Pasta and Noodles

Ants climbing trees (má yǐ shàng shù) is a Szechuan dish that gets its name from the resemblance of the small pieces of pork to ants on noodle "branches." Because it is easy and cheap to make, ants climbing trees is a traditional favorite of Chinese college students. Read more »

Bun thit nuong is a simple and favorite meal in Vietnam consisting of cold rice vermicelli mixed with fresh vegetables and topped with hot barbecued pork. Served with nuoc cham sauce, it is a good summer dish--light, lowfat, healthy and cool. Read more »

Char kway teow, which means "fried flat noodles," is a popular and cheap dish found in Malaysia and Singapore. Hearty and filling, it started out as a poor laborer's meal. Over time its popularity has spread. Char kway teow was originally stir-fried in lard and it got a reputation as unhealthy. But using vegetable oil makes a much healthier dish with much of the flavor. Other spellings: chow kueh teow, char koay teow, char kuay teow. Read more »

Couscous is a commonly served starch in the region of Northwest Africa known as the Maghreb. In typical Maghreb cooking, couscous is cooks in the top part of a pot known as a couscousière. The bottom part holds a stew, or tagine, whose simmering steams and flavors the couscous. The method described here is the quick way to make couscous. It does not make as fluffy or fragrant a dish, but it is much easier and requires no special equipment. Read more »

Csipetke (chip-ET-keh) are one of the many varieties of simple noodles or dumplings found in Hungarian cooking. They are often dropped directly to simmering soups and stews to cook and are a common addition to bográcsgulyás. Read more »

Jap chae (chop chae, japchae, jabchae), is Korean for "mixed vegetables" and is a common Korean side dish. The sweet potato starch noodles are traditional, but cellophane noodles are easier to find and have much the same texture. Read more »

Kushari is a simple yet healthful dish of pasta, rice and lentils widely sold in small Egyptian restaurants and roadside stands. With its full complement of protein, a spicy topping of tomato sauce and crispy fried onions, kushari is often considered the Egyptian national dish. It was originally a poor man's dish, but nowadays kushari is enjoyed by all strata of society. Variously spelled koshari, kosheri, koushari or koshary. Read more »

Longevity, or long-life, noodles are a popular Chinese dish for birthdays and Chinese New Year. As their name indicates, they symbolize living to a ripe old age. There are innumerable variations on the basic noodle dish; this one serves a simple broth over the yi mein egg noodles. It is very important not to cut or break the noodles while cooking or serving them. To do so would be very bad luck indeed. Read more »

Macaroni and cheese is an old American favorite dating back almost to the time of the American Revolution. Always a Southern favorite, its popularity really took off after Kraft® introduced a boxed version in the 1930s. Kraft's version became so popular that some people now prefer their packaged to the homemade. We still think homemade is best. Read more »

Thai for "fried noodles," mee krob is a popular dish in Thailand that takes crispy fried rice noodles and tosses them with a tasty sweet-sour sauce. Most of this dish's components can be prepared ahead and the noodles tossed with the sauce at the last minute. The noodles will get soggy if you stir them into the sauce too soon before they are served. Read more »

For a quick, nourishing meal, Indonesian mie goreng is a great choice. Also spelled mi or mee goreng, this stir-fried noodle dish is a great way to use up items in the fridge. Use your imagination! Popular in Malaysia too. Read more »

This simple recipe comes together quickly and is a great first course for any Italian meal or can serve as a light dinner on its own. Orecchiette, an ear-shaped pasta, is perfect for this dish, but you can substitute other shaped pasta like penne, fusilli or farfalle. Read more »

While pad thai is often considered the quintessential Thai dish, it has only been around for the last 50 to 75 years. Pad thai dish is Thai fast food, found in noodle shops or made on the street at innumerable pad thai carts. Sometimes spelled phad thai, phat thai or paad thai. Read more »

Pancit, or pansit, is a quick-cooked noodle dish that is one of the quintessential meals of Filipino cuisine. All kinds are available, and pancit is as popular at street stands as it is at family gatherings. The most common variety is pancit bihon, with rice vermicelli and a mix of meat and vegetables. Read more »

Puttana is the Italian word for "whore," and legend has it that this dish was used by Neapolitan ladies of the night to entice potential clients to sample their other offerings. It's a simple, straightforward dish with bold Mediterannean flavors. The sauce should cook only a minimal amount of time so that each ingredient maintains its identity and the olives don't discolor it. And be careful with how much salt you add. The anchovies, capers and olives are all salty ingredients. Read more »

Ragù bolognese is a good Sunday dinner dish. Its long simmering is perfect for a lazy day. Serve this rich meat sauce over tagliatelle, rigatoni or penne or as a lasagne filling. One thing the residents of Bologna never do is serve bolognese sauce over spaghetti. Read more »

Spaghetti and meatballs has been a favorite of the Italian-American community since immigrants from southern Italy first arrived on U.S. shores early in the 20th century. Although the dish is no longer made in Puglia and Sicily, its popularity continues in the United States and has spread to the population at large. Read more »

This amazing pasta dish is said by some to have originated at the end of World War II, when American soldiers in Rome yearned for a meal of bacon and eggs. The Romans, of course, added pasta and Parmesan, and a classic was born. In many Roman restaurants these days, the softer flavor of pancetta or salted pork jowl (guanciale) is substituted for smoky bacon. The choice is yours. Also known as spaghetti alla carbonara. Read more »

Udon noodle soup is a long-standing Japanese favorite, imported originally from China. Udon shops are found all over the country, and each one has its own specialty. The flavor of the broth and choice of garnishes vary widely from region to region. Read more »

Tuna noodle casserole was in deep vogue during the 1970s in the United States when casseroles in general were all the rage. Tuna casserole was particularly popular since it could be quickly and easily thrown together with canned and dried goods that most people had in their cupboards. This version eliminates the canned soup and substitutes a homemade sauce. The tuna, though, still requires a can opener. Read more »

Zhajiang mian is a popular, rib-sticking noodle dish from Northern China. It has been compared to the Italian spaghetti bolognese. Brown bean sauce is found in jars at most Asian markets. Names of other sauces often used in this dish include yellow bean paste, broad bean sauce, sweet noodle sauce and hot bean paste. There is no hard and fast rule. Use whatever sauce you like and can find. Read more »