October is National Pasta Month “Life is a combination of magic and pasta.”
hat is your favorite pasta dish and is it also your comfort food? Pasta lovers eat their favorite food nearly 7 times a month! Pasta is the ideal delivery system for nutritious foods because it boosts energy, satisfies hunger, tastes great and can be made in a many ways. Have you ever tried the zoodle (aka zucchini noodle)? All you need are fresh vegetables or fruit and a spiralizer. Zoodles take the place of grains and is an easy way to get your daily servings of vegetables. While most of the time when we think of pasta, it is spaghetti, fettucine, or lasagna, but there are also popular types found in other parts of the world. From street stalls and noodle houses to celebratory feasts, noodles are abundant throughout Asia. This versatile staple is an essential part of the culinary and cultural landscape in many countries. Unlike European pasta, which varies in shape and size, and is largely made of the durum wheat flour, Asian noodles are more uniform in shape, but vary in thickness, width and ingredients. Based on local ingredients, they can be made of wheat, buckwheat, sweet potato, rice, and mung bean. Textures range from soft to chewy, resistant or crispy when stir fried. To make a healthy and satisfying meal with noodles, add meat, fish, chicken or tofu, vegetables, nuts and herbs, and flavorful sauce. Dangmyeon are long and thin. This Korean noodle is made with white sweet potato starch. Udon are a long, thick white noodle, has a chewy texture and is made wheat flour, water and salt. It is often used in Japanese soups and stir fry or served cold with dipping sauces. Somen are often used in cold noodle dishes. These thin and delicate Japanese noodles are made of wheat flour and water. Most familiar as dried instant blocks, Ramen is also available fresh. Traditionally made with wheat flour, egg, salt and an alkaline agent, which makes the thin noodles wavy and springy. Soba is made of a blend of buckwheat and wheat. This Japanese noodle has a slightly earthy, nutty flavor and often is served in cold noodle salads or hot soups. Bean thread noodle is made from mung bean starch or flour and water. Can be deep fried, stir fried or softened in boiled water. They are thin, slippery and often used in desserts. Whole grain pasta is an excellent source of fiber, good source of iron, zinc, phosphorous and magnesium. Semolina pasta is enriched with iron, B vitamins and is perfect paired with fresh vegetables and lean proteins, which are full of nutrients. 32 October 2021
