FOR THE LOVE OF NOODLES What strange elixir in noodle soup makes it so good for the soul? stephanie zubiri takes stock of why this staple, in its many forms, warms the heart of Asia. Photographed by supachat vetchamaleenont TRAVELANDLEISUREASIA.COM / JULY 2015 89 Udon soup, with its savory stock and ropey noodles, is a Japanese staple, predating the cult of ramen. I love the way the long strands slip across Asia to get to, well, the bottom into my mouth. I love the way the hot of the bowl. I LOVE THE broth floods me with happiness. The earliest strand, if you will, of Sound odd? Well I’m in good this tradition in China was actually WAY THE company—this is a feeling I share a different drenched carbohydrate, with billions of other people points out Jen Lin-Liu, in her book throughout Asia. And, it’s not too On the Noodle Road: From Beijing to STEAM FROM much of a leap to say that all of it can Rome with Love and Pasta: “The first be traced back to the well-preserved noodles in China were called tang NOODLE SOUP 4,000-year-old bowl of noodles bing, or soup bread.” This unearthed just a decade ago at the predecessor was bits of bread Lajia archaeological site in dropped into soup, which then INTOXICATES northwestern China. My taste for developed into their current form to history—and noodles—inspired a hold up better against the broth. In a pilgrimage to uncover not only how climate that favored cereal crops, ME WITH ITS soups evolved into their various bread- and then noodle-making incarnations, but also what carried flourished fast in ancient China. AROMA. them through the ages. So I traveled Large-scale commercial production 90 JULY 2015 / TRAVELANDLEISUREASIA.COM was already well under way by 100 expression pian-e-sit, meaning So why is something as simple as A.D., following the introduction, something conveniently cooked, and noodle soup so comforting? In a probably thanks to trade with the the earliest recorded name for word, Filipino restaurateur, ramen Middle East, of wheat milling restaurants in the Philippines was aficionado and co-owner of Manila's technology—a concept that adapted panciterias, a further linguistic Mendokoro Ramenba Elbert Cuenca easily to whatever crop was twist courtesy of Spanish colonials. says: umami. “When you have an available: wheat, millet, rice, barley, Today, the different varieties are still overload of umami and it melts mung bean, egg or soy. By the Nara known by their Chinese names: together, it can really spark an period (710-794 A.D.), the Japanese bihon (thin rice vermicelli), misua emotional response. It’s almost like word menrui appears, an adaptation (extremely fine, dried wheat endorphins; all those feel-good of the Chinese mian, which found its noodles), and the mung bean-based chemicals in your body are activated way to the Nippon archipelago via sotanghon. There’s the egg- and from the flavor, the temperature and imperial envoys sent to the Tang wheat-based miki used in the most the texture of the noodles.” court in the hopes of absorbing Han famous noodle soup La Paz batchoy Almost all noodle dishes, culture. The first noodles in Japan from Iloilo. That city is also the regardless of the quality of the other were wheat udon and buckwheat birthplace of pancit molo, a wonton ingredients, succeed or fail based soba. Only after World War II did the soup, which is considered a type of purely on the noodles themselves cult of ramen take off. noodle in the same sense that and the broth in which they swim, Whether it’s soba in Tokyo, pho ga tortellini or ravioli are both a pasta says Cuong Huynh, founder of in Saigon, dumplings in Wanchai or and a noodle. lovingpho.com. California-based a cup of instant tom yum spicy In ribbons, hand-cut strips, Cuong points to pho—with its light noodles from a Bangkok 7-Eleven, pulled strands, shaved, small bite- yet flavorful broth, bright herbs, I’ve got great memories of noodle sized bits, or stuffed, noodles long barely cooked slivers of meat and soup. As long as the broth is hot and have been an easy way to turn a tumble of white rice ribbons—as the tasty, and the noodles have the simple broth with frugal ingredients exemplar of a dish that must perfect comforting combination of bite and into a filling meal. Momofuku Ando, this combination or die trying. slither, a steaming bowl of noodle the Taiwanese-Japanese inventor of “The pho noodle must be cooked a soup can always lift my spirits. instant noodles, believed that “peace touch beyond al dente, and the broth will come to the world if people had should have the proper spiced IN THE PHILIPPINES, where I’m from, enough to eat,” and his solution in