Noodles

Although the Chinese, Arabs, and Italians all claim that they invented the first noodle, the oldest historical mention of noodles is found in a dictionary from the 3rd century A.D. in China. These early noodles were shaped into tiny pieces made from bread dough, and were thrown into a wok filled with boiling water.

Those noodles were called mian pian, and are still consumed in China. Another early mention of noodles can be traced to the Jerusalem Talmud from the 5th century A.D., when they were referred to as itrium, and a few centuries later, a stringy pasta called itrium, made of semolina, was described by Syrian physicians.

Regardless of the origins, noodles have remained a popular food over the years, due to a number of factors: being inexpensive, nutritious, easy to prepare, consumed either hot or cold, and easy to transport. Today, noodles have become an essential part of Japanese cuisine, usually used as an alternative to rice-based dishes.

Most commonly, noodles can be made from wheat, buckwheat, or rice, but there are also other varieties such as acorn noodles, corn noodles, and mung bean noodles. Used in a wide variety of dishes that transcend borders, noodles remain one of the most popular food groups in the world.