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