Oil noodles are a type of Asian-style noodle made from egg whites, wheat flour, corn oil, and sodium benzoate. They can be made from scratch or bought from Asian specialty markets. Oil noodles are used in various dishes, such as soups and salads, and are popular in Cantonese cuisine, as well as in Taiwan, the Philippines, and other countries.
Oil noodles are types of Asian-style noodles often included in traditional Cantonese dishes. These types of cooked noodles can be made from scratch according to traditional recipes, and are also usually available in various Asian specialty markets. Original recipes for oil noodles can be traced to mainland China, although different variations on oil noodles dishes can be found in other countries, such as Taiwan and the Philippines. The basic ingredients for this type of Chinese noodles usually include egg whites, wheat flour, corn oil, and a preservative ingredient called sodium benzoate that allows a batch of noodles to be kept for a long time without spoiling.
Making oil noodles from scratch involves a similar process to making other types of Asian noodles. The starter pasta dough is made from a mixture of water, wheat flour, and salt to taste. Egg whites or whole eggs may be used as binding agents based on individual cooks’ preferences or regional traditions. The main difference in the recipes for these noodles is the addition of light oil along with the eggs to help hold the rest of the ingredients together and give these noodles their unique flavor.
Corn oil is usually the most popular ingredient choice for noodles because it has a pleasant taste and doesn’t solidify in cold temperatures as easily as using other types of oil. Some Asian cooks who make their own noodles prefer palm or coconut oil as an alternative. Mass-produced spaghetti all’olio is often made with corn oil because this ingredient is usually the cheapest.
The finished oil spaghetti can be included in a variety of dishes, such as soups and salads. Popular cold noodle salad recipes are topped with ingredients like bokchoy, bean sprouts, cabbage, and soy sauce. These variations on the salad also sometimes provide a useful dish to use up leftover slices of beef or chicken. Many appetizer soups in Chinese restaurants are often made with oil noodles.
Pancit refers to these types of noodles used in Filipino dishes such as pancit estacion cooked with a type of smoked fish called tinapa. Some Filipino cooks like to substitute oil noodles for egg noodles in a popular dish known as pansit sinanta which is cooked with flavored broth and chicken. Lutong pancit is another oil noodle dish made with various pieces of minced and sauteed seafood such as prawns, squid and tinapa.
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