Learn the Different Kinds of Asian Noodles and How to Prepare Them.
Different kinds of Asian noodles and How to Use Them
There are many different types of Asian noodles available in your favorite supermarket now, which can be used in a range of delicious dishes. Here are the main types of Asian noodles, and the ways in which you can serve them.
Soba Noodles
Soba Noodles: These are thin flat Japanese noodles made from protein rich buckwheat. They look like slightly darker fettucine, and are sold dried in packets. The color can range from light brown to green. Soba noodles are boiled in water, and can be served hot or cold. Hot, they can be added to soups or tossed into stir fries. When cold they can be served with fresh salad vegetables and dipping sauces. A famous Japanese dish using these noodles is yakisoba, which means grilled noodles.
Hokkien Noodles
Hokkien: These noodles are more like spaghetti, being fatter and rounder than soba. These noodles are sold fresh in vacuum packs. The noodles come from the Hokkien province in China, and are used for many different dishes, such as soups and stir fries, but the most famous dish is Hokkien Mee. The noodles are stir fried with prawns, pork pieces and sliced cabbage. The noodles should be removed from the vacuum pack and soaked in hot water until they separate before stir frying. You can quicken this process by moving them with chopsticks.
Udon Noodles
Udon: These thick white wheat noodles also come fresh in vacuum packs, and can be eaten hot or cold. Like Hokkien, the noodles should be removed from the pack and soaked in hot water to serve, separating the strands with chopsticks. The simplest, and one of the most delicious ways to serve them is in a clear chicken broth, with soy sauce, ginger and a few drops of sesame oil added. Scatter chopped green onions and bok choy leaves over the hot broth and serve. There are many famous udon dishes, but they are a real comfort food served with Japanese curry.
Rice Noodles
Rice Noodles: Made from rice flour, these thin, almost transparent noodles are used in many Asian cuisines, but will be found most frequently in Vietnamese, Thai, and Filipino dishes.
Rice noodles are also known as cellophane noodles. Rice noodles are an excellent choice if you are gluten intolerant as they are gluten free, having no wheat flour. Soak the noodles in hot water to soften them, and then run cooler water over them from the tap. Rice noodles need care in preparation or they quickly become a sticky mass.
The most famous rice noodle dish is Pad Thai, consisting of stir fried noodles with shrimp, vegetables, soy sauce and fish sauce. The noodles should be soaked in the hot broth for soups, not boiled.
Rice noodles are also formed into rice cakes, which can be served with dipping sauces and salads. Just soak the dried noodles in hot water for five minutes, drain and add sweet chilli sauce, coriander and beaten egg, Shape into cakes and fry until crispy and brown.
Crispy Noodles
Crispy Noodles: These are cooked noodles deep fried in oil to make them golden brown and crunchy. You can serve them on top of a stir fry as a garnish, or under the stir fry for a different taste and texture to boiled noodles. You can buy crispy noodles in packets from an Asian supermarket, or Chinese restaurants.
Two-Minute Noodles
Two-Minute Noodles: The mainstay of every student kitchen, these noodles are soaked in hot water for two minutes, and flavoured with sachets of soy sauce, chili, broth powder and dried vegetables. But they can also be the basis of a more substantial meal if cooked vegetables, diced cooked meat and a fried egg are added. In Japan they are known as instant Ramen, Ramen being the cooked noodles served in noodle shops.
Long Life Noodles
Long Life Noodles: You may have noticed this brand of noodles at your supermarket and wonder why they are called Long Life noodles. Asians believe that noodles do confer long life, and are traditionally eaten at New Year to ensure health in the year ahead. They are important ingredients for a traditional Chinese New Year dish. Long Life noodles should never be broken or cut. Long Life noodles can be added to soups or stir fries and are a good general purpose noodle to keep in the pantry.
Most Asian cookbooks offer a huge range of recipes using the various types of noodles, so they can easily be part of any good cook’s repertoire. Good eating!
Gail Kavanagh 2016
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