Terminology of noodle

The term noodles is used very broadly to discribe mostly as a thin strip of pasta, usually cut or extruded from some kind of dough. It is the basic unit in dishes like spaghetti, linguine, soba, and udon.

The Oxford English Dictionary regards noodle as ‘a strip or ball of dough made with wheat flour and egg’. The American dictionaries tend to defined ‘noodle’ as a filamentous (or ribbon-shaped) pasta.

The word noodle derives from Latin nodus (knot), via German Nudel (noodle, pasta). The Chinese, Arab and Italian people all claimed that they were the first ones to invent, though the first written account of noodles is from the East Han Dynasty between 25 and 220 CE.

However, the discovery of a pot of well-preserved 4000 year old noodles unearthed in 2005 by Chinese archeologists in the Lajia archeological site in northwestern China may have finally settled the dispute. These easily recognizable noodles are more than 2000 years older than the earliest mention of noodles.

The 4,000-year-old noodles appear to have been made from foxtail millet and broomcorn millet.

Even the terms ‘noodles; and ‘pasta’ are often used interchangeably, they are technically different, The common wheat-based ‘Asian or oriental noodles’ differ from the Western style pasta that uses durum wheat flour as the main structural ingredient.
Terminology of noodle

Japanese Ramen

Ramen originally came from China in the late 19th century and was modified to the Japanese palate. It is the fast food of choice. A quick fix for breakfast, lunch, dinner or any point in between, soup made with these thin, yellow is inexperience.

Usually, ramen noodles served in restaurants are not vegetarian because the soup contains high amounts of meat fat. However, some vegan products containing instant ramen noodles are available.

It’s well known fact among Japanese businessman that eating a bowl of ramen at night will help prevent a hangover the next day and this is certainly one reason for ramen’s popularity.

Ramen are based on Chinese wheat noodles – lamian is the world for stretched noodles, while lo-mein translates as boiled noodles.

This rich broth falls into four basic categories: shio (clear chicken); tonkotsu (cloudy pork); shoyu (seasoned with soy sauce); and miso (flavored with fermented soybean paste).

Tonkotsu comes from Kyushu and it is distinctive, whitish broth made from pork bones. In true Japanese style, tonkotsu ramen is a local adaptation of an idea borrowed from another culture – in this case China.

Miso ramen originated in Hokkaido and is made with the same stuff (beans) that goes into miso soup.

Shio (salt) is the least popular of the four main flavors, but also the best for your waistline because it has the least fat.

The stuff on top of the noodles, the gulf (toppings), is usually moyashi (bean sprouts), chashuu (pork slices), menma (dried bamboo shoots), tamago (eggs), hourensou (spinach), nori (seaweed) and negi (spring onion).

Ramen is also popular a favorite of students, since it’s cheap enough and substantial enough to fill the stomach without emptying the wallet.
Japanese Ramen

Japanese soba noodles

Soba noodles, which are native to Japan, are made from buckwheat flour, called soba-ko, and wheat flour, called komugi-ko. Soba noodles are thin, flavorful buckwheat noodles served in a light broth.

Although buckwheat is grown throughout Japan, the cooler the climate, the more fragrant and rich tasting the buckwheat.

For this reason, they’re generally served in colder climates.

Soba noodles are about as thick as spaghetti and served hot and cold. A simple soba dish might be noodles tossed with soy sauce alone or with thin slices of green onion, ginger pickle or cucumber.

Like many Japanese foods, soba noodles play an important cultural role. They are traditionally eaten on special ceremonial occasions, such as at the end of the year. It can easily be made at home.

It is also a custom to present soba noodles to new neighbors as a gift of welcome.

The noodles represent long life. They are also said to bring prosperity because in the past, silversmiths and goldsmiths used to pick up the scraps of metal in their workshops with soba noodle dough.

Year-crossing noodles call for soba noodles to be coiled into a soup bowl. The noodles are then topped with steamed spinach, a poached egg and slices of Japanese fish cake known as kamaboko.

A homogenous gel of ground fish muscle is the main ingredient of kamaboko. Other ingredients are sugar, starch, sweet sake, sodium glutamate and egg whites.

Last, the noodles receive a pour of dashi, the classic Japanese soup stock made from kelp and shaved bonito fish flakes. Dashi is the basic sop stock for many Japanese dishes including noodle soups.

Dried sardines or dried anchovies can be used in place of bonito. Dashi made from scratch has a subtle, refined flavor, but for home cooking ease, powdered dashi — just add water, mix and simmer — is more than acceptable.
Japanese soba noodles