| The people of China, Italy and the | | | | pad Thai) are thin, flat and |
| Middle East have all claimed to have | | | | translucent. Made from ground rice and |
| originated this phenomenally popular, | | | | water, they should be soaked in boiling |
| string-like food, but it appears that | | | | water until almost tender, or 'al |
| science may have answered the question | | | | dente', and drained before adding to |
| once and for all. | | | | stir-fries or soups. This variety |
| In October 2005 an archaeological dig in | | | | absorbs other flavors exceptionally |
| northwestern China uncovered a pile of | | | | well. Dried rice vermicelli noodles are |
| (very dried) noodles in a clay bowl | | | | almost hairlike in appearance and |
| buried under 10 feet of sediment. The | | | | delicate enough to use in soups, |
| noodles, made from millet, were | | | | salads and stir-fries. Rinse or soak in |
| probably the remains of the last meal of | | | | cold water until soft. Drain. Add to |
| a resident of Lajia, a town destroyed | | | | the dish a few minutes before serving |
| by an earthquake 4,000 years ago. | | | | to heat through. |
| Noodles are to Asia what pasta is to | | | | Fresh hokkien noodles are wheat noodles |
| Italy; the basis of many regional dishes | | | | enriched with egg and sold fresh or in |
| for centuries. There are hundreds of | | | | vacuum-sealed packages in the fridge |
| Asian noodle varieties in all manner of | | | | section of the supermarket. Hokkien |
| shapes, colors, flavors and textures. | | | | vary in thickness from very thin |
| Noodles are supposed to be served long | | | | spaghetti (best for soups or salads) to |
| and uncut, the length of the noodle | | | | thick fettuccine (ideal for |
| symbolizing longevity. Noodles are | | | | stir-fries). As they are wheat based, |
| classified as fresh or dried and their | | | | they need to be placed into boiling |
| preparation varies significantly | | | | water until just soft before being |
| depending on the type of starch used to | | | | added to the dish. They are perfect for |
| produce them. | | | | stir-fries because they don't break |
| Varieties | | | | easily. |
| Dried mung bean vermicelli noodles are | | | | Chow mein noodles are sold fresh or |
| sometimes called cellophane, glass or | | | | dried. Like hokkien, they are |
| jelly noodles, and are made from the | | | | wheat-based and egg-enriched, however |
| starch of mung beans. They have more of | | | | they resemble long strands of very thin |
| a slippery texture than rice | | | | spaghetti. Place in a bowl and cover |
| vermicelli and are best used in | | | | with boiling water. Drain immediately |
| coconut-based soups or salads. They | | | | to prevent over-cooking then add to |
| come bundled together and, after | | | | stir-fries at the last minute. |
| separating them with kitchen scissors, | | | | Dried egg noodles are virtually the same |
| should be softened in a bowl of boiling | | | | as dried hokkien noodles. Cook in |
| water for a few minutes before using | | | | boiling water until just tender. This |
| in salads or adding directly to soups. | | | | variety are best used in soups or wet |
| Fresh rice noodles, made from ground | | | | dishes because they have a tendency to |
| rice and water, are sold in various | | | | break when stir-fried. |
| thicknesses. Use the thin variety in | | | | Cooking tips |
| soups, the thick variety in stir-fries, | | | | When adding noodles to soup, it is often |
| and the sheets cut to size. They are | | | | easier and less messy to cook them |
| best bought fresh off the shelf in Asian | | | | separately. Use tongs to place cooked |
| grocery stores and used within seven | | | | noodles in the base of warm bowls. |
| days. Rinse briefly in warm water to | | | | Ladle over the soup and serve. |
| separate. Cook for only a few minutes | | | | When using noodles in salads, refresh |
| to heat through. Do not refrigerate | | | | them after cooking under cold water to |
| or purchase these from the fridge | | | | cool them quickly and to remove excess |
| section, as they will be impossible to | | | | starch from the surface. Combine them |
| separate. | | | | with other salad ingredients and |
| Dried rice stick noodles (also called | | | | serve. |