate and cook until tender, 2-4 minutes. Drain and rinse immediately in cook water. Drain again.
3. Noodles for soup-both fresh and dehydrated-should be plunged for a moment into boiling water immediately prior to serving to reheat. Small, ladle like baskets are traditional for this, and hold enough for one large single serving. Once heated, turn noodles directly into warmed individual soup bowls and hot broth
 

Unlike rice noodles, cellophane (bean thread) noodles are commonly made from mung beans, as well as from the starchy root cu dong rieng. Interchangeable, these noodles are extremely tough and not brittle. They are common ingredient in fried spring rolls and are also stir-fried on their own or simply tossed into a salad. Because they are extremely hard to cut, purchase them in small packages or bundles-no more than 31/2 oz (100g) each. They are always softened prior to using. In spite of their apparent resilience, prepare them at the last minute to preserve a springy texture.
1. Immerse in very hot, but not boiling, water for exactly 1 minute and drain. A subsequent cold-water bath stops the cooking process.
2. Use scissors to cut to desired length.
3. Cellophane noodles used directly fro the packet can also be deep-fried until crisp and used as a garnish
 

As well as being to make spring rolls, softened, round rice paper sheets are also served in piles at the table for wrapping foods to eat.
1. Place dry stacked rice paper sheets on a plate.
2. Cover with a damp cloth that has been wrung dry, and wrap tightly with plastic film for 1-2 hours to soften sheets slightly. Shuffle sheets occasionally for even moisture distribution. Alternatively, place 2-3 cabbage leaves alongside rice paper sheets on a flats plate, cover tightly with plastic wrap and leave overnight.
3. The sheets should peel away individually, take care not to tear them. If they are still brittle, lightly moisten by either brushing with water or wiping with a damp cloth. Do not over- moisten.
4. Large, 9-inch (23 cm) rice paper sheets for enfolding foods at the table are cut into thirds or halves, then stacked, used scissors or shears after softening. This makes them ideal for rolling bite-sized morsels. Precut sheets are sometimes available from Asian markets.
 

This treatment is especially suited for sheets used for spring rolls, but less suited for sheets to be used for serving at the table.
1. Quickly dip each sheet, one at a time, into a pan of water (a shallow roasting pan works well).
2. Do not leave in water to soak, but pass sheet through water for a couple seconds, pat dry, then drain flat on a damp cloth. Do not over-moisten, as this leads to tearing, and sheets will not adhere easily when rolling. Be patient, as they will subsequently soften- taking from 15 seconds to a few minutes. Use immediately after they have softened, rolling into a spring roll.
3. If stacking, place sheets of waxed paper in between rice paper sheets, as the greater volume of water used in this method can over soak sheets make them unusable.
 

Soften a rice paper sheet following directions on page 35, then lay, smooth side down, on a damp cloth. In the illustrations we use a large rice paper sheet about 9 inches (23cm) in diameter. Lay a lettuce leaf slightly off center along bottom of sheet. (Use a soft lettuce leaf, like butter (Boston) or oak leaf, with core removed). Add herb leaves of your choice, first removing any stems that might pierce rice paper. Top with bean sprouts and softened dried or fresh thin rice noodles. The pile of fillings should be long and narrow, in the shape of a horizontal rectangle.

1. Fold over the two sides of rice paper sheet to enclose the two narrow ends of filling. Crease rice paper gently, then lay a few shoots of Chinese chives along top side of filling so that the ends stick out beyond edges of rice paper by about 1/2 inch (1.2 cm). Arrange 3thin slice meat or halved shrimp on rice paper, about 3/4 inch (2 cm) above chives, again horizontally along lines of filling. Meat should be cut very thin, about 1x11/2 inches (2.5 x4 cm).each, and medium shrimp should be slice lengthwise and place skin-side down.

2. Bring bottom of rice paper sheet up and over filling and press gently to compact. (At this point , you may need to lightly brush rice paper sheet with water along the two sides to facilitate rolling and sealing). Continue rolling the filling into a fat cigar shape about 4 inches (10 cm) long and 11/4 inches (3 cm) wide, ensuring that filling is compact. Take care not to tear sheet.

3. Gently press rice paper sheet to seal it to itself.

Note: If sheets are too wet, they will not adhere. Decorative fillings, such as chives, shrimp and herb leaves, will be visible through rice paper. Keep covered with plastic wrap, wile repeating steps to make remaining rolls.
 

1.Soften a rice paper sheet following directions on page 35, here way use the small rice paper sheets, 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter. Wipe each rice paper sheet lightly with a damp cloth before using. If you like, add 1 teaspoon sugar to soaking water, as this will give it a crispier texture when fried. Cut off bottom and top thirds of a sheet to make 2 quarter moons. Lay one of these pieces at bottom edge of a full rice sheet to reinforce it. Reserve center section for individually wrapping foods at the table, or trim corners with scissor to make more quarter-moon pieces.

2. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of filling across bottom middle of sheet, slightly off center. Press filling lightly into a cylindrical shape.

3. Fold bottom edge of rice paper sheet over filling, pressing gently to remove any air bubbles that might burst during cooking. Fold the two sides inward, creasing to reinforce fold, then proceed as in Step 3 on pages 36. Lightly smear final fold at top with a paste of flour and water. The roll should be about 2/3x 2 inches (1.75 x 5 cm) in size. Cover lightly with plastic wrap to prevent drying, and fill remaining rice paper sheets in the same way. (Do not add large fresh herbs and lettuce leaves to filling of fried spring rolls, as these wilt during cooking. Likewise, softened cellophane noodles are more common in fried spring rolls than the rice noodles used in fresh spring rolls).

4. In the wok or deep fryer, heat 4 inches (10 cm) oil to 325-350oF (170-180oC) and fry spring rolls until crisp and golden brown, about 5 minutes (se caution) Using a skimmer, transfer to paper towels to drain. Keep warm in a low oven while cooking successive batches.
To serve, wrap a spring roll in a crisp lettuce leaf, adding fresh herbs as desired (see table Green, page 50).Dip into Bean Sauce (page Bean sauce) or Nuoc Cham Sauce (page Nuoc Cham).

Caution: When deep-frying, make sure the work or deep fryer is never filled more than once-third full, as the oil can troth up to double its volume when food is added, and any spilled oil can catch on fire.