White Salted Noodles: A Staple in East Asian Cuisine

White-salted noodles enjoy widespread popularity in Korea, China, and Japan. These noodles are categorized based on the presence or absence of alkaline salts: yellow alkaline noodles and white salted noodles. Japanese-type white salted noodles, especially udon noodles, hold a significant position in the market as premium wheat products.

Udon noodles, a staple in Japanese cuisine, are made from three essential ingredients: wheat flour, salt, and water. The wheat flour used for udon is derived predominantly from soft wheat with a low to medium protein content (8-10%). This flour also has low ash content (0.36-0.40%) and low damaged starch levels, ensuring a bright, creamy color and desirable texture. The ideal flour for udon noodles is finely milled, contributing to the noodles' smooth and firm characteristics.

The preparation of white salted noodles involves mixing wheat flour, salt, and water to form a dough. This dough is then sheeted and cut into noodle strands. These noodles are available in both fresh and dried forms, catering to different culinary needs and preferences.

White salted noodles are characterized by their bright color, pleasant flavor, and smooth surface. They should exhibit firmness and springiness, with a notable tolerance to moderate overcooking, which is essential for maintaining their texture and appeal in various dishes. Additionally, these noodles should not be sticky, ensuring they can be easily handled and enjoyed in a variety of recipes.

Recent trends have seen a rise in the global popularity of udon noodles, partly due to their versatility and the growing appreciation for Japanese cuisine. With an emphasis on quality and texture, white salted noodles continue to be a beloved staple in East Asian cuisine, celebrated for their unique culinary attributes and cultural significance.
White Salted Noodles: A Staple in East Asian Cuisine

The Art of Crafting Pasta: A Detailed Insight

Pasta, a beloved culinary staple worldwide, owes its excellence to meticulous craftsmanship and precise ingredients. Primarily derived from durum wheat, pasta flourishes due to its elevated protein and gluten composition, which yield a resilient dough. This dough, the heart of pasta making, requires only two fundamental components: water and either flour or semolina. Semolina, favored by commercial pasta artisans, demands less water than conventional flours, resulting in a dough with approximately 25% water content, significantly lower than the 40% found in bread dough.

The essence of pasta lies in its myriad shapes, each meticulously crafted through an extrusion process. Semolina's robust gluten matrix endures the rigors of this procedure, effortlessly transforming into the likes of spaghetti rods or diverse pasta shapes. Yet, the journey doesn't end here. The freshly formed pasta undergoes a critical drying phase, reducing its moisture content to around 10%. This delicate process demands utmost precision in timing and temperature control. A misstep risks surface rigidity or internal cracking, jeopardizing the pasta's integrity.

While traditional pasta requires only water and flour, the allure of egg noodles introduces a delightful twist. By incorporating up to 5.5% egg solids by weight, pasta artisans infuse their creations with a tantalizing hue and enhanced flavor profile. However, the addition of eggs serves more than just aesthetic or gustatory purposes; it symbolizes the intricate fusion of tradition and innovation inherent in the art of pasta making.

In essence, crafting pasta transcends mere culinary practice; it embodies a harmonious blend of science and artistry. From the robustness of durum wheat to the delicate balance of moisture during drying, each step demands unwavering attention to detail. Whether it's the classic allure of semolina-based pasta or the nuanced complexity of egg noodles, every strand encapsulates centuries of culinary tradition and ingenuity. Thus, the journey of pasta making stands as a testament to human creativity and gastronomic mastery, enriching palates and cultures worldwide.
The Art of Crafting Pasta: A Detailed Insight

What are seasoning blends?

Seasoning blends are duplicated for a variety of reasons. The first is to match a competitive blend at a cheaper cost for a specific customer.

Most seasoning blends sold in the industrial market are unique to each customer. For example, Frito Lay has their unique ranch seasoning which only they purchase.

Natural and artificial flavors are often added to seasoning blends. Examples would be a sour cream flavor in a sour cream and onion or ranch seasoning, a jalapeno flavor for cheese sauce mix, or a tomato flavor in salsa seasoning.

Flavors must be used judicially since too much can cause off-flavor notes. Ingredients may be highly desirable in one particular seasoning but completely undesirable in another.

Some food products, chili con carne, for example, call for very spicy seasoning; other may require a mildly flavored seasoning, as in chicken stock seasoning.

Although the flavorings are generated by various methods, the key for a commercially successful seasoning blend lies in the art of formulating the blend of ingredients in the right ratio that will provide a desired profile for the customer during consumption of noodles. In instant noodles, the seasoning is packed in a small packet. The noodle and the seasoning then are packed in a laminated pouch.
What are seasoning blends?

Yellow alkaline noodles ingredients

Yellow alkaline noodles are essentially made from flour (100 parts), water (32 – 35 parts), and a solution of alkaline salts known as kansui or lye water (1 part).

The most common of salts are usually a mixture of sodium and potassium carbonates (typically 9:1) or sodium hydroxide in some cases. The application of alkaline salt in noodle making is originated in southern China. In ancient times, kansui was extracted by boiling lye stone or plant ash in water.

