Chinese egg noodles are made with wheat, eggs, and other ingredients to form a stiff dough that is rolled out and cut into various shapes. They are used in a variety of dishes and can be found fresh or dried in Asian markets or made at home. They have a long shelf life if stored properly.
Chinese egg noodles are wheat noodles made with eggs, which add a rich flavor, color, and texture. Many Chinese noodle dishes specifically call for egg noodles, as is the case with chow mein. Noodles are available both fresh and dried in Asian markets, usually, and are often available in dried form elsewhere. They can also be made fresh at home, just like Italian spaghetti.
As a general rule, Chinese egg noodles are made with wheat, although other grains could technically be used as well. The grain is mixed with salt, egg, cornstarch and often oil to form a stiff dough. The pasta is rolled out and cut into strips of different widths, depending on the type of pasta being produced. As a general rule, these noodles are quite long, as the length symbolizes longevity and good luck.
Whether fresh or dried, Chinese egg noodles are often rolled up to save space. Fresh ones are refrigerated and should generally be used within a few days or they will go bad. Dried egg noodles have a long shelf life provided they are stored in airtight containers in cool, dry places. Once opened, they should be used relatively quickly or reclosed in another airtight container.
There are a wide range of shapes for these noodles, including rounded spaghetti-shaped noodles, square noodles, and thin flat noodles. As a general rule, all are quick to cook, taking about three minutes for fresh noodles and up to 10 minutes for dry noodles. The noodles are often cooked until they are still slightly chewy, then drained and immersed in cold water to halt the cooking process before being tossed so they don’t stick together.
There are a number of uses for Chinese egg noodles. They can be used in place of Western noodles in many dishes, can be pan-fried, and can be used as a base for stir-fried foods in gravy, as is often the case with lo mein. Noodles are also fried into flat cakes as a base for various foods or for eating plain. Crispy noodles are very popular in many parts of the world and are sometimes used broken up into small pieces, as a condiment. Some cooks like to chill the soft ones and toss them with oil and a savory dressing for a cold pasta salad dish.
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