Soba noodles take their name from the Japanese word for the flour from which they are made: buckwheat flour. The thin, brown-grey strands have a nutty flavour and chewy texture and, when served cold, make a brilliant addition to salads. They can also be served warm in flavour-packed broths and soups and topped with a protein of choice.

Try these recipes:
Sesame Chicken with Soba Noodles (pictured)
Chicken Teriyaki Noodle Bowl
Crispy Prawn And Cucumber Salad

Also coming out of Japan is the wheat-based udon noodle. Characterised by thick white strands that are soft, chewy and relatively bland, udon noodles make the perfect choice for letting stronger Asian flavours, such as soy sauce and ginger, shine. They work equally as well in soups as they do stir-fries and even better, often come pre-cooked and vacuumed sealed at the supermarket.

Try these recipes:
Miso Udon Soup (pictured)
Teriyaki Salmon Stir-Fry
Chicken Udon Soup
Peanut Pak Choy Udon

A delight of university students everywhere is the budget-friendly, easy-to-prepare ramen noodle. Made from a combination of wheat flour and egg, these yellow noodles are usually long and thin with a chewy bite. Coming in both fresh and dried varieties, ramen noodles are fantastic in soups, pork and vegetable stir-fries.

Made from either mung bean, yam or potato starch, these vegetable-based noodles (which are often mistaken for rice vermicelli) make the perfect gluten-free pick for those with allergies. The thin, almost translucent noodles are tougher than they look and are found in dried bundles. Softened glass noodles are found in a variety of Asian recipes from rice paper or spring rolls to stir-fries, soups and salads.

READ MORE: 10 Places For Tasty Fishball Noodles In Singapore

Similar in texture and taste to glass noodles are the ubiquitous vermicelli noodle, branded as such because of their popularity everywhere, from Singapore to China to Thailand. The difference lies in their base ingredient. Vermicelli noodles are made from rice flour instead of starch, but are also ideal for those avoiding gluten (look for brands with 100 per cent rice flour).

You can usually find them in supermarkets labelled as “Mi Fen”, “Mai Fun” or “Banh Hoi”. 

Try these recipes:
Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls
Singapore Laksa (pictured)
Spicy Coconut Fish Soup

Rice noodles, made from rice flour, are those medium-to-thick white strands you’ll recognise from your classic pad Thai. Soft and chewy when cooked, they’re also perfect in a hot, fragrant soup and other stir-fries.

Try these recipes:
Pork And Tofu Rice Noodles
Char Kway Teow (Fried Rice Noodles)
Prawn Pad Thai (pictured)

These short, round and white noodles with tapered ends, which are also called “rat noodles” or “silver needle noodles”, are made from ground rice flour. They have a slightly chewy bite and are typically served stir-fried or in soups.

Egg, or hokkien, noodles are a type of noodle made from wheat flour and egg yolks, characterised by round yellow strands that are soft and chewy when fresh or crispy and firm when dried. This versatile noodle works well in everything from stir-fries to soups or can be deep-fried until crispy and added to salads.

Try these recipes:
Duck and Orange Noodles
Hokkien Mee (pictured)
Mixed Wonton Soup

This variant of egg noodles are famed for their flat and yellow appearance which are used in our local signature “bak chor mee” dish.

These ultra-thin Chinese noodles comprise of wheat flour and are typically eaten on auspicious days like birthdays as they signify long life.

Try these recipes:
Braised Pork Ribs Mee Sua Soup
Mee Sua Soup

READ MORE:
Your Guide To Asian Herbs
Update Your Pantry With These 10 Healthy Home Cooking Essentials
10 Asian Soup Recipes You’ll Love

Text: bauersyndication.com.au, Additional reporting: Elizabeth Liew