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Asian NoodlesPasta East to West is your source for delicious vegetarian pasta dishes
Noodles have been a staple food in many cultures for thousands of years the Chinese were making a noodle-like food as early as 3,000 B.C. In recent years, the increased immigration of Asians to our shores has also brought heightened awareness as well as availability of the ingredients that make those cuisines unique, not the least of which are noodles. Ten years ago, soba, udon, bean-thread and rice stick noodles, among others, were rare finds. Now, many well-stocked supermarkets carry them. In big cities like New York and San Francisco, "noodle shop" restaurants are cropping up every few blocks, offering further proof of how receptive the American palate is to discovering unique noodle dishes. ASIAN NOODLES DEFINED Buckwheat noodles (soba): A spaghetti-shaped noodle combining hearty- tasting buckwheat flour with wheat or whole wheat flour. Buckwheat variations (jinenjo soba, lotus root soba, mugwort soba): These soba noodles contain a mixture of wheat and buckwheat flour plus the ingredient for which they are named. All are delicately flavored. Bean-thread noodles (also called cellophane noodles, harusame, saifun, mung bean noodles): Fine, transparent noodles made of mung bean starch. Cooked by soaking in hot water, these delicately flavored, wheat-free noodles come in 2-ounce bundles. Rice-sticks (also called mei fun, bifun, rice vermicelli) and rice noodles : Long, fine noodles made of white rice flour, with the same mild flavor and tender texture of white rice. These are cooked by soaking in hot water. Rice noodles, wider and flatter than rice-sticks, are popular in Thai cookery. Somen: These spaghetti-shaped noodles are imported from Japan, where they are traditionally eaten cold during the summer months. A smooth-textured whole wheat version is available in natural food stores. Udon: Long, somewhat thick noodles akin to linguine. The whole wheat variety of this Japanese import is available in natural food stores and has a smoother texture and milder flavor than domestic whole wheat pastas. RICE-STICK NOODLES WITH EXOTIC MUSHROOMS
Bring water to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Immerse the bundle of rice sticks and soak for 20 to 30 minutes, or until they are al dente. When the noodles are done, drain them, place them on a cutting board, and chop in several places to shorten. At the same time, combine the dried mushrooms in a heatproof dish with enough boiling water to cover them. Soak for about 30 minutes, then drain. Remove tough stems and cut them into thin strips about 2 inches long. Reserve the liquid. In the meantime, heat the oils in a stir-fry pan or wok. Add the onion and stir-fry over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and cabbage and stir-fry over medium-high heat until the cabbage is tender-crisp. Add the mushrooms and soy sauce and stir-fry for another minute or so. Use a bit of the mushroom liquid to dissolve the cornstarch. Pour the remaining liquid into the skillet or wok and stir in the dissolved cornstarch. Add the cooked rice sticks and toss the mixture together thoroughly but gently. Serve at once. SOBA (BUCKWHEAT NOODLES) WITH SNOW PEAS
Heat the sesame oil in a stir-fry pan or wok. Stir-fry the onion and carrot over moderately high heat until tender-crisp. Add the snow peas and stir-fry just until they have lost their raw quality but are still quite crisp. Break the noodles in half and cook them al dente. Watch them carefully, as they cook rather quickly. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a small mixing bowl and stir well to combine. When the noodles are done, drain them and add them to the stir-fry pan along with the sauce. Toss together. Cook just until everything is thoroughly heated through and the sauce has thickened. Serve at once, topping each serving with chopped cashews, if desired. VIETNAMESE-STYLE BEAN-THREAD NOODLES
Immerse the bundle of noodles in cold water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, remove from the heat, cover, and let sit for 3 to 5 minutes, or until al dente, then drain. When cool enough to handle, place on a cutting board and cut in several directions to create shorter lengths. In the meantime, heat the oil in a stir-fry pan or wok. Add the onion and stir-fry over medium heat until translucent. Turn up the heat, add the garlic and cabbage and stir-fry until the cabbage is tender-crisp and lightly browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes and sprouts and continue to fry, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes are soft and the sprouts tender-crisp, another 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, tofu, and red pepper flakes, and cellophane noodles. Cook, stirring, until everything is well heated through. Serve at once, garnishing each serving with chopped peanuts and the optional basil. UDON WITH SPINACH-MISO PESTO Miso adds a rich, hearty flavor to this pesto, making a bold substitute for Parmesan cheese. Pesto sauce:
Steam the spinach just until it is wilted. Squeeze out as much moisture as possible, then place the spinach in the container of a food processor along with the rest of the pesto ingredients. Process until the mixture is a coarse puree. Cook the udon noodles until al dente. Drain and transfer to a serving container. Toss with the pesto and cover. Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized skillet. Add the garlic and frying pepper and sauté over low heat until the garlic is golden. Add the tomatoes, olives, and black pepper and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Stir this mixture into the noodles and serve at once, or let cool and serve at room temperature. UDON NOODLES WITH ASPARAGUS AND CASHEWS Thick, hearty noodles are intertwined with delicious cashews and young asparagus in a light sauce.
