Noodles and the many tasty ways they can be served

Nancy Hiw
Apr 5
2 min read

Ahhhh, noodles… my ultimate comfort food.

Whenever we return home from an overseas trip, our family tradition is to enjoy a steaming bowl of ‘soupy’ instant noodles. After the hustle and bustle of the airport, it’s like a big warm hug that says ‘welcome home’.

My love for noodles runs deep; I also like it served ‘dry’– cooked in water, drained and then mixed with sauces and meat or seafood and vegetables.

Have you tried cold noodles? They’re perfect for the warmer weather ahead. Take Zaru Soba, for example: nutty chewy buckwheat noodles served on ice cubes in a bamboo tray with a drip rack.

Accompanied by condiments like chopped spring onions, grated radish, wasabi and shredded nori (seaweed). You can add, according to your taste, to a dipping sauce of light soy, mirin and dashi.

Then comes the fun part – dip and slurp: Pick up a small portion of soba noodles with your chopsticks, briefly dip them into the sauce and enjoy.

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Slurping is totally encouraged here, it enhances the flavour and adds to the experience (similar to the concept of wine tasters slurping to aerate the wine to enhance the aromas and flavours by drawing air into the mouth). It helps the sense of smell to pick up more subtle notes and flavours. In Japan, slurping loudly while eating your noodles is not considered bad manners, but rather shows the cook that the food is good and that you appreciate the meal.

Another delicious dish is chilled noodles with sesame dressing, easy to make ahead for a garden party this summer.