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