Cook the noodles in rapidly simmering water, then drain and transfer to a covered serving casserole. Meanwhile, heat the oils in a wok or large skillet. Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute. Add the asparagus along with two tablespoons or so of water and stir-fry until it is bright green. Add the snow peas, sherry, and soy sauce. Continue to stir-fry until the snow peas and asparagus are tender-crisp. Dissolve the cornstarch in 1/4 cup cold water. Pour over the vegetables and stir in quickly. Let the liquid bubble until thickened. Pour over the noodles and toss together. Add the cashews and toss again. Serve at once. Note: Whole wheat udon noodles are usually available in natural food stores. Asian markets and well-stocked supermarkets carry udon also, but not always the whole grain variety. If you can’t find udon noodles, substitute linguine. SZECHUAN-STYLE EGGPLANT WITH NOODLES This recipe is based on one of my favorite Chinese take-out dishes. The problem with the restaurant version is that it is usually rather oily. I’ve devised this low-fat version as a way to satisfy my craving for it, and at the same time, I’ve added enough tofu to make it a substantial main dish.
Peel the eggplants, cut them into 1/2-inch-thick slices, then slice the rounds thinly into strips. Heat the oil in a wok or stir-fry pan. Add the garlic and onion and sauté over medium-low heat until golden. Add the sherry, eggplant strips, and ginger, along with about 1/4 cup water. Cook, covered, over medium heat for 5 minutes. Lift the lid once or twice during that time to stir. Cook the noodles in plenty of rapidly simmering water until al dente. When done, drain and cover to keep warm. Meanwhile, stir the tofu, celery, and hoisin sauce into the wok. Season to taste with soy sauce and chile oil. Stir-fry over medium-high heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Serve at once over the hot noodles. BAKMI GORENG (INDONESIAN NOODLES) A great choice when you long for something a slightly exotic that’s uncomplicated to prepare.
Cook the noodles in plenty of rapidly simmering water until al dente, then drain. Meanwhile, stir the soy sauce and brown sugar together in a small bowl and set aside. Heat the oil in a wok or stir-fry pan. Add the garlic and sauté over low heat, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until lightly golden. Add the bean sprouts, scallions, and ginger. Raise the heat to medium-high and stir-fry just until the sprouts are slightly wilted, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cooked, drained noodles and the tofu to the wok along with 3 tablespoons of the soy sauce mixture. Stir-fry another 4 to 5 minutes, or until the mixture is well heated through. Serve at once, passing around the extra soy sauce mixture to anyone who wants more, as well as the optional chopped peanuts. VEGETABLE CHOW MEIN Chow mein uses wider and sometimes shorter noodles than lo mein. The amount and varieties of vegetables can be varied. Before starting to stir-fry, have all the vegetables cut and ready. Serve with some sautéed tofu or with Bean Sprout Pancake.
Cook the noodles in plenty of rapidly simmering water until just tender, then drain. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a stir-fry pan. Add the onion and stir-fry over medium heat until translucent. Add the celery, broccoli, and bell pepper and stir-fry over medium-high heat until all are just tender-crisp. Stir in the sprouts, mushrooms, and water chestnuts, and continue to cook until everything is well heated through. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the reserved liquid from canned vegetables with the cornstarch and stir until dissolved. Stir in the remaining liquid and the soy sauce. Pour the sauce into the pan and cook just until it has thickened. Remove from the heat and gently stir the cooked noodles together with the vegetables. Serve at once, passing around extra soy sauce, if desired. SPICY ASIAN PEANUT-GINGER NOODLES Luscious and nutty, this easy dish incorporates favorite Asian flavors.
Cook the noodles in plenty of rapidly simmering water until al dente, then drain. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small skillet. Add the garlic and sauté over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden. Transfer the oil and garlic to the container of a food processor and combine with the stock, peanut butter, cilantro, ginger, honey, hot sauce, salt, and optional lemongrass. Process until completely smooth. Combine the noodles with the sauce in a large serving bowl. Serve at once, topping each serving with the a small amount each of the carrot, scallions, and peanuts. |
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