at around 2% of the noodle weight, is an important ingredient in Asian noodles It tightens the gluten network and stabilizes the starch granules, keeping them intact even as they absorb water and swell Soba: Japanese Buckwheat Noodles Buckwheat noodles were made in northern China in the 14th century, and had become a popular food in Japan by around 1600 It’s difficult to make noodles exclusively with buckwheat flour because the buckwheat proteins do not form a cohesive gluten Japanese soba noodles may be from 10% to 90% buckwheat, the remainder wheat They’re traditionally made from freshly milled flour, which is mixed very quickly with the water and worked until the water is evenly absorbed and the dough firm and smooth Salt is omitted because it interferes with the proteins and mucilage that help bind the dough (p 483) The dough is rested, then rolled out to about mm thick and rested again, then cut into fine noodles The noodles are cooked fresh, and when done, are washed and firmed in a container of ice water, drained, and served either in a hot broth or cold, accompanied by a dipping sauce Chinese Wheat Noodles and Dumplings White and Yellow Noodles Salted white noodles arose in northern China and are now most widely known in their Japanese version, udon (below) Yellow noodles, which are made with alkaline salts, appear to have originated in southeast China sometime before 1600, and then spread with Chinese migrants to Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand The yellowness of the traditional noodles (modern ones are sometimes colored with egg yolks) is caused by phenolic compounds in the flour called flavones, which ... to Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand The yellowness of the traditional noodles (modern ones are sometimes colored with egg yolks) is caused by phenolic compounds in the flour called flavones, which... rested, then rolled out to about mm thick and rested again, then cut into fine noodles The noodles are cooked fresh, and when done, are washed and firmed in a container of ice water, drained, and served... most widely known in their Japanese version, udon (below) Yellow noodles, which are made with alkaline salts, appear to have originated in southeast China sometime before 1600, and then spread with