Noodles supplemented with high alkali levels have stronger flavor and coloration because flavones react with the alkaline salts.

Flours from hard wheat, with protein content in the range of 10-12%, with mellow gluten quality, is recommended for fresh alkaline noodle.

Highly refined flour is preferred for alkaline noodles to maximize noodle brightness and minimize visible bran specks. It should be milled from medium protein wheat that yields intermediate gluten properties.

Optional ingredients in alkaline noodles are: egg solids and yellow coloring.
Yellow alkaline noodles ingredients

Egg noodles

Egg noodle soup tends to be hearty for the simple reason that Asian egg noodles are heavy in egg flavor and content. Fresh and dried egg noodles are made with wheat flour and eggs.

The best are pale yellow in color and have a dry, fresh look.

Chinese egg and yellow noodles are extremely popular, either plain or flavored with shrimp or crab. Egg noodles also can be served with garlic and breadcrumbs. Egg noodles also known as wanton mee in Hokkien.

They are available fresh, precooked, or dried. The dried are usually sold in single-portion-size cups resembling nests.

The egg noodles are vary in threadlike broadness and also available in variety of shapes and sizes, long or short thick or thin, round or flat. Egg noodles available thin or extra thin is for soups. A flat, fettuccine-like noodle is best stir-fried or cooked and topped with a sauce.

Fresh egg noodles keep well in sealed plastic containers or bags in the refrigerator. They can also be frozen for longer storage.
Egg noodles

Homemade Noodles

Homemade Noodles
People who belong to the younger generation may question why those in the older generation go to the trouble of making their own noodle, when they may be obtained for reasonable price at most supermarkets. The answer is that making homemade noodles allows the cook to incorporate ingredients as desired, within the limits of good culinary practices.

Basic Ingredients
Commercial pasta production generally utilize a dough containing about 70% solids and 30% water, which is a good general guideline for the maximum amount of liquid needed for a given amount of meal or flour. This works out to one egg per cup of sifted flour.

High Protein Noodles
The quantity and quality of protein in noodles may be increased considerably by the addition of certain ingredients. For example, the substitutions of defatted soy flour for only one-eighth of the wheat flour raises the quantity of protein by about 40%, and makes the protein quality almost equal to that of animal protein. It is best not to add nonfat dry milk, because this ingredient weakens dough. Professional pasta makers get around this problem by adding carrageenan to strengthen the dough.

Seasoning and Spices for Noodle Doughs
These should be added as fine, dry powder, because larger particle may weaken the noodles. Some typical seasonings that might be used are basil, bay leaf, garlic, onion, oregano, sage and thyme.

Vegetable Ingredients
Purees made from deeply colored vegetables add considerable color to noodles. However, only limited amounts of purees can be use without adding excessive water. It might be wise to experiment first by adding small amounts of food purees such as beets, carrots, creamed spinach, green beans, beans, sweet potato, and tomato soup. However ration of egg to flour would have to be reduced in order to allow for the water in the puree.
Homemade Noodles

Basic ingredients for instant noodles

This style of modern instant noodle is steadily increasing in popularity because it is mass produced from modern automatic equipment and is packaged for supermarket distribution.

Basic ingredients for instant noodles including:
*Wheat flour
*Water
*Salt
*Food additive
*Oil
*Alkali (usually potassium carbonate)
*Guar gum – to improve texture
*Carboxymethyl cellulose CMC – to improve texture
*Potato starch – to improve texture
*Curdlan – to improve elasticity
Basic ingredients for instant noodles

Making Pasta

Making Pasta
Pasta is made from the hardest of wheats (durum) and has a higher protein and gluten content that other wheats, giving it the capability of producing a very stiff dough.

Pasta has two main ingredients: water and either flour or semolina. Semolina is the choice for commercial pasta makers for it has large chunks of protein and little starch. A dough made from it requires less water than flours, and pasta dough contains only about 25% water as compared to about 40% in bread dough.

In pasta making, after the dough is made, it is extruded into various shapes. The gluten matrix of semolina is stronger than that of flours and can with stand the pressure of dried to about 10% moisture.

This process is sensitive and requires much care to assure the timing and temperature are perfect to dry thoroughly but on the surface and the escaping inner moisture will cause cracking when it is added to pasta to produce egg noodles. The main purpose for the addition of eggs is for color and flavor.
Making Pasta

The meaning of fried noodles

Fried Noodles crisp or soft-fried noodles, tossed with meat, vegetables or seafood and flavorings.

It is ubiquitous in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia where it is often sold as street food.

Stir-fried noodles may be eaten as part of a meal – usually at home, as they considered home-cooking style dishes.

The noodle is fried with mutton or other meat such as chicken or beef meat.

Ingredients go into the wok is measured progression so that each one cooks to the point of optimal flavor and texture.

Carrots, onions, ginger and garlic will release their sweetness and fragrance into the hot oil.

Fry, moving them around to prevent scorching, until they crisp and curl and just start to change color.
The meaning of fried noodles