Egg Noodle, as the name suggests, is noodle made from dough containing eggs. Eggs noodles are yellow in colored and have a chewy texture. They are made in various shapes or sizes. Egg noodles, is also a name given to dishes made with noodles (not necessarily containing eggs) and eggs. Such Egg Noodles Recipes call for fresh boiled or fried eggs that are tossed along with noodles.
Many of the noodle dishes in China, especially the chow mein dishes, are prepared with noodles made up of egg. These noodles are marketed fresh or dry in many of the Asian food markets. They are also prepared fresh at home, like the Italian pasta.
As a general rule, many of the Chinese noodles prepared with egg are mostly made up of wheat, but other grains can also be used in the preparation. Technically the wheat is combined with cornstarch, eggs, salt and oil to form stiff dough. The dough is then rolled out using some traditional roll pins and cut into strips of varying lengths and widths depending on the use and type of egg noodles to be prepared. As a general conception, the noodles made up of egg and wheat are normally kept long, because in Chinese culture the length of noodles is associated with good luck and longevity.
Making Egg Noodles
Soft dough is prepared using the main ingredients like flour, eggs, salt and fat; water, if needed, is used. The dough is then rolled and cut into desired shapes. The egg noodles are then cooked in boiling water. Once cooked, the noodles are drained and further used as per the recipe. After the preparation, the recipe may be refrigerated for future use.
Features of Egg Noodles
This noodle is mostly arranged in coils to save storage space and freshly cooked noodles can be freezed or refrigerated because they have short shelf life. Dried noodles have long shelf life and can be stored in air-tight containers for long time. Once opened, the noodles should be used quickly or re-sealed into airtight containers.
The noodles prepared from egg come in various sizes and shapes: slim fat noodles, squared noodles, and spaghetti shaped noodles. The Chinese egg noodles take comparatively less cooking time than other noodles prepared from egg. Ideally, it takes only three minutes to cook the fresh noodles and about 10 minutes to cook the dry noodles. The noodles are usually cooked until they become chewy and then dipped in cold water to stop the cooking process. In the next stage, they are tossed with required ingredients.
Culinary Uses of Egg Noodles
The noodles prepared using wheat flour and eggs are normally used in the stir-fries and are considered as a good base for stir-fried sauces. The noodle stir-fried sauces are a regular feature of lo mein noodle dishes. These noodles are also considered as good for frying like cakes or they are broken into small bits and used like a condiment. Various kinds of cold noodle salad preparations are made by freezing and tossing the noodle with oil and chili sauce.
Egg Noodles Recipe Variants