Noodles: Different Types & Their Uses
The noodle is a type of staple food made from some type of unleavened dough that is stretched, extruded, or rolled flat and cut into one of a variety of shapes.
While long, thin strips may be the most common, many varieties of noodles are cut into waves, helices, tubes, strings, or shells, folded over, or cut into other shapes.
Noodles are usually cooked in boiling water, sometimes with cooking oil or salt added. They are often pan-fried or deep-fried. Noodles are often served with an accompanying sauce or in a soup.
Noodles can be refrigerated for short-term storage or dried and stored for future use. In the United States, noodles are flour-paste products in various shapes.
In Britain, noodles generally are long, thin strips of flour paste products. The material composition or geocultural origin must be specified when discussing noodles.
The word derives from the German word Nudel.
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Origin of noodles
The word “noodle” is derived from the German word “nudel”, which means “small lump or knot”.
It is believed that the first noodles were made by the Chinese, who cut strips of dough and boiled them in water.
Noodles were around as early as the Eastern Han period (25–220 CE) as they were described in a book found from that period. But there is evidence dating even further back when an eathenware bowl used over 4,000 years age was found containing some type of noodles.
Types of noodles
Wheat noodles
Bakmi
Bakmi is a type of wheat noodle from Indonesia. It is made from flour, salt, and water, and can be served either dry or in a soup.
Chukamen
Japanese for “Chinese noodles” – wheat flour and water noodles.
They are often used in ramen soup and are thin and light.
Kesme
Kesme is a type of handmade noodle found in Turkey and surrounding countries. It is made from flour, water and salt, and has a thick, chewy texture.
Kalguksu
Kalguksu is a type of noodle found in Korea and surrounding countries. It is made from flour, water and salt, and has a chewy texture. Kalguksu is often served in a soup with vegetables or meat, and is a popular comfort food.
Lamian
Lamian are Chinese noodles that are hand-pulled. They are made from wheat flour and water, and can be either thin or thick.
Mee pok
Mee pok is a type of noodle found in Singapore and surrounding countries. It is made from flour, water and salt, and has a chewy texture. Mee pok is often served in a soup with vegetables or meat, and is a popular comfort food.
Pasta
Pasta is a type of noodle that is popular all over the world. It is made from flour, water and salt, and can be either thin or thick. There are many different types of pasta, including spaghetti, macaroni and fettuccine. Pasta is often served with sauce.
Reshte
Reshte (Persian: رشته, literally “string”) is a type of thick Iranian noodle made from wheat flour and water.
Sōmen
Somen are a type of thin Japanese noodle made from wheat flour and water. They are often soup with vegetables or meat.
Thukpa
Thukpa is a type of noodle soup from Tibet and Nepal. It is made from flour, water and salt, and can be served either dry or in a soup.
Udon
Udon is a type of Japanese noodle that is made from wheat flour and water. Udon noodles are thick and chewy, and have a slightly sweet flavor. They are the most popular type of noodle in Japan.
Kishimen
Kishimen is a type of Japanese noodle that is made from wheat flour and water. Kishimen noodles are thin and flat, and have a slightly sweet flavor. Kishimen noodles can be served either dry or in a soup.
Rice noodles
Bánh phở
Banh pho is a type of Vietnamese noodle soup that is made from rice noodles and broth. It is a popular comfort food and can be served with chicken, beef or shrimp. The broth is typically flavored with ginger, star anise, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom.
These noodles are also known as Ho fun in China, kway teow or sen yai in Thai.
Rice vermicelli
Rice vermicelli is a type of noodle that is popular all over the world. It is made from rice flour and water, and can be either thin or thick. Rice noodles are often served with sauce.
Khanom chin
Khanom chin (Thai: ขนมจีน) is a type of Thai noodle made from rice flour and water. It has a thick, chewy texture and is fermented before it is cooked. Khanom chin is often served with a curry or soup.
Buckwheat noodles
Makguksu
Makguksu is a type of noodle found in Korea and surrounding countries. It is made from buckwheat flour, water and salt.
Memil naengmyeons
Memil naengmyeons is a bit more chewy than soba and made from buckwheat flour.
Soba
Soba is a type of Japanese noodle made from buckwheat flour and water. It has a nutty flavor and can be served either cold or hot. Soba noodles are often served with a dipping sauce.
Pizzoccheri
Pizzoccheri are a type of noodle found in Italy and surrounding countries. They are made from flour, water and salt, and have a chewy texture. Pizzoccheri are often served with a cheese and vegetable sauce.
Egg noodles
Youmian
Chinese thin egg noodles, yellow in color and often used in lo mein and chow mein.
Lokshen
Wide noodles often used in Jewish dishes.
Kesme or erişte
Kesme is a type of Turkish noodle that is made from flour, water and salt. Kesme noodles are thin and flat, and have a slightly sweet flavor. They are often served with a meat or vegetable sauce.
Spätzle
Spätzle is a type of noodle found in Germany and surrounding countries. They are made from flour, water and salt, and have a chewy texture.
Specialty noodles
Dotori guksu
Dotori guksu (도토리국수 in Korean) are made of acorn meal, wheat flour, and salt with added wheat germ. The mixture is boiled in water to make a noodle.
Olchaeng-i guksu
Olchaeng-i guksu means “tadpole noodles,” made from corn that’s turned into a thick soup, then squeezed through a noodle machine. Once they’re formed in the machine they are dunked in a bath of cold water to retain the texture.
Cellophane noodles
Cellophane noodles, also known as glass noodles, are a type of transparent noodle made from mung bean (or sometimes potato or canna) starch and water. They are often used in Asian cuisine, and can be either boiled or fried. Cellophane noodles have a chewy texture and a slightly sweet flavor.
Chilk naengmyeon
These are Korean noodles made from the starch of kudzu root, also known as kuzuko in Japanese. They are emitransparent and very chewy.
Shirataki noodles
Shirataki noodles are a type of Japanese noodle that is made from konjac flour and water.
Kelp noodles
These are made from kelp seaweed and formed into a noodle to be a healthy alternative to the carbs found in a lot of other noodles.
Mie jagung
Mie jagung is an Indonesian noodle that is made from corn starch and water.
Mie sagu
An Indonesian noodle made from sagu.
Conclusion
Noodles date way back to ancient China and they have been in our diets ever since, not only in Asian culture but Western as well.
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Joost Nusselder, the founder of Bite My Bun is a content marketer, dad and loves trying out new food with Japanese food at the heart of his passion, and together with his team he's been creating in-depth blog articles since 2016 to help loyal readers with recipes and cooking tips.