10 must-try Asian noodles for armchair travellers

Arguably Thailand’s most recognised culinary export, pad thai is a delicious combination of stir-fried rice noodles with eggs, tofu, dried shrimp, and a sauce that perfectly balances sweet, sour, and savoury flavours. Found in everything from Bangkok street stalls to high-end restaurants, pad thai gets its characteristic taste from tamarind paste, fish sauce, and palm sugar. It is finished with crushed peanuts and a generous squeeze of lime. The noodle dish is most enjoyable when served and eaten steaming hot.

Don’t miss: Why these two celebrity chefs believe Thai cuisine is having its moment now

This Southeast Asian country is home to many noodle dishes but one dish, in particular, stands out. Authentically Malaysian, chilli pan mee is especially popular in Malaysia’s capital city of Kuala Lumpur and beyond. The umami-packed dish features hand-kneaded flour noodles served dry with soy sauce and topped with minced pork, ikan bilis (crispy, deep-fried anchovies), fragrant fried shallots, a perfectly poached egg, chopped spring onions, and a generous amount of homemade spicy chilli flakes. Mix everything together before slurping the noodles up, as this allows the runny yolk to create a silky sauce that coats each strand of noodle.

Read more: 5 dishes and drinks you didn’t know were Malaysian inventions

This noodle dish is so authentically Vietnamese that the country officially made December 12 the “Day of Pho”. Pho consists of rice noodles with a crystal-clear beef broth that’s been simmered for hours, served with meat, fresh herbs, bean sprouts, and lime. While beef pho (pho bo) remains the classic choice, chicken pho (pho ga) offers an equally delicious alternative and can be enjoyed at any time of the day. The Hanoi (Northern) and Ho Chi Minh City (Southern) styles of pho differ by noodle width, the sweetness of broth, and choice of herbs and sauce.

See also: Why Ho Chi Minh City’s evolving dining scene has never been more inviting

Originating from Chengdu, the capital of China’s Sichuan province, the iconic dan dan noodles is not to be missed. Dan dan noodles gets its name from the pole (dan dan) that walking street vendors once used to carry their noodles and ingredients to sell the dish to passers-by. The traditional style features thin wheat noodles topped with spicy minced pork, zha cai or ya cai (preserved/pickled vegetables), chopped spring onions, and a spicy sauce made from sesame paste, chilli oil, and Sichuan pepper. The dish can either be served dry or as a noodle soup. The soup variant is from Hong Kong and is more widespread across the rest of China but uncommon in Sichuan where the traditional style dominates.

Don’t miss: The regional treasures of China and its rising popularity in Hong Kong

Noodles are a staple in Korean cuisine and japchae is a quintessential South Korean sir-fry noodle dish. Once a dish served to Korean royalty, it’s typically prepared with dangmyeon (sweet potato glass noodles) which has a springy texture and translucent appearance. The noodles are stir-fried with assorted vegetables, meat, and mushrooms, and seasoned with a soy and sesame oil-based sauce. A popular traditional celebration dish, japchae is often served on special occasions such as holidays, weddings, and birthdays.

Read more: The health benefits associated with traditional Korean foods

One of Hong Kong’s stand-out noodle dishes has to be the seemingly simple wonton (dumpling) mein. The beloved comfort food combines springy egg noodles with plump and juicy shrimp and pork wontons that were meticulously wrapped by hand, in a clear, flavourful broth typically made from a combination of pork bones and dried seafood. Wonton mein is served with blanched Chinese leafy greens and often topped with red pickled ginger. The best bowls can be found in Hong Kong’s traditional noodle shops, where recipes have been passed down through generations.

See also: The best dim sum in Hong Kong, according to chefs

“Pancit” is a blanket term referring to traditional noodle dishes in Filipino cuisine, as there are numerous regional types of pancit throughout the Philippines which differ depending on the available ingredients of an area. A staple at Filipino celebrations, the classic stir-fried noodles are quick and easy to make, and most variants are served with calamansi (a type of Philippine citrus hybrid) which adds a tangy contrast.

A uniquely Filipino variant is the pancit palabok and its cousin, pancit Malabon, both of which have a bright yellow-orange hue, attributable to achuete (annatto seeds), and are flavoured deeply with shrimp broth and crab fat, and  seasoned with patis (fish sauce). Palabok user thinner rice noodles and is more saucy than the Malabon, which uses thick, udon-like noodles and is more dry than palabok—either way, these noodles are bursting with umami.

Don’t miss: Plant-based sisig? This Filipino food entrepreneur shares why plant-based alternatives are important

Mie goreng is found everywhere across the Indonesian archipelago. A perfect balance of sweet, savoury, and spicy flavours, Yellow wheat noodles are wok-fried with garlic, shallots, and a rich sauce made from kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), which gives the dish its characteristic caramelised colour and depth. Traditional versions include tender chicken or prawns, eggs, crunchy beansprouts, Chinese greens, and pickled vegetables, all topped with crispy shallots and a sprinkle of chilli. Each region in Indonesia has its own variation–Aceh’s version is distinctly spicy with curry spices, while the Javanese style often includes bakso (meatballs). Street vendors typically serve it with a fried egg on top and krupuk (prawn crackers) on the side, a satisfying meal that’s particularly popular for late-night dining.

Read more: How to spend 48 hours in Bali: Canggu, Seseh, Pererenan, and Tabanan

A beloved institution in Singapore, there are different variants of laksa throughout the country, though all are spicy and rich-tasting (and in many cases, curry-like too). One of the most popular laksa dishes that’s uniquely Singaporean is Katong laksa, a variant of laksa lemak (creamy laksa) inspired by Peranakan cuisine. It has an orange-yellow colour spicy soup stock, flavoured with coconut milk, dried shrimp, lemongrass, galangal, and chilli, topped with cockles, prawns, and fishcake. The original and most famous version came from 328 Katong Laksa, which is particularly special for its texture–the coconut milk broth is usually slightly thicker than other laksa variants and clings well to the cut noodles.

See also:  Where to eat if you only have one night in Singapore, according to Singapore’s top foodies

NOW READ

6 underrated dishes from Sabah and Sarawak you need to know

The best tonkatsu restaurants to visit in Singapore

Hotpot, steamboat, and shabu-shabu: What are the differences between these comforting broths?