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noodle types and history

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Noodles are all over Asia.

The diversity of Asian Noodles is significant enough to have a discussion on types preparations, styles of cooking, means of creating them, etc.

I had been discussing hand pulled noodles, that are typically pulled to order from dough in China particularly, and in overseas Chinese communities, in North America and parts of Asia and perhaps Europe.

手工 （shougong）means handmade in a general sense like the English word and typically in China one will see 手工拉面 'shougong la mian‘ hand made pulled noodles, as 拉 'la‘ mean pulled and 面 'mian' means noodle.

The taste is quite a significant difference from noodles that are not pulled by hand shortly after you order.

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  1. I don't really see why you would leave out noodles from West Asia/Europe. The title "noodle types" is a very broad topic. As far as I know, noodles are used in cooking from the Atlantic coast of Portugal to the Pacific coast of Japan, and everywhere in between. Obviously they've been brought to the Americas; Africa I don't really know about--but they seem like such a universal ingredient.

    1 Reply
    1. re: Wawsanham

      You stand correct.

      I am not to familiar with noodles other than Italian, Italian American, and East Asian and South East Asian.

      For the most part, from my experience in West Africa, they are mostly a rice oriented region, though due to French colonial rule influence, long french bread is quite a daily standard during all meal times.

      My experience with noodles or knowledge is mainly about south China noodles and the noodles done up by Chnese Muslims in shops all over China.