How to prevent my wide rice noodles from breaking after cooked?

Question

I’ve been making Pad See Ew a number of times. I cook my wide rice noodles according to the package instructions (place in boiling water for 6-8 minutes) followed by draining in a strainer and rinsing under cold water. However, they break when I place them in the wok to stir fry with the sauce/vegetables.

Any advice on how to prevent this from happening so they stay long noodles and not small chunks?

Answer 1

Two reasons I can think the noodle would break apart.

1. Your noodles are overcooked.
2. The noodles are sticking.

If you are stir-frying a noodle after cooking, likely I think the first would be the biggest factor. I would typically suggest undercooking the noodle first.

1. Cook it a minute or two shy of al-dente. It should be soft enough to stir-fry, but still "undercooked".
2. Drain and then stir-fry with enough oil to prevent sticking.
3. If the noodles at this point are still not al-dente, you can add some broth/water to the sauce and let it soften some more.