Step 1

Put kelp noodles into a colander. Open a 12-ounce (336 g) package of kelp noodles and put them into a colander or fine-mesh strainer. Take the noodles over to the sink so you can rinse them.Check your local Asian market or online for kelp noodles. If you're having a hard time finding them, look in the refrigerated section.Kelp noodles come in 12-ounce (336 g) packages. Once you soften them and they expand, you'll get 2 servings from 1 package.

Step 2

Rinse the noodles with warm water and break them up with your fingers. Run warm tap water over the noodles and use your fingers to gently pull them apart. Rinse them for about 30 seconds so they soften a little and loosen.If you don't have a colander or fine-mesh strainer, put the noodles into a bowl and fill it with warm water. Then, drain the water into the sink.

Step 3

Mix 2 US tbsp (30 ml) of lemon juice with 1 tbsp (14 g) of baking soda in a bowl. Get out a medium-sized bowl that can hold the noodles once they've expanded. Pour 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of lemon juice into the bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon (14 g) of baking soda.Don't worry when the baking soda and lemon mixture fizzes and foams up. This combination helps tenderize the kelp noodles so they're soft.

Step 4

Add the noodles to the bowl and toss them with the mixture. Put the rinsed kelp noodles into the bowl and use your hands or tongs to mix them with the lemon juice and baking soda.The noodles won't taste like lemon juice since you'll be soaking them in a lot of water and draining it off.

Step 5

Add 3 c (710 ml) of hot water and soak the noodles for 6 to 10 minutes. Run hot water into the bowl with the noodles so water completely covers the kelp noodles. Then, soak them for 6 minutes if you'd like the noodles to have a little crunch. For completely soft noodles, soak them for a full 10 minutes.If you're following a recipe for kelp noodles, it might tell you how long to soak the noodles to get the right texture.Avoid using boiling water since it can make the kelp noodles become soggy.

Step 6

Drain the noodles and rinse them with cold water. Bite into a noodle to see if it's as soft as you want. If it is, transfer the noodles into a colander or fine-mesh strainer in the sink. Then, run cold water over the noodles to rinse off the lemon and baking soda.At this point, you can serve the noodles on their own or flavor them to use in a meal.