Surprisingly once considered a luxury item, today noodles are one of the cheapest meals to eat and speediest to prepare, making them a popular choice for a quick and tasty dinner. Noodles can be prepared in a variety of different ways, from refreshing noodle salads to spicy noodle soups.
Remember to slurp! Slurping your noodles is considered poor manners in the West, but slurping your noodles in Asian culture is perceived as an appreciation for your meal. Here are five different noodle dish ideas that are easy to make at home and will be sure to satisfy your cravings.
Pad Thai Tofu
Pad Thai is a classic street food favourite always served with a smile. Eating pad Thai was once patriotic for Thai people and helped to give the nation its independence. Pad Thai tofu is the vegetarian version of Thailand’s delicious and nutrient-filled national dish.
Pad Thai tofu is made with rice noodles, stir-fried with tofu, and flavoured with a sauce made from tamarind, fish sauce, and sugar. This is a unique dish where you can savour 5 different flavours all at once – salty, sweet, bitter, sour and spicy.
Boil your rice noodles in a saucepan for 5 minutes then set aside. Fry the tofu in a wok until it is browned evenly on both sides then add your chopped ginger, garlic, chilli slices and all the vegetables. Reduce the heat, add the rice noodles and drizzle over the sauce. Serve the tongue-tingling pad Thai tofu with coriander, mint, fried shallots, lime, and peanuts.
Japanese Soba Noodles
Soba noodles are thin, brown noodles made from buckwheat flour and are popular in Japanese cuisine. Soba translates as ‘buckwheat’ and dates back to the Middle Ages when the ingredient was supposedly eaten by Buddhist monks before going into deep meditations and long fasts. Soba noodles can be served hot or cold and are often paired with a dipping sauce based on dashi (Japanese stock).
When you boil soba noodles, closely monitor them so they cook until tender but not mushy. Once cooked, combine dashi, soy sauce and mirin for a dipping sauce. Serve noodles with garnishes such as chopped spring onions, nori seaweed, and wasabi.
Vietnamese vermicelli salad
Vermicelli translates as ‘little worms’ and vermicelli noodles are considered a lucky food. Long noodles are supposedly the key to a long life, so it is recommended not to cut them as you eat them. Noodle salads can be served cold or at room temperature, are a quick and easy meal option and a great way to use up leftover cooked noodles.
Vermicelli salad is a refreshing summer favourite and so quick to throw together. The rice noodles cook in barely any time, and the only remaining task for the hob is searing a couple of chicken thighs, which takes less than 10 minutes. The other ingredients are bean sprouts, carrots, cucumber, lettuce, and herbs and are served raw. This salad is typically dressed with nuoc cham, which is a concoction of lime juice, lemongrass and chilli.
Spicy Sesame Noodles
For a spicy and flavourful twist on a classic, try making spicy sesame noodles. Cook your favourite noodles and then mix together a sauce of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, hot sauce, ginger, and peanut butter. Toss the sauce with the noodles and top with sliced scallions, toasted sesame seeds and spring onions. Simply boil your noodles, mix with the sauce, garnish and enjoy – it’s that easy!
Udon Noodle Soup
Udon are white, chewy Japanese noodles made from wheat flour, water, and salt. They tend to be thicker than buckwheat soba noodles and can either be flat or rounded. The neutral flavour of udon makes them ideal for dishes with stronger flavours. Udon noodle soup is a hearty dish that can be enjoyed as a comforting winter warmer.
Udon are typically served in a simple dashi (fish stock) based broth seasoned with basic Japanese condiments such as soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, and salt. The noodles are commonly accompanied by sliced spring onions, tempura, and slices of beef or chicken.
Some variations of udon noodle soup also include vegetables such as bok choy or shiitake mushrooms. This dish is enjoyed by using chopsticks to guide the noodles into your mouth while making a slurping sound. The slurping enhances the flavours and helps cool down the hot noodles as they enter your mouth.
These five dishes are just a few of many delicious noodle ideas that use little effort but reap great taste rewards. If you have a busy schedule and don’t think you have time to make food, cooking noodles is a great way to consume nutritious meals without slaving away in the kitchen for hours. Whether you prefer spicy, peanutty, refreshing, or hearty flavours, there is a noodle dish for everyone to try. Happy cooking!
