OT: Cooking Question

It's not a trick. What kind of noodles are you using?

-- Mike --

Speaking purely from theory, it's likely related to the temp of the oil.

I haven't tried it either so, since this is Usenet, I am required to have an opinion. ;-) I think that Dirk's right that the oil must be hot enough to flash the water in the noodles to steam, thus the puff effect. That implies either fresh noodles or ones that have been boiled until soft and *then* well dried on the surface so that the flash-to-steam effect doesn't also cause the eruption-of-hot-oil effect.

My thoughts as well. But the wife insists that I'm wrong ;-) ...Jim Thompson

"Cellophane" (Sai Fun) ...Jim Thompson

five seconds with google says; Cellophane noodles, do not cook first, oil must be at least 375F if they don't puff immediately they never will ..

never tried it though

-Lasse

Well, maybe your fuel source ain't powerful enough :-))

Beer in the mix!

taking about the kind of coal you dig out of the ground and barbecue at the same time doesn't make me what to try his cooking :)

-Lasse

Simplistic story. One does not need liquid oxygen to make a hellfire of a BBQ. Ordinary petrol (gasoline) will do the similar much cheaper. Even methylated spirits can cause an explosion and take the lives of wouldbe cooks. Happens every year.

Besides one does not take ordinary coal for a BBQ. To much nasty and poisenous matters come out. Coal is used inside a stove but rarely in an open fire. For BBQ one uses charcoal and a special lighting fuel that does not explode.

petrus bitbyter

Rice noodles?

Cheers

Nope -- not nearly as powerful. Any liquid fuel burns on the surface and takes serious time to deliver heat to the charcoal. Lighter fluid does it in about five minutes, and it does it by soaking in. Anything lighter will basically burn in the air because it's evaporating so quickly, not delivering as much heat. Gasoline burns about the same temperature, but alcohol burns slightly cooler.

I suspect a fairly broad acetylene torch (even acetylene-air, since oxygen is just cheating when you have solid carbon around!) would do the best job. I've been known to use my propane burner before, but it doesn't go much faster than lighter fluid.

Tim

age

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it

will

b.

use one of these:

I'm sure a leaf blower will help once you get it started

but why not let it take its time and drink beers while you wait :)

-Lasse

That's what we use, but the less fancy Walmart edition for $8 or so. Works. Real rednecks build one out of a stove pipe or a large coffee can.

Ah, you've got it, now the expert is speaking :-)

We made those in Jr. Achievement, in the late '60s. Our sponsor was a steel mill. I was out selling them door to door the night they shot MLK. I was amazed that some people came to the door laughing that a man had just been murdered.

Is it 'bean thread' noodles? Those, you have to blanch (dip in boiling water for a few seconds - under one minute) first. Dunno the drill for egg noodles.

I guess it's like popcorn: there's a preferred moisture content.