Noodles and Gnocchi

Noodles in various shapes and forms are eaten all over the world, and are particularly popular in Asia. Most noodles are made from some kind of wheat flour, with or without egg, but they can also be made from rice or buckwheat flour and from vegetable starches: mung bean, soya bean, chick pea, potato, yam and even seaweed.

Asian noodles range in shape from fairly thin egg noodles to wide flat rice noodles. Most can be boiled like European noodles but both rice and bean noodles must be soaked first to soften them before cooking. Very thin rice noodles can be deep-fried straight from the packet – they puff up into a crisp and delicious tangle that goes well with salads or stir-fried vegetables.