Noodles are the backbone to a lot of Asian dishes… something I’m very happy about as I can’t get enough of them! So what are the different types of noodles commonly used? Here’s my quick guide to my favourite varieties of these slurpy superstars.
There are so many different types of Asian noodles out there – which is great news if you’re as much of a noodle-lover as me! But with great variety can often come great confusion. Which noodles are the right type for salads? And which noodle is best for stir-frying? What about noodle soups? To get you cooking with confidence, here are some quick tips about my favourite kinds of popular Asian noodles, how to prepare them and what dishes they work best in. And, for all you die-hard fans out there, you can even try and make homemade Chinese noodles or make your own rice noodles from scratch!
Prefer your info in video form? Then watch my handy guide to noodles here!
When cooked, these turn beautifully translucent and take on heaps of flavour. Don’t be tempted to boil them: just pop in some warm water for five minutes and they’re ready. Try them in pad woonsen, glass noodle salad or my ‘Ants climbing a tree’ noodles.
Both these varieties are thick and chewy noodles that hail from Japan, and are usually bought pre-cooked in vacuum-sealed packs. You just need to refresh them before cooking by dropping them in boiling water for just under a minute. They don’t need long so keep a close eye on them – no getting lost in your Instagram feed and forgetting about them!
Hokkien noodles are a variety of egg noodle I like to use, and they’re really popular in Malaysian and Singaporean cuisines. They usually come vacuum-sealed (or you can pick them up fresh from an Asian grocer) too, so a quick refresh is all it takes. Delicious and bouncy, they’re ideal in stir-fries like Hokkien Mee or my Hoisin Beef Noodles.
