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Soba (buckwheat) noodles Slender noodles, square in cross section, made with buckwheat flour or, more usually, buckwheat and wheat flour, water and salt. Nutty flavoured, soba vary in shades of mushroom brown, the darkest (yabu soba) being made from the whole grain and the palest and most prized (gozen soba) from the kernel. A speciality of northern Japan and Tokyo, soba are typically served cold with a dipping sauce, or hot in soup. Pale green chasoba are flavoured with green tea.

Egg noodles Golden noodles made from a paste of wheat flour, water and egg, extruded into round and flat ribbon shapes of varying widths. The classic fine strands (pictured) may be fresh or dried, while the fatter versions, such as the thick, round Hokkien noodles, are sold fresh and often oiled. Already steamed, egg noodles require little cooking. The all-purpose Chinese noodles, they are also used throughout Asia in soups, and stir fries, enjoyed for their rich flavour and soft texture.

Somen Very fine, creamy-white, straight Japanese noodles made from wheat flour, salt, water and oil, generally sold dried, in even-length bundles. Formed by pulling the dough, somen differ from other Japanese noodles, which are rolled then cut. Somen are a summer food, traditionally served chilled.

Wheat noodles Thin, pale strands of various widths made, at their most basic, from a dough of wheat flour and water. Often flavoured with ingredients such as shrimp, crab or spinach, wheat noodles are sold fresh or, more commonly, dried. They are versatile noodles, inherently resilient, and readily absorb flavours. In northern China, where they originated, they are typically served in soups or stir-fried.

Udon Plump, white Japanese noodles made from a dough of wheat flour and water, and sometimes vinegar to make them whiter. Udon are formed in various dimensions: the fresh ones are usually fat and square-cut, while the dried versions may be flat, square or round in cross section. Neutral in flavour, their character is in their texture – soft, chewy and slippery. Udon are popular in the south of Japan, where traditionally they are served in soups.

PREPARING NOODLES

Noodles are generally boiled, or reconstituted in boiling water, until they are softened but still firm, before further preparation.