Udon, ramen, pho, pad thai -- there's a seemingly endless array of Asian noodle dishes that have found a very comfortable niche in Western foodie culture. And for good reason: they're nutritious, inexpensive, and darn tasty. Now Nina Simonds, Chinese scholar and author of China Express and Classic Chinese Cuisine, shows how to make them beautiful as well.

Book Description
For great food that is fast, cheap, and healthy, nothing fills the bill like noodles.Nina Simonds, one of America's most popular authorities on Asian cuisine, shows that the most satisfying and delicious noodle dishes are fun and fabulous to make at home. Tired of spaghetti and ravioli? Try soba, somen, ramen, or rice noodles instead. The 75 recipes for fragrant noodle soups, salads, starters, sides and complete suppers will thrill noodle nuts and novices alike. Cool and refreshing Cold Soba Noodles, soul-warming Ginger Sesame Chicken Noodles, and light and airy Lemon Broccoli Noodles are just a few of Nina's intensely flavorful dishes that are good enough to eat every night. Asian Noodles has a trove of useful and well-organized charts and tips on using the recipes, types of noodles, and how to prepare, use, or substitute the noodles--all designed to make any noodle novice an expert in no time.

From the Publisher
For great food that is fast, cheap, and healthy, nothing fills the bill like noodles. Nina Simonds, one of America's most popular authorities on Asian cuisine, shows that the most satisfying and delicious noodle dishes are fun and fabulous to make at home. Tired of spaghetti and ravioli? Try soba, somen, ramen, or rice noodles instead. The 75 recipes for fragrant noodle soups, salads, starters, sides and complete suppers will thrill noodle nuts and novices alike. Cool and refreshing Cold Soba Noodles, soul-warming Ginger Sesame Chicken Noodles, and light and airy Lemon Broccoli Noodles are just a few of Nina's intensely flavorful dishes that are good enough to eat every night.

From the Inside Flap
Move Over Spaghetti and Macaroni! Pasta lovers are heading in a delicious new direction: east to Asia. Noodles, Asian style, are "a candidate for the next culinary craze," says Newsweek magazine, and simple delights like soba, somen, udon, rice sticks, and cellophane noodles are being wrapped around the forks and chopsticks of Americans everywhere. Nina Simonds has traveled all over Asia to bring the splendor, diversity, and versatility of noodles into the American kitchen. At last, an authority on Asian cuisine who appreciates the way Americans eat, shows that the most satisfying and delicious noodle dishes are also fun, healthy, economical, and easy to make at home. In Asian cuisines, noodles are a mealtime staple, morning to midnight, the year round. And whatever the season, the pop-'em-in-the-pot convenience of noodle cookery is perfect for busy American kitchens too. What could be more refreshing in the blazing heat of midsummer than cooling Pad Thai, the classic noodle dish made with slim noodles twisted around plump shrimp and crunchy bean sprouts, dressed in a sweet-and-sour sauce, and topped with crunchy peanuts and fresh cilantro? Or what could be more comforting, on chilly fall days, than Saucy Garlic Pork Lo Mein -- stir-fried noodles tossed in a rich, velvety sauce and generously garnished with slices of garlicky pork, smoky black mushrooms, and pungent garlic chives? Of course, spring days call for a celebration of the season's freshest offerings, which can be sumptuously showcased in creamy Spicy Sesame Noodles, or tossed with garlic and toasted pine nuts in stir-fried soba noodles. And for winter warmth, you'll find the perfect chicken soup here too. For confirmed Asian noodle lovers, there are recipes for classic dishes, such as Seafood Hot Pot, Rainbow Noodles with a spicy peanut sauce, and Mushroom-Beef Udon Soup. But for the uninitiated or for those who already love packaged ramen noodles -- and who are hungry for more authentic flavors and textures -- Nina Simond's recipes will be a revelation. She demonstrates how easy it is to jazz up a simple meal of grilled meat or seafood by serving it atop a bed of stir-fried vegetables and noodles; and how a peanut sauce or spicy sesame dressing transforms a simple salad of cold chicken and noodles from ordinary to exceptional. Asian Noodles has a trove of useful and well-organized charts and tips on using the recipes, types of noodles, and how to prepare, use, or substitute the noodles -- all designed to make any noodle novice an expert in no time.

About the Author
Nina Simonds is a regular contributor to Gourmet and Eating Well magazines and the Los Angeles Times. She is the author of four books on Chinese cuisine and culture. Newsweek magazine named her one of America's Top Twenty-five Asia Hands. She lives in Salem, Massachusetts.

Excerpted from Asian Noodles : Deliciously Simple Dishes to Twirl, Slurp, and Savor by Nina Simonds, Christopher Hersheimer, Ann Field. Copyright © 1997. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved
Garlic Beef with Shiitake Mushrooms on Golden Noodles6 ServingsFew dishes are as seductively sumptuous as thin slices of beef, shiitake mushrooms, and snow peas bathed in a velvety oyster sauce on a bed of tender noodles. I've updated this Cantonese classic with fresh shiitake mushrooms rather than dried. For convenience, I sometimes broil the noodles. You can substitute cremini mushrooms.1 1/2 pounds flank steak, London broil, or boneless sirloin steak, trimmed of fat and gristle1/2 tablespoons safflower or corn oil1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, rinsed, drained, stems removed, and caps thinly sliced 2 tablespoons minced garlic 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger3/4 pound Chinese snow peas, ends trimmed and strings removed 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or sake3/4 pound thin noodles, panfried and kept warm in a low ovenBeef Marinade Mix together3 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or sake2 tablespoons minced garlic 1 tablespoon cornstarchOyster Sauce Mix together 1 1/2 cups Chinese Chicken Broth 6 tablespoons oyster sauce1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or sake 1 teaspoon soy sauce I1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch1. Cut the meat into 1/6-inch-thick slices. In a bowl, combine them with the marinade, tossing lightly to coat. 2. Heat a wok or a heavy skillet over high heat. Add 3 1/2 tablespoons of the oil and heat until almost smoking hot. Add the beef slices and stir-fry over high heat until they lose their pink color and separate. Remove with a handled strainer or a slotted spoon and drain in a colander. Wipe out the wok. 3. Reheat the wok, add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and heat until hot, about 20 seconds. Add the mushrooms, garlic, and ginger and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the snow peas and rice wine and stir-fry for 1 1/2 minutes. Add the oyster sauce and cook, stirring constantly to prevent lumps, until thickened. Add the beef and toss gently in the sauce. Spoon over the noodles and serve. Spicy Sesame Dressing Don't confuse dark, rich chinese sesame paste with the blander untoasted Middle Eastern tahini paste; the two are not interchangeable. Peanut butter, though, is an acceptable alternative here.8 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced in half One 1/2-inch-thick slice fresh ginger, peeled 7 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste, stirred well to blend, or more if necessary 5 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 5 tablespoons soy sauce 1/4 cup Chinese rice wine or sake 1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar or Worcestershire sauce 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar 6 tablespoons Chinese Chicken Broth or water In a food processor fitted with the metal blade or in a blender, finely chop the garlic and ginger. Add the remaining ingredients in the order listed and process to blend. The dressing should be the consistency of heavy cream. If it is too thin, add up to 2 tablespoons additional sesame paste. Refrigerated, in a covered container, the dressing will keep for up to a week.

FROM THE PUBLISHER