NOODLES

Udon noodles are wonderfully thick and chewy. They are made from wheat flour kneaded with salt and water. Their texture can be adapted according to your taste by varying the cooking time, and are usually served in a hot broth, together with other ingredients such as prawn tempura, abura age, raw egg, and vegetables. They come in different widths and there is also a flattened variety called ’kishimen’ from the Nagoya region of Japan. It is available in dried, fresh, or pre–boiled form.

Soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour. As buckwheat contains no gluten, wheat flour is usually added, although 100% buckwehat varieties are available. They come in fresh and dried forms, and can be eaten both hot and cold. Soba contain a type of carbohydrate that is easily digested and assimilated. Soba noodles also contain the rare Vitamin P, which helps to prevent high blood pressure, as well as the flavonoid ’rutin’, which helps to thin the blood, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease. Soba noodles are extremely healthy and delicious.