asian food: ACROSS Asia from China to Indonesia, noodles have long been the fast food of the East. In the West, especially in Australia, noodles have grown in popularity on par with the ever-increasing influence of Asian ingredients on home cooks and chefs. Foods once considered exotic are now everyday and the noodle in its various shapes and textures is a basic standby in most pantries. From the north of China come robust noodles made from wheat or barley. Further south, the blending of egg to flour and water lends a more supple texture to the strands. Noodles made with rice flour are staples in Vietnamese and Cambodian cooking, while the Japanese enjoy diversity, with nutty soba noodles made from buckwheat, as well as chunky udon and skinny somen made from wheat. So popular are ramen egg noodles among residents of Japan's northernmost island Hokkaido, they are now considered a regional specialty, while soba noodles are served everywhere across the country, from train stations through to upmarket restaurants. In Korean kitchens, bean thread and cellophane vermicelli made with mung bean flour and tapioca starch are preferred, while anything goes in Malaysian and Singaporean cooking, with influences from all varieties. Some noodle makers add extra ingredients, such as mushroom or green tea, but this is often a visual element, as taste variations are usually subtle. Seaweed and prawn are current favourites, while sweet potato noodles are considered a rare delicacy. The type of noodle may occasionally be crucial to a dish, for example, chunky hokkien are great in stir-fries, as they are lightly oiled and hold sauce. Cold, in a salad, they may not be quite as nice. Better in this case to use a light rice vermicelli. Generally, however, hard and fast rules don't apply, as noodles are incredibly versatile and there is much crossover. As long as the noodle suits the cooking method of the dish, you can use it. Some class noodles by their intended uses – soup, sauce, stuffing or stir-fry – but the only factors that really set them apart are the ways they are prepared and stored. Timmy Kemp, owner of popular Thai restaurant Timmy's, at South Bank, says the secret to perfect noodles is to cook them in small amounts. "Never cook more than one or two portions at a time," she says. "If you try to do large amounts, you risk them turning out sloppy or too al dente. "People think noodles are easy to cook, but that's not necessarily true. In Thailand there are specialty noodle shops. If your specialty is noodle soup, then that's all you do. If it's fried noodles, then you stick with that." Challenging convention, Geoff Lindsay from Melbourne's beloved Pearl restaurant, uses flat noodle sheets to make a dish with grilled calves liver in Szechuan pepper sauce. "Most people think of noodles as long thin things you suck on," Lindsay says. "We buy our rice noodles handmade daily from our favourite Vietnamese noodle-maker in sheets the size of a tea towel. They are translucent, the consistency of a fine lasagna." "We marinate the calves liver in Szechuan pepper before grilling, then layer it between the noodles before topping it with grilled capsicum, toasted chilli, vinegar and chicken stock." Lindsay says the very sharp, very hot flavours are perfect with the beautiful slippery noodle. As a healthy snack, noodles far outperform other takeaways, according to Daniel Hitchcock of Fairfield's Noodle Box. "Noodles are very 'in' because they are fast to prepare and good for you." Using fresh egg noodles, Noodle Box's Hot Box is its biggest seller. The dish contains Asian vegetables, beef, pork and chicken, all wok tossed in the chain's secret sauce. "Given the choice between a burger or a box of noodles, you're 10 times better off going for the noodles in terms of health," Hitchcock says. Brisbane dietitian Julie Gilbert agrees. "As a low-fat source of carbohydrate, noodles certainly come up trumps," she says. "They have plenty of vitamins and minerals, especially if they are served with lots of fresh vegetables. "The only catch with noodles is the portion size and what you're adding to them." If you're cooking noodles with lots of salt and fat, then much of the health benefit is lost. "People should also bear in mind the fat content in instant (pot) noodles as well as other additives, such as MSG, especially as food for children," Gilbert says. Know your noodles (1) Soba noodles: Japanese noodles made from buckwheat and wheat flour. They are usually the same thickness as spaghetti and eaten in both hot and cold dishes. Available in dried form, they usually taste best when freshly made. They are often used in soups. (2) Egg noodles: Equally popular dried or fresh, they are yellow and more pliant than wheat or barley noodles. Very versatile, they come in a myriad of shapes and sizes. Found in shops everywhere. (3) Hokkien: These thick golden strands are oiled, making them pliable but not soft. Popular in Chinese and Malaysian dishes, they are good in sauces. Can be found in most supermarket fridge cabinets. (4) Ramen: Japanese-style egg noodles, these are thinner and best in soups. They can be bought dry from the supermarket noodle-pasta aisle or the Asian food section. (5) Rice vermicelli and rice sticks: Dry rice noodles are more common than fresh because they are stronger. Usually soaked for 15 minutes in warm water, then briefly boiled and rinsed in cold water, they become soft and silky, making them great in salads and stir-fries. Rice sticks are the flat ones used in pad thai. Now easily obtainable in most supermarkets. (6) Udon: Chunky, slippery Japanese noodles made from wheat, oil and flour, they hold sauce well, due to their thickness and are often used in soups and broths. Can be bought fresh or dried, they are white in colour with a slightly tougher texture. Sold in some supermarkets and Asian grocers. (7) Somen: A thin version of udon also used in warm salads. (8) Cellophane noodles: Quite brittle when dry, they are also called glass noodles, or bean thread noodles. Made from mung bean flour and tapioca starch, the noodles should be soaked first, then boiled and rinsed in cold water. When cooked, they are clear and jelly-like. Popular in stews and soups, they are also a good filler in salad. • Chinese special occasions always involve a dish of noodles on the table, especially New Year and birthdays. • Symbolic of long life, the noodle strands must be served and eaten long, as to cut them is considered unlucky. • While dried noodles can be kept indefinitely if stored in a dry airtight container, fresh noodles should be used soon after purchasing. Check best-before dates before buying to ensure they are the freshest possible.