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What are Chinese Wheat Noodles?

Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum

Chinese wheat noodles can appear in two different shapes: flat and round. Flat noodles are usually prepared in long sections, and they may appear in more than one thickness. The round type are usually very thin and often appear as long coiled sections. Round noodles are often used as a base when preparing soup with a few vegetables and a beef or chicken based broth.

Regardless of the appearance of the Chinese wheat noodles, the recipe for making the noodles is a simple one. There are only three ingredients: wheat flour, water, and salt. The finished product will have a dull white to a slightly yellow tint to the pasta. The noodles can be dried and stored for later use or cooked immediately after preparation. One thing that makes them so appealing is that they take very little time to cook. If working with fresh product, two to four minutes in boiling water will result in perfectly cooked noodles. For dried noodles, it will take somewhere between four to seven minutes.

Flour made from wheat is used to make Chinese wheat noodles.
Flour made from wheat is used to make Chinese wheat noodles.

Because Chinese wheat noodles are relatively low in cholesterol and carbohydrates, they can be used as an alternative to other forms of pasta. This means that the round noodles can be used successfully with spaghetti and linguine dishes. Flat noodles can work very well with white sauces or as a compliment to eggplant Parmesan. In fact, any French or Italian recipe that calls for pasta can be successfully made using Chinese wheat noodles.

These noodles can also be used successfully in the place of rice to make a pudding, making it possible for people who are trying to avoid a lot of starch to still enjoy something sweet with the meal. Because the noodles tend to absorb flavors very well, they will easily blend in with the spices and extracts used to make the pudding.

Storing Chinese wheat noodles requires no special type of container or conditions. Like any dried pasta, it is a good idea to store them in an airtight container, and make sure the container is stored is a cupboard that is no more than room temperature. Dried noodles will last for a year or more without losing any of the basic flavor or developing a taste that seems off.

Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum

After many years in the teleconferencing industry, Michael decided to embrace his passion for trivia, research, and writing by becoming a full-time freelance writer. Since then, he has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including WiseGEEK, and his work has also appeared in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and several newspapers. Malcolm’s other interests include collecting vinyl records, minor league baseball, and cycling.

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Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum

After many years in the teleconferencing industry, Michael decided to embrace his passion for trivia, research, and writing by becoming a full-time freelance writer. Since then, he has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including WiseGEEK, and his work has also appeared in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and several newspapers. Malcolm’s other interests include collecting vinyl records, minor league baseball, and cycling.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

honeybees

I love to cook and am always trying new things. It is fun to use different types of Asian noodles in my recipes. Most of the time you can use several kinds of noodles with whatever pasta recipe you are using.

Many times it just depends on what your favorites are. I have used Chinese Wheat Noodles when I was making spaghetti. I had been using wheat pasta, so using the Chinese noodles was not a big change.

golf07

We have a great Chinese market a few blocks from our apartment, and one day I picked up some Chinese Wheat Noodles. I was surprised at the texture of them and how quickly they cooked.

One of my favorite Chinese dishes is Beef Lo Mein, and I simply substituted these noodles for the regular lo mein noodles I usually used. By the time I added all my ingredients, I really couldn't tell much difference in the taste.

I would definitely use them again, and would like to them again, and my next recipe will be to try them with Sesame Chicken.

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    • Flour made from wheat is used to make Chinese wheat noodles.
      By: womue
      Flour made from wheat is used to make Chinese wheat noodles.