While the argument rages over whether the noodle came from China or Italy (with the balance weighing for Marco Polo bringing it back from his travels), food historians actually contend it was introduced into Europe by the Arabs of Sicily and Spain. Whatever the truth, it's worth getting to know the different Oriental noodles, their properties and best uses.

Fresh noodles need only a minute or so in boiling water to cook. Some dried noodles only need soaking in hot water. Follow packet instructions.

Cheung fan is a white lasagna-like sheet noodle dotted with dried shrimp and parsley served, in dim sum, rolled round a shrimp stuffing and steamed.
Fan si is a transparent noodle made from mung bean starch, which is soaked in cold water then fried, or cooked with meat and vegetables, the juices of which it will absorb.
Mai fan is a rice vermicelli that cooks quickly after a cold-water soak and is used like fan si.
Fan gok is a brown yam noodle, good stir-fried with pork.
Ha min is a full-flavored shrimp noodle, good stir-fried with vegetables and shrimp and in little need of flavored sauces.
Fu juk are bean curd sticks, in need of soaking before being added to vegetarian and other dishes.

Chinese fat egg noodles, Chinese thin egg noodles, E-fu noodles, Cantonmen, and vegetable-flavored egg noodles are all flour-and-egg dough noodles sold fresh and dried, and as Ramen, the Japanese word for noodles. They each have a taste similar to Italian pastas.
Rice noodle sheets, rice ribbon noodles, rice sticks, rice vermicelli are all rice flour noodles, sold fresh and dried. They are enthusiastic absorbers of sauces and gravies and popular in Thai as well as Chinese dishes.
Eha-soba and soba are Japanese buckwheat noodles, chewy with an almost brown bread flavor.
Somen are Japanese wheat-starch noodles made from hard wheat flour. When thicker, they are known as udon; when thin as fishing line, they are called miswa. Hiyamugi are similar fine noodles. Shrimp- or vegetable-flavored noodles are made from hard wheat flour.
Bean-thread noodles, sold in ribbons or sticks, are made from mung-bean flour, and are good absorbers of other flavors.

If you're really stuck for supplies, Italian pasta can be used in Chinese dishes. But it's worth asking the staff in Oriental markets about what to use for which dish. In general, you'll find them eager to help.

 

Related Information...

Chinese drinks with food
Chinese restaurants
Chinese vegetables & fruits identified
Extras: Congee
Oriental & South East Asian markets
Oriental fruits identified
Oriental products explained

Posted on Wednesday 08th October 2008 in Asia to Australasia, Information, Pasta & Rice