For centuries, the origins of pasta have been in dispute between, China, Italy and the Middle East. In 2005, archeologists discovered a preserved bowl of noodles in China that dated back some 4000 years. Pasta wouldn’t be seen in the Middle East for another 2000 years and another 3000 years in Italy.
Asian noodles are made with a variety of grains and vegetables that include wheat flour, rice flour, buckwheat flour, sweet potato, mung bean and eggs. Noodles are formed in 5 different methods:
- Cut, where the dough is rolled out into a flat sheet, folded, and then cut into noodles of a desired width.
- Extruded, where the dough is placed into a mechanical press with holes through which the dough is forced to form strands of noodles.
- Peeled, where a firm dough is mixed and formed into a long loaf. Strips of dough are then quickly sliced or peeled off the loaf directly into boiling water.
Pulled, where the dough is rolled into a long cylinder, which is then repeatedly stretched and folded to produce thinner and thinner strands.- Kneaded, where a small ball of dough is lightly rolled on a flat surface until it is formed into the desired shape.
Soba
Soba is Japanese for buckwheat. The noodles have a nutty flavor and are valued for their nutritional value, being rich in protein and fiber. Despite the name, buckwheat is not related to wheat and is naturally, gluten-free. Most soba noodles are made with buckwheat flour and wheat flour, and are therefore not gluten-free. The noodles are commonly served cold with a dipping sauce or hot in soups with meat or seafood and vegetable toppings.
Somen
The most delicate Japanese noodles, somen, are often distinguished by their elegant packaging and can be found in well-stocked Asian markets. They are made from a wheat flour–and-water dough with a little oil. Like soba, they may be served cold with a dipping sauce or hot in delicate soups.
Udon
Udon is a type of thick wheat flour noodle of Japanese cuisine. Udon is often served hot as a noodle soup.
Ramen
Ramen is a Japanese noodle soup dish. It consists of Chinese-style wheat noodles served in a meat- or fish-based broth, often flavored with soy sauce or miso, and uses toppings such as sliced pork, dried, seaweed, green onions. Nearly every region in Japan has its own variation of ramen, from the tonkotsu (pork bone broth) ramen of Kyushu to the miso ramen of Hokkaido.
Cellophane Noodles or Bean Threads
Cellophane noodles are made from the starch of mung beans, which are perhaps more familiar in the form of bean sprouts (the large sprouts are used raw and cooked in many Asian cuisines). The dried noodles are opaque white, but once softened in hot water, they turn silky and transparent, absorbing the flavors of the foods they are cooked with. Cellophane noodles are used primarily in Chinese cuisine, in stir-fries and soups. Notable examples include the Sichuan stir-fry classic “ants on a tree” and Mongolian hot pot. They can also be dropped into smoking-hot oil, so that they explode in size and become crisp; then they are used as a bed, or a “bird’s nest,” for such dishes as Cantonese stir-fried chicken with vegetables.
Rice Noodles
Rice noodles are made from ground rice and come in various shapes including sheets, flat sticks of various widths, or vermicelli. They should be soaked in room-temperature water to rehydrate the noodle before cooking. Thin rice noodles can be deep-fried to produce a crispy, delicate noodle as a garnish or main ingredient.
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