Do you often have undercooked noodles? Muddy and mushy noodles? Noodles that stick to the pan and are incredibly difficult to clean? Do you face these challenges? What are the differences in cooking methods for various types of noodles, such as spaghetti and oil noodles? How can you maintain a chewy texture? How can you avoid mushy noodles?

How should you prepare Korean cold noodles, Thai spicy cold noodles, Chinese cold noodles, Japanese udon cold noodles, and more?

Enough water

For all noodles, the amount of water should be at least half the volume of the noodles. This allows the noodles to roll up and down, preventing them from losing their elasticity or becoming mushy due to prolonged cooking and affecting their texture.

Add noodles in a radial pattern after the water boils

When the water comes to a simmer, add the noodles in a radial pattern. Adding noodles before the water boils will cause them to clump and become clumping.

Adding Salt and Oil

When cooking noodles or pasta, add a little salt or oil to the boiling water to enhance the flavor and smoothness of the noodles. Vermicelli noodles are already salty, so avoid adding salt to prevent them from becoming overly salty.

Adding Cold Water to a Boil

After boiling, add a little cold water during the first boil to ensure even cooking of the noodles and the center. For pasta like fettuccine, adding water twice is usually necessary. Because the boiling water is hot, the noodles tend to be soft on the outside and hard on the inside. Adding cold water reduces the temperature and allows the center to cook thoroughly.

Remove the noodles quickly to prevent them from becoming mushy.

Except for pasta, which requires a longer cooking time, most noodles should be removed from the pot as soon as they float to prevent them from becoming mushy.

Rinse with Cold or Ice Water

Rinse noodles immediately after cooking in cold or ice water, or lightly chill them for 30 seconds. This will help them retain their elasticity and prevent them from clumping. However, for common oil-based noodles, it’s recommended to skip this step to prevent the noodles from absorbing water and swelling.

Use the cooking water for washing dishes

The flour that settles in the cooking water can help remove oil stains, so the cooled cooking water can be used for washing dishes. However, do not reuse the cooking water for cooking noodles, as it will contain flour and make the noodles sticky and unappetizing.

Common Noodle Cooking Tips

Oil-based noodles:

When the water in the pot boils, add a little salad oil and a pinch of salt to enhance the flavor and smoothness of the noodles. Reduce heat to medium-low and bring to a boil. Add some cold water and stir with chopsticks. Simmer over low heat until the water boils, then remove from the heat.

It’s not recommended to cool oil-based noodles in cold or ice water to prevent them from absorbing water and swelling. Remove the noodles individually and fan them to cool.

Buckwheat noodles:

The purer the buckwheat flour, the greener it will be. If it’s off-white, it may have been added wheat. Once the water boils, add the buckwheat noodles and cook for 30 seconds. Add the first 100ml of cold water, bring to a boil over medium heat, and cook for another minute before adding the second addition of water.

These two additions of water are crucial for the buckwheat noodles to be fully cooked. After cooking, soak them in ice water to maintain optimal elasticity. You don’t need to drain all the noodles before serving; this will result in a smoother texture.

Noodles:

Look for noodles with a slightly beige hue; avoid those that may have been bleached and are too white. When the water boils, add the noodles and cook over medium heat until boiling again. Reduce heat and cook for 5 seconds. When the noodles float, remove them and chill (rinse with cold water).

Pasta:

For cold pasta, it’s recommended to use noodles designed for cold dishes with thinner noodles. When the water boils, add salt and olive oil and place the noodles in a radial pattern to prevent them from sticking.

Cook pasta until there are no white spots in the center and it’s not too tough. Test by pinching a small piece of pasta. Rinse with cold water after cooking to soften the pasta.