<<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.