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NOODLES
| Mandarin: Mian (Tiao) |
Cantonese: Mein | Thai: Gueyteow
Whether Marco Polo actually introduced noodles from China to Italy is still a debatable
subject, but we know for a fact that noodles made from wheat flour appeared in China as
early as the first century BC, around the time of the Roman Empire, and from then on noodles
rapidly gain popularity not only in China, but through out the whole of Asia. Up to the end
of the last century, when modern machinery was first imported from Europe, noodles were made
by hand, and even today, certain types of noodles are still hand-made, most notably, the
'hand-pulled' or 'drawn' noodles popularized by chefs in northern China. It is
said to take more than ten years to master the technique, and thus is beyond the reach of
normal mortals.
Noodles form an important part of the daily diet in the Far East, ranking only to rice as a
staple food. Unlike rice, which is usually served plain, to be eaten with other cooked
dishes, noodles are usually cooked with other ingredients, hence noodles are seldom served
as an accompaniment, but rather being consumed on its own as light meals or snacks. In
Vietnam, rice noodles soup is the standard breakfast, while in Japan, there are restaurants
dedicated to only serving noodle dishes such as noodles with dipping sauces, noodles in
steaming soup, noodles cooked with silvered vegetables and seaweed. Thailand on the other
hand, has its noodle stalls, noodle boats and even noodle meals on wheels available from
vendors with ingenious mobile shops mounted on their bicycles. In Asia, they say, one can
never be far from a noodle meal.
Wheat noodles, one of the most common Asian
noodles, are made from a variety of flour pastes, including wheat, rice, mung beans,
buckwheat, seaweed, corn and even devil's tongue, which is actually a plant related
to the arum lily. Noodles can be plain or enriched with egg. Dried wheat noodles, with or
without eggs, are often called 'longevity noodles' because of their association with long
life.
Plain noodles are made from strong plain wheat flour and water. They can be flat or
round and come in various thickness. In Japan they are known as Udon and are
available fresh, pre-cooked or dried. Somen are thin, delicate, white Japanese noodles and
usually sold in bundles, held in place by a paper band.
Egg noodles are far more common than plain wheat noodles. In China they come in various
thicknesses and are sold fresh or dried. Very fine egg noodles, which resemble vermicelli,
are called Yi noodles, named after the family that originally made them. Yi noodles
are popular in Hakka cuisine. Ramen are the Japanese equivalent and are usually sold
in dried blocks or coils.
Shrimp noodles are actually seasoned egg noodles flavored with fresh shrimp or shrimp
roe and are usually sold dried, in coils or various widths.
Instant noodles are pre-cooked egg noodles sold in packets, and are now a familiar sight
in supermakets the world over. Manufacturers of instant noodles are getting more and more
imaginative these days and the varieties of instant noodles sold is very wide, such as
chicken, prawn, beef, vegetable, curry, black pepper, tom yam, and countless more.
preparation
& cooking techniques..
Generally noodles are very easy to prepare, however, some types need to be soaked before
being cooked - so one should see the individual recipes or read the instructions on the
packet or seek advice from the store personnel where you bought them. Both fresh and dried
noodles have to be cooked in boiling water before use. How long the noodles need to be
cooked depends on whether the noodles need to be cooked again in a soup or other recipes.
Dried noodles generally requires approx. three minutes of cooking, while fresh ones will
often be ready in less than one minute and may need to be rinsed under cold water to prevent
from over cooking.
Noodles in soup. A very popular cooking style in China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Burma and
Singapore. This usually consists of noodles served in bowls of cleat broth with pieces of
cooked meat, poultry, seafood or vegetables and often accompanied by a sharp sauce on the
side.
Braised noodles. The difference between this and noodles cooked in soup is that braised
noodles are first cooked in a broth, then served with a thickened sauce.
Fried
noodles is now one of the most popular Chinese dishes in the West and South-east Asia ( but
not so much in north China and Japan). The two types of fried noodles fry-fried and
soft-fried, where the thin vermicelli type are used for dry-frying and the round or flat
noodles are more suitable for soft-frying.
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Asian Melting Pot
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