6 gluten-free Asian noodles
By Martha Cheng and Kathy YL Chan
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Being gluten-free doesn’t mean missing out on the noodle party. These days, wheat-free pastas are becoming more common, from Old Spaghetti Factory to Godmother Pasta. But while noodles at those places will do in a gluten-free pasta pinch, thanks to our Asian-dominated culture, a variety of gluten-free Asian noodles with unique textures and flavors are easy to find. Some to seek out:
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Rice noodles are probably the most accessible gluten-free substitutes, used in pad thai to pho. Ever popular Pho to Chau, with its beef pho-only menu, never disappoints. It’s beef pho all the way here, with your major choices being: small, medium or large ($7.25 to $9.25), sliced rare beef in the soup or out. Need a vegan option? Then try Nickie Cafe. Photo: Martha Cheng |
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Our favorite Thai rice noodles: Opal Thai’s stir-fried crab noodles ($12.25), tossed in the wok and minimally dressed with chili, lime and peanuts. It’s the closest we’ve found to Bangkok streets’ pad thai. Photo: Joel Chang |
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While Opal Thai accommodates vegan requests, for a raw, vegan take on pad thai, try Greens and Vines version with kelp noodles ($9.25). These springy, crunchy noodles are so much fun to eat. A kaffir miso blend offers a punchy mix of ginger and miso, rounded out by kaffir leaves that impart a floral, citrusy aroma. It’s tossed with a rainbow of veggies—bean sprouts, red cabbage, bell peppers, carrots. PHOTO: Linny Morris |
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Thin, chewy buckwheat vermicelli (yes, buckwheat is gluten-free; despite its name, buckwheat is not related to wheat at all) is available in most Korean restaurants around town. At Shillawon, we like it in the mulnaengmyun ($9.95), served in an iced soup and accompanied with mustard, vinegar and apple slices, and as bibimnaengmyun ($9.95), tossed with a sweet Korean red chili sauce.
Shillawon, 747 Amana St., 944-8700 Photo: Martha Cheng |
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The best chicken long rice (made with slippery cellophane noodles) is the one mom/auntie/grandma makes, but the one from Ono Hawaiian Foods on Kapahulu ($5.75) is no slouch. Shredded dark meat chicken and green onions finish off this savory, thick concoction where the silky noodles are simmered extra long, soaking up every bit of the broth. Photo: Kathy Chan |
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Sweet potato noodles are the foundation of Gina’s jap chae ($6.50), glassy noodles rich with sauteed cabbage, onions, and carrots. It’s seasoned with toasted sesame oil, shoyu* and sugar. And thanks to a heavy hand of black pepper, this jap chae is significantly more spicy than most versions in town. That is a good thing. Gina’s BBQ, 2919 Kapiolani Blvd., 735-7964
Photo: Kathy Chan * for a discussion on whether soy sauce is gluten-free: http://www.celiac.com/articles/23061/1/Is-Soy-Sauce-Gluten-free/Page1.html |
