<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Recently, I have been experimenting with cooking the "Asian Way" and have
come across some information on rice noodles and fish sauce that may be
useful in this discussion.

RICE NOODLES
From my experience, most Thai, Chinese, and Vietnamese restaurants will
claim that their rice noodles are made from rice and water.  However, if
you ask to see the package, the noodles are made from rice, water, and
wheat starch. (San Diego note: A company called "Lucky" makes rice noodles
for many Asian restaurants in San Diego and their rice noodles have wheat
starch in them.)

However, if you search the packages of dry noodles at Asian markets, you
may come across some rice noodles that are made from rice and water.  I
find that if you cook these noodles the same way as you cook Pastariso
noodles (bring to a boil for a few minutes and then cover and simmer for 15
minutes or so) these noodles taste very close to Pastariso noodles at a
fraction of the cost.  (Pastariso - $2.90 for 10 oz.  Asian rice noodle -
$.89 for 14 oz.)

The Asian rice noodles I buy at Supermarket 79  (Mira Mesa Blvd. and
Highway 15) are:

Shanshui Hofun by Golden Sail - ingredients:  rice and water  These look
like fettacini noodles, just whiter.  They come in a five inch by 10 inch
green and clear bag.    They taste very light.

Banh Pho My Tho by Caravelle - ingredients rice, salt, and water.  These
taste fine as well.  They look like  thin spaghetti noodles.

Leifen - rice sticks - Chikong Brand - ingredients:  pure rice and water
These taste quite good if slow cooked like Pastariso noodles.  They look
like a thicker spaghetti noodle.  They cost about $.89 for 17 oz.

SPRING ROLL WRAPPERS:
Banh Trang - spring roll wrapper - Galettes De Riz ingredients:  rice,
water, salt  I just found these at Supermarket 79 as well.  However, they
look too thin and delicate for egg roll wraps.  I have not used them yet,
but plan to with the recipes and tips from a past Gluten Free Baker
Newsletter.

SOY SAUCE:
Most Asian restaurants seem to use Kikomann soy sauce which contains wheat.
 I do one of two things:
1.  bring my own - La Choy - and ask them to prepare it in a separate bowl
2.  ask them to leave out the soy sauce and make it a white sauce (NOTE:
most white sauces at Chinese restaurants are made from Chicken Broth and
cornstarch.  Check with the restaurant to see if they make their own
chicken broth from scratch which means they cook the chicken in water and
use the water/broth for the white sauce.)

FISH SAUCE
I have to really hunt at Asian markets to find a fish sauce that only
contains anchovies (or fish), salt, and water.  Most of the fish sauces,
especially those in the jumbo size - liters, have questionable ingredients
added - hydrolized vegetable protein for one.

Below is an explanation of how fish sauce is made:

"Fish sauce is made by combining fish and salt in large barrels and letting
it ferment for several months.  The golden-brown liquid is used as a
flavoring ingredient much like the Chinese soy sauce or Westerners use salt."

source:  Cooking the Vietnamese Way - an easy menu ethinic cookbook by Judy
Monroe and Chi Nguyen copyright 1985 by Learner Publications Inc.

another definition:
"Fish sauce - A bottled suace made of processed fish, water, and salt"
source:  "Cooking the Thai Way - an easy menu ethnic cookbook" by Judy
Monroe and Supenn Harrison, 1986 by Learner Publications.  We found it at
the library.


Now the question is:  If the ingredients are anchovies or fish, salt, and
water - HOW DOES THIS FERMENT????       - Is there a processing ingredient that
is used, but not mentioned in the ingredient list that could contain
gluten????

Some fish sauces (the cheaper ones) look like brown liquid, while others
look like they have not been strained and the fish particles are in it
still.

Best of luck cooking the "Asian Way".  A friend and I prepared a four
course non traditional Easter Meal of various Thai foods that we prepared
ourselves.  The adults loved the food, however, the kids felt it was too
spicy.   We used the Thai cookbook (mentioned above) that we found at the
library.

Judee DeJaco
Chairman
San Diego Celiac Group

Last comment:  Thai Thai Cafe in Encinitas (just opened 4 weeks ago) uses
rice noodles for their Pad Thai dish made from only rice and water
according to the package.  Their fish sauce contains anchovies, salt, and
water.  Their Pad Thai dish was completely gluten free (to the best of my
knowledge and my "intestines" knowledge) when I visited there two weeks
ago.  The owners also wait the tables and were quite helpful.