Noodles is one of the most popular carbohydrates, thanks to their long, dangly shape and ability to match with a variety of sauces and soups.
It can be eaten by itself with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of herbs, or with a handmade hearty tomato sauce. It’s also an essential component in casseroles and soups.
Other inventive uses include putting it into salads for a heartier main course. With so many different types of noodles, you may customize your menu with a variety of noodle types in attractive shapes, sizes, and textures.
Different Types of Noodles
1. Lo Mein & Chow Mein
Both lo mein and chow mein use the same wheat flour and egg noodles; the difference is in the rest of the preparation.
According to Taste Atlas, lo mein, which translates as stirred noodles, is a popular take-out noodle dish from China’s Guangdong province.
Noodles are first boiled and then combined with sauce and other components. Add-ins include cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, pork and seafood.
According to San-J, lo mein’s distinguishing feature is its sauciness and rich flavor. Consider sesame oil, soy and oyster sauces, ginger, garlic, and sugar.
When this savory combination is paired with thick egg noodles, the result is an umami overload—there’s nothing subtle about lo mein.
2. Soba
Another Japanese favorite, soba noodles, are prepared from buckwheat (soba in Japanese) and are frequently blended with wheat flour.
Because the components for soba are so simple, their quality is the deciding factor. The earliest version of soba dates back to the seventh century, although the contemporary recipe was most likely developed in the 16th or 17th centuries.
Soba, like udon noodles, is usually served hot or cold. Inaoka recounts a traditional Kyoto cuisine called seiro, which blends cold soba with wasabi, green onions and dashi soy sauce.
If you’re eating the soba cold, keep the cooking water for a nourishing broth to sip on. Meanwhile, the noodles can be eaten kake-style in a heated soup.
Regional varieties exist, as do toppings and additions like tempura, vegetables, fish, and meat. Slurping is encouraged by Inaoka, who adds that “it helps you enjoy all the flavors.”
3. Yi Mein
There are many traditions and beliefs around food, and yi mein (also known as yi mian, e-fu, and yi fu) are longevity noodles that are typically eaten during Chinese New Year celebrations.
That’s correct, eating a bowl of them is like sipping the elixir of life. According to Gourmetpedia, the flat Cantonese egg noodles are made using wheat flour, which makes them stronger and less likely to break.
And with longevity noodles, keeping them intact is part of the ceremony. Although the hand-pulled noodles can be up to three feet long, you should avoid cutting them before digging in.
Whether you’re eating the springy noodles to live forever or simply because you can’t get enough, yi mein is always a good choice.
On exceptional occasions, they are served with lobster, but chicken, shrimp, and mixed veggies are all excellent substitutes.
4. Dao Xiao Mian
According to Week in China, knife-cut noodles, also known as dao xiao mian, are a delectable alternative to hand-pulled noodles that originated in China’s Shanxi province in the 13th century.
Dao xiao mian is considered to have originated from a rule enacted during the Yuan Dynasty in the 13th century that allowed only one knife per family.
The method of preparation requires holding a mound of dough in front of you with one hand while cutting noodles directly into a pot of hot water. Speed is essential; otherwise, your noodles will cook unevenly, and Week in China reports that the top chefs can remove 200 strands every minute.
5. Glass/Cellophane noodles
Cellophane noodles are created from mung bean, potato, sweet potato, or tapioca starch rather than flour.
They are used in a variety of Asian cuisines and are recognized for their transparency when cooked and their propensity to absorb sauces and flavors.
They’re an excellent blank canvas. Bean thread vermicelli noodles are thin, wiry noodles sold in adorable knotted bundles and used in soups, spring roll fillings, salads and other dishes.
To use, simply soak them in water according to the package guidelines to soften them; they do not require cooking.
Perhaps the most well-known sweet potato noodle dish is japchae, which is similar to chow mein in Korean cuisine. The noodles are slightly brown, a little sweet and chewy to eat. I adore them!
6. Rice Stick Noodles
These are dried noodles prepared with rice flour and water. They come in a variety of thicknesses, including thin vermicelli, known as bee hoon in various Asian cuisines, and are used in salads, fresh roll fillings, stir-fries and soups.
Medium rice stick noodles are most famously used in pad Thai, while the broadest, fettuccine-like ones work wonderfully in stir-fries (such as char kway teow), braises and soups like pho.
To avoid becoming gluey, they must soak before cooking, and the time can vary, so always check the packet.
7. Udon, Ramen, and Soba Noodles
These are all Japanese noodles, but the similarities end there. Buckwheat flour, not wheat, is used to make nutty-tasting soba noodles.
It’s gluten-free, although most commercial soba contains some wheat flour because preparing it entirely from buckwheat is extremely difficult.
Udon are thick, white, spherical, chewy wheat noodles that you may buy frozen or in vacuum packs. They only require a little cooking to heat through and detangle, and they can be used in both hot and cold meals.
In Japan, there are special udon restaurants, which is my notion of heaven; udon is often served either in a brothy state or drained with a sauce on the side for dipping.
Try them in this Teriyaki Chicken Udon Noodle Soup to see what the fuss is about!
8. Dangmyeon
Wheat and rice flour noodles are very common, but Korean dangmyeon is produced from sweet potato starch, water, and salt.
According to the outlet, glass noodles are very new in Korea, having only been created for a little more than 100 years.
They were previously prepared in China, but with the completion of a train connection connecting China and South Korea, Chinese cuisine became increasingly popular in the neighboring country.
Although dangmyeon was not included in the original japchae recipes, it was swiftly added to the dish by the 1930s, according to 196 Flavors.
According to Food First, japchae is a stir-fried mixture of several vegetables (carrots, bell peppers, mushrooms, green onions, and so on). The meat was eliminated from traditional recipes since it was not consumed by Buddhists.
However, as meat and dangmyeon became more popular, they were finally introduced into the dish. The meat is frequently marinated in sesame soy sauce before being combined with the other ingredients.
Japchae, like other noodle meals, can be consumed hot or cold. Consider thin strands of glass noodles with a subtle sweet flavor, served with crunchy veggies and delicate, savory beef. Serve it as a healthy main course or as a meatless side dish.
9. Wonton
If you’ve visited a Chinese restaurant in the United States, you’ve probably tried wonton soup. Wonton noodles, a dish comprised of thin, springy egg noodles and a savory pork or seafood broth, include the well-known dumplings.
According to the South Morning China Post, the noodles are produced with flour, duck eggs, and kasui (an alkaline solution that gives them their distinctive chewy texture).
Wonton noodles originated in China’s Guangdong area, but they are also popular in Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, where they are served with a variety of toppings (chives, green onions, grilled meat, and chilies, to mention a few).
The South Morning China Post observes that regional variances abound and that each bowl tastes unique. You might eat spicy wonton noodles once, then a sweet meal the next time.
Even more unique, Taste Atlas reports that in some regions, the broth is served on the side alongside the drained noodles and accompanying components. You’ve got plenty of possibilities.
Conclusion
If you are gluten-intolerant, you can still eat noodles. Rice noodles are normally gluten-free because they are manufactured using rice flour (no gluten) rather than wheat flour (high gluten content).
However, make sure to carefully read the ingredient list on the packaging to ensure that a specific noodle is suitable for you.
Cellophane noodles, for example, do not contain gluten because they are not made with wheat flour; nonetheless, certain manufacturers may include gluten-containing substances.
