10 Delicious Noodle Dishes From Across Asia That Everyone Should Try at Least Once

The humble noodle is one of the most delicious and versatile foods out there, coming in various shapes and sizes and featuring in dishes all over the globe. However, if there's one continent we'll always associate them with, it has to be Asia.

All across Asia, many of the most classic and beloved dishes are noodle-based, reflecting the rich culture of each location through the ingredients, preparation and, of course, the incredible flavors reflected in each bite. Below, we're taking you on a little trip across the continent with 10 delicious noodle dishes from 10 countries that we think everyone should try at least once.

China – Dandanmian

Dandanmian (or dandan noodles) get their name from dandan, or carrying poles, thanks to the street vendors who traditionally sold these noodles, balancing their freight on a pole across their shoulders. This traditional Sichuan dish is beloved for its kick, featuring spice from chili oil and Sichuan pepper paired with the aromatic flavor or scallions, and sometimes minced pork. Unlike many other noodle dishes on this list, dandanmian is more about the preparation than the noodles themselves, with both wheat and rice noodles in thick, thin and even flat shapes being equally suited, either served dry or in a soup.

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Japan – Kake Udon

Japan is famous for many types of noodles, and since you've probably tried ramen (even if it was just the inexpensive grocery store variety), we decided to suggest udon instead—kake udon in particular. Udon noodles are made of wheat and beloved for their lusciously thick and chewy texture, while "kake" means "to pour over" in Japanese. This delectably simple dish serves the noodles in a hot dashi broth, made from a mix of umami ingredients, including seaweed, mushrooms and fish. It can also be adjusted to taste with yummy toppings, including veggies, tofu, meat, udon and more.

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Indonesia – Mie Goreng

Indonesia's mie goreng (literally translating to "fried noodles") is one of their most famous and loved dishes for a very good reason. It consists of thin wheat noodles that are boiled before they're stir-fried with flavorful onions and garlic in hot oil, as well as dark soy sauce. Veggies, egg, meat and other spices can also be added, making this a versatile dish that can become more spicy, tangy or sweet depending on the desired ingredients, making this one of our all-time favorite dry noodle recipes.

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Also read about: 6 Spicy Recipes to Turn Up the Heat on National Hot Sauce Day

 

India – Seviyan Kheer

You might not associate noodles with Indian cuisine or desserts, so this entry can be as surprising as it is delicious. Vermicelli (or super thin wheat noodles) happen to be a staple in some Indian desserts, including both ice cream and seviyan kheer. "Seviyan" refers to the vermicelli while "kheer" is a pudding-like dessert, making this one akin to a thinner version of a sweet and sticky rice pudding, if you substituted thin noodles for the rice. The noodles are cooked in milk and ghee and sweetened to taste with sugar and cardamom, and sometimes mango paste, before nuts and dried fruit are added.

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Philippines – Pancit Bihon

If you've ever been to a Filipino potluck, chances are you've had some variation of pancit (which means "noodles" in Tagalog). With pancit bihon ("bihon" means vermicelli), the noodles are stir-fried in a sweet and savory combination of oyster sauce, chicken stock, soy sauce and sugar. Veggies, chicken and shrimp are also typical inclusions, complementing the super delicate noodles.

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Vietnam – Phở Bò

Perhaps it's a cop out to include Vietnam's most famous dish, phở, on this list, but you truly can't go wrong with a hot bowl of phở bò  (or beef phở).  It starts with a super rich beef broth with a unique herbal flavor, made with onion and ginger, plus spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, clove, coriander and star anise. Next, extra thin rice noodles are added and topped with thinly sliced beef—often added raw, so that it cooks in the steaming hot broth. The flavor truly is unlike anything else we've tried, and can also be adjusted to taste with add-ins including hoisin sauce, sriracha and fish sauce, as well as cilantro, Thai basil, bean sprouts and lime juice.

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Thailand – Pad Kee Mao

Thailand's classic pad kee mao, or drunken noodles, are a beloved street food that get their name for being popular with customers after a late night out. They're a spicy and aromatic savory dish that takes broad, flat rice noodles and stir-fries them with red chili, garlic, fish sauce and holy basil. It also often includes veggies and chicken.

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Also read about: Eat These 7 Lucky Foods for Good Luck in the New Year

 

South Korea – Bibim Guksu

While you might consider noodles to be a hot dish, there are many delicious noodle recipes around the world that are traditionally enjoyed cold, and that includes South Korea's bibim guksu. "Bibim" mans "mixing" and "guksu" means noodles, and with this dish, chewy and bouncy somyeon wheat flour noodles are chilled in ice before being tossed with hot gochujang, toasted sesame and kimchi (a well as its vinegary juice) to create a tangy yet fiery kick. Slices of cucumber and other raw veggies are also commonly added for a refreshing crunch.

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Malaysia – Mee Bandung

Mee bandung is another dish that literally translates to "mixed noodles," this time from Malaysia. It originates from the popular travel destination of Muar, featuring yellow wheat noodles in a thick, zesty and spicy sauce made from shirmp paste, chilies, onion and lime. Often, veggies, boiled eggs, shrimp and beef are also added to the gravy-like broth.

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Cambodia – Nom Banh Chok

And finally, we'd like to introduce you to the concept of breakfast noodles in the form of Cambodia's nom banh chok, also known as Khmer noodles, after the Khmer people. It's made with lightly fermented rice noodles served in a green curry flavored with lemongrass, coconut milk, garlic, kaffir lime and turmeric, and often served with freshwater fish. It may sound unusual at first, but once you try it, you won't care what time of day it is as long a you get to have it again.

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