I've been eating and posting a lot of Instagram pictures of (Asian) noodles lately, and it's certainly given me an even greater appreciation for the vast variety in existence. Any avid noodle lover will have tried an extensive menu of noodle dishes, and if anyone else is like me, we tend to think and talk more about the dishes we like (e.g., cold sesame noodles, dan dan noodles, beef noodle soup, pho, ramen, etc.) than about the type of noodle that was used.
Given that there are so many variations of the noodle itself, I thought it would be helpful to do a brief "Noodles 101." Not only are their different ingredients (e.g., wheat vs. rice noodles), noodles obviously also come in all shapes and sizes and can be produced a number of different ways (pulled, cut, peeled, extruded, etc.). Each combination results in a unique flavor and textural profile that lends itself to be better enjoyed in certain types of dishes versus others. Of course, much is also left to personal preference; I remember frequenting a Lan Zhou noodle shop in Los Angeles as a kid, and besides selecting the dish/sauce, you could also select the thickness of the noodle, which could be anything from angel hair thin to the width of a belt (that size noodle was literally named "belt" at this restaurant).
As for me, I am a fan of fat wheat noodles because I love the chewiness. In NYC, places that have good hand-pulled, wide noodles include Xi'an Famous Foods, Very Fresh Noodles inside Chelsea Market, and Lam Zhou Noodles. No surprise, I also like udon more than ramen, and if a ramen joint ever offers the option to choose your noodle, I will always go with the wavy, chewy noodles over the straight, thin ones.
Anyway, below is a quick summary of some of the most common types of noodles. The list is by no means comprehensive, but I hope it gives a good overview of the noodle landscape. In general, northern Chinese cuisines tend to be starchier (think buns and thicker wheat noodles) while southern China has more delicate foods (e.g., soup dumplings/other thin skinned dumplings). Southern China is also more rice heavy (think of all the rice paddies), so you'll find more rice noodles there (e.g., Yunnan mixian).
Given that there are so many variations of the noodle itself, I thought it would be helpful to do a brief "Noodles 101." Not only are their different ingredients (e.g., wheat vs. rice noodles), noodles obviously also come in all shapes and sizes and can be produced a number of different ways (pulled, cut, peeled, extruded, etc.). Each combination results in a unique flavor and textural profile that lends itself to be better enjoyed in certain types of dishes versus others. Of course, much is also left to personal preference; I remember frequenting a Lan Zhou noodle shop in Los Angeles as a kid, and besides selecting the dish/sauce, you could also select the thickness of the noodle, which could be anything from angel hair thin to the width of a belt (that size noodle was literally named "belt" at this restaurant).
As for me, I am a fan of fat wheat noodles because I love the chewiness. In NYC, places that have good hand-pulled, wide noodles include Xi'an Famous Foods, Very Fresh Noodles inside Chelsea Market, and Lam Zhou Noodles. No surprise, I also like udon more than ramen, and if a ramen joint ever offers the option to choose your noodle, I will always go with the wavy, chewy noodles over the straight, thin ones.
Anyway, below is a quick summary of some of the most common types of noodles. The list is by no means comprehensive, but I hope it gives a good overview of the noodle landscape. In general, northern Chinese cuisines tend to be starchier (think buns and thicker wheat noodles) while southern China has more delicate foods (e.g., soup dumplings/other thin skinned dumplings). Southern China is also more rice heavy (think of all the rice paddies), so you'll find more rice noodles there (e.g., Yunnan mixian).
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