Taiwanese rice noodles from scratch

In a non-stick pot, stir the mixture until no lumps, using a silicone whisk.

Before heating, assemble a sturdy (not plastic) piping bag with a 1/4 inch round tip.

Heat on low, stirring constantly. After 4 to 5 minutes starch begins to form in chunks at the bottom.

Each time a big chunk of starch forms on the spatula, take the pot off the heat and stir until smooth again, then return it to low heat.

Keep going as the mixture thickens; when lifted, if it drips in a straight ribbon it is too thin. It is ready when a lifted batch drops one chunk and the rest stays on the spatula with a swinging tail -- a window of about 30 seconds; about 15 minutes in all.

Immediately transfer to the piping bag; do not overcook or it becomes too hard to squeeze.

With a big pot of water already at a boil, squeeze the noodles evenly into the water, as long as possible.

To eat right away, cook until they float. For stir-fry or noodle soup, remove them before they float.

Transfer the noodles into an ice bath for a chewy texture.