The array of noodles available nowadays in the grocery store is stunning–everything from linguini to Spätzle to udon. Knowing which one to choose can be frustrating, particularly if you have special diet concerns (those who can’t eat gluten or are on a low-carb diet). Here is a breakdown of the six most-common Asian noodles:
- Cellophane noodles are thin, clear, and made of mung bean or potato starch. (Westerns are familiar with mung beans in the form of bean “sprouts,” which are mung beans encouraged to grow.) Also called “glass” or “thread” noodles, these are commonly found in Asian soups and spring rolls.
- Rice vermicelli or rice sticks are long, thin white noodles made of rice. You’ll often see them in noodle salads and stir frys.
- Soba noodles are also known as Japanese buckwheat noodles. They’re brown, thin, and made of buckwheat flour. Their strong, nutty flavor makes them a perfect foil to savory sauces–I love to top soba noodles with a peanut-soy sauce and some sauteéd vegetables (carrot, zucchini) and serve them as a main dish.
- Udon noodles are wide and thick and made of wheat flour. They’re used in everything from soups to Pad Thai dishes.
- Mein noodles are the Chinese version of egg noodles. Generally yellow in color (the pale yellow ones are preferable to their artificially-dyed brighter yellow cousins), mein noodles are almost ubiquitous in Chinese cuisine, from lo mein to chow mein dishes.
- Who hasn’t eaten ramen noodles? This Japanese dish is the epitome of Asian fast food. Unfortunately, these noodles (made of wheat flour, water, and salt) are high in carbohydrates and low in vitamins and minerals. Guess there’s a reason a package of ramen-noodle soup only costs 30 cents…
Happy slurping!
Ginger-Garlic Sesame Noodles with Zucchini, Peas, & Bean Sprouts
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Tags: asian, cellophane, mein, noodles, ramen, rice noodles, soba, udon
