Years ago when I first went to college, one of my favorite recipes was like this, only with julienned red bell pepper and snap peas and whatever other veggies I had around (like shredded carrots, etc). I hadn’t made it in years, but I decided to make it again last night, and purchased the cheapest pack of Udon noodles I could find. Upon investigation at home last night, the package said it was from China, but still 100% wheat. Hmm. When I opened the package, the noodles were snow-white, but I remember the Udon from years ago being pale brown, a bit lighter than regular 100% whole wheat pasta. The texture and consistency were good, but just off. I find it pretty improbable that the noodles could be snow white but be buckwheat or wheat, whatever they claimed to be.
So, is there a certain brand of Udon that’s particularly good? Should you buy it in a semi-clear package, so you can see the contents (and get stuff that’s light brown)? Was I totally scammed by the white “Udon”?
All the udon I’m familiar with is indeed a light color, like this:
http://ytoshi.cool.ne.jp/best_friends32/study/cl/food/udon/udon3_l.jpg
I know they sell dry udon, but the stuff I prefer is moist and kept in the refrigerated section. Wikipedia has a picture of it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pkg_udon.jpg
Udon tends to absorb the color of the liquid you cook or serve it in, and that recipe doesn’t sound like it would give a great deal of color to udon. Mine only gets a light brownish color when I serve it in soy sauce.
The noodles in the photo in the link look like linguine to me.
I’ve never seen udon noodles any color other than pure white. Are you sure that it isn’t sobanoodles that you’re thinking of?
Hmm, the picture of soba is what I do remember. However, I was at the store again today and bought another brand (labeled Udon) which looks like soba noodles in the picture.
It’s made by Eden foods, so not a small brand. Are these noodles perhaps mislabeled?
Udon.
I buy Chikara brand, which come 3-single servings packets to a bag.
I’m not really sure. Where do the noodles come from? If they are the cheapest pack, it makes me wonder if their quality and it wouldn’t surprise me if they were mistakenly labeled as soba but may actually be udon, especially if the manufacturer isn’t based in Japan. Like I said before, I personally have never seen brown udon noodles, only brown soba noodles. Soba is made with buckwheat and udon with flour, I believe. Udon are at least twice as thick as soba and pretty chewy.
Actually, the “wheat udon” noodles I bought (pack #2) were middle of the road at Whole Foods. Now, I’m Indian, so I mock their “naan bread” displays. Maybe it’s that. Anyways, I found the brand I used to like - so I guess I really enjoy soba mislabeled as udon then. Thanks for all the help everyone!
Ohhh. I was wondering if they were perhaps some sort of wheat version, interesting. The traditional form from Japan is always flour, that just seems so odd! I bet the wheat version is a lot healthier, I wonder how the taste compares.