fragrance, clearness, and uniquely noodles are generally referred to as 1958 was the inexpensive, practically delicious pho taste right out of the pancit, derived from the Hokkien imperishable cup-noodles. pot without any need for additional Vietnamese pho noodles should be cooked a little past al dente and the broth should be fragrant and clear. enhancing sauces, seasonings or act of slurping and inhaling both three times. He recommends sipping condiments.” soup and noodle in one go to aerate the soup first to honor it before the hot broth, achieving the perfect downing the noodles. IN OTHER PARTS OF SOUTHEAST ASIA, combination of the two key elements. Hideaki Aoyama, who works with namely Laos, Cambodia and In some of the best noodle joints Cuenca in Manila, simmers his beef Thailand, rice noodles are the classic across Asia—think your corner pho stock for 14 hours. And that’s only companion to the richer coconut- or lady or the next-door shophouse after the crazy mise-en-place that peanut-based soups. They cook dishing up your favorite Taiwanese takes place before loading all the quickly and turn to a mush when beef rib soup—a continuously ingredients into the big pot. overdone, so extreme care must be heating pot of stock, where more However, despite all this effort put taken. Though tasteless plain, when water is added every day, is not into the broth he believes it is about prepared properly the noodles are uncommon. Whether crystal clear balance. “Even the toppings are very firm as opposed to springy or chewy, sotanghon or murky tonkotsu or important,” he says. and have a solid, slippery feel in the creamy coconut khao soi, the best That sentiment extends all the mouth, all very different from the broths are made from hours of way to Chiang Mai, home to food wheat or egg varieties. simmering and stewing. “Even the writer and editor Pim Kemasingki. Then there’s Japan, taking noodle best noodles will be disappointing if “Like most Thais, I am constantly on precision to the next level. The they’re in a bowl of badly made a quest to find a great bowl of quality of the noodles and of the soup soup,” Hong Kong-based food writer noodles,” she says. “This lifelong is one thing, but there’s also an ideal Janice Leung tells me. “I love the odyssey has brought some eating time. “There is a window of sensation of slurping the noodles, remarkable flavors to my mouth but ramen at its peak,” says Ryan Cruz, with the soup just coating the the secret to a perfect bowl of noodle co-owner of Mendokoro. “Japanese strands, and the delicious steam of soup is that it is completely personal. can slurp a bowl of ramen in eight hot soup wafting above the bowl. The You flavor it yourself.” minutes or less. After those eight broth is probably the most important “It’s the whole concoction,” says minutes, your ramen has started to thing for me.” Singaporean food blogger Dr. Leslie deteriorate, the broth slowly Founder of the globally present Tay, of ieatishootipost.sg, wistfully becoming lackluster and cold, the Japanese ramen chain Ippudo and about a highly charged bowl of fiery noodles losing their bite.” How do crowned “Ramen King,” Shigemi Singaporean laksa. “It’s a very tasty you eat an entire scalding bowl Kawahara leaves his shiromaru thing. So perfectly balanced, spicy, without burning your palate? Take a tonkotsu to simmer for more than 18 sweet, everything you ever wanted tip from the Japanese: zuzutto, the hours. The stock is then reduced from a dish.” Heaps of seafood, spicy curry broth, thick rice noodles, egg wedges: fiery Singaporean laksa soup is all about balancing tastes. The northern Thai khao soi soup simmers for hours, sometimes days, to fully achieve its flavor potential. THE DETAILS RESTAURANTS Mak’s Noodle Their springy, thin Yong Kang Beef Noodles Their Deco’s La Paz Batchoy La Paz noodles have impressed Chiang braised beef noodles with beef 'JAPANESE Public Market, Huervana Street, Kai-shek and Anthony Bourdain. tendon is the city's favorite. 17 Iloilo City, Philippines; special 77 Wellington St., Central, Hong Lane 31, Jinshan S. Rd., Taipei; batchoy soup for two P134. Kong; 852/2854-3810; wonton beef noodles for two NT$360. Ippudo 1-13-14 Daimyo, Chuo-ku, noodles for two HK$70. CAN SLURP A Fukuoka, Japan; 81-92/771-0880; Mendokoro Ramenba GF, V ACTIVITIES shiromaru ramen for two ¥1,500. Corporate Center, 125 L.P. Leviste Black Sesame Kitchen, Beijing Janggut Laksa This little kiosk St., Salcedo Village, Makati City, Owned by author Jen Lin-Liu, it BOWL OF has been serving original Katong Philippines; 632/215-1751; shoyu offers private dining experiences laksa since the 1950s.