Asian food consists mainly of spices and not everywhere are the same. To the average American, ASIAN are mainly CHINESE or Japanese cuisines compared to the British who have been all over with the Dutch, Asian are more from Indian Subcontinent and Indonesian Archipelago as Oriental as they deem it. Some call this region the FAR EAST or South East Asia where the sun rises.

I am an avid traveler but there are so many choices to pick when you go to the East Asia. From Koreans with the Ramen and Kimchi to the Thai with their assortment of Rice Noodles and the sort to the little corner of the peninsula of Malaysia and Singapore where everything is basically too hot to handle, somewhat spicier than the Mexican Jalapeño Dishes.

One good guide is written by a Malaysian Born Traveler nicknamed KAK MAR ( writer of www.MarlindaRadzi.com ) who lived in the US and Europe for the past 15 years adapting the cultures and locality to their respective taste. Though she is no chef nor a photographer, inspired by colleagues and friends at the British Broadcasting Corporation (the BBC), she went on a feat to adapt local Malaysian, Singaporean, Indonesian, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Tamil and Arabian foods to local sense as not many of the spices are readily available in the local stores. Like mentioned earlier , she was even mentioned by the BBC South East, Kent Local station of her creativity of creating food from scratch without the need to go to the store and paying an arm and a leg for the ingredients like basic noodles. These food and recipes can be found on the BBS.NU Community Websites ( http://www.bbs.nu ) or in her new edition to her portfolio , My Kitchen Disasters ( www.MyKitchenDisasters.com ) with the complete and unabridged recipes there.

There are two basic categories of Noodles, namely Bee and Mee. ‘Bee’ or ‘Hoon’ means White and Mee means Yellow in Chinese to differentiate what kind of noodles are being used. White are from Rice Flour and Yellow of the Wheat, but mainly of the egg yolk added to make it more colorful. Some are added with coloring like green by means of the Pandan Extract, a green kind of long grass with nice fragrant smell to it. Normally, the Japanese would love to use this kind of Green Noodles to their Udon or Ramen.

In terms of Hot Spicy guide to the noodles, the best are to ask the Dutch as they are the first to colonize the Far East. As the saying goes, the Dutch Merchants can hear their coins clinging when a ball of nutmeg or spice is being harvested from the tree. Among the Europeans, the Dutch have a huge tolerance of spicy goodness as they realized that the spices make them less vulnerable to the cold Arctic Weather. Unlike the Spaniards , they don’t rely much on Chilly but of the spices like pepper and other spices of the orient.

Korean noodles uses mainly Rice Noodles, as they are the like of their Japanese cousins. Only difference is that they will want to have their Kim Chi or pickled spicy cabbage to boost their immunity to the weather. Stock based soupy noodles are also common with the use of either Pork or Cattle Head , skinned to make the base of the Soup base. This is common with the Japanese Ramen too.

The Chinese eats almost everything as they can’t be picky when Mother Nature threw a curve ball at them. However, soups et.al must be boiling hot as the weather are extreme ends especially in the highlands of Siberia, Tibet and Mongolia. Bark of the Tree, Roots of the Plant like Ginseng are also added to the broth to give a better boost. Thus, one of the most expensive foods are Ginseng Black Chicken Soup with Noodles, which costs about $50 a bird for a serving of 4 person. Commonly found noodles are the Yellow Noodles as farmers plant wheat and rice at the same time, as Rice is for their staple Lunch or Dinner and Wheat for their breakfast with the husk and straw given as cattle feed in the Highland Provinces.

The Thai and the Vietnamese eat normally Rice Noodles as the region is normally battered with tropical storms. Their spicy foods includes alot of Chilly or Bird’s Eye Chili which are abundant in these regions. These farmers normally have either Beef based soups as a cattle can feed a whole village. Thus POH and the like are also popular, with flat noodles also commonly used. Some are known to fry these flat noodles or KUEY TEOW mixed with some vegetables and in regions near the sea, fresh shell fish.

Come down to Malaysia and Singapore, they love their noodles, alongside with their rice. Whereas Soupy Noodles are found during Teatime in Malaysia, Singaporeans have them for breakfast instead. Commonly found with soups are either Beef based or Chicken Based soup with rice or wheat noodles, normally also seen small stringy rice noodles called BEE HOON in alot of these stock based soups. Some are very spicy as they will be very red! If it’s not spicy enough, the locals add a dash of relish called the ‘SAMBAL’ or Chili Sauce to it.

Singapore is wedged in the middle of the Archipelago and the Peninsular, with a variety of foods in place. Here Indonesian Foods are adjusted to their local tastes, where you find the LAKSA in Malaysia more of a sour beige soup, the Singaporean ones are of the milky type or the Laksa Lemak. Add the Chinese Version to it, and they have cockles and soy bean curd or Tofu or Puffed Tofu in the soup with a tropical type of Basil and Mint.

This is normally eaten for Breakfast or Lunch along side with the Mee Siam or Thai Noodles literally translated which is a hot spicy Udon style Bee Hoon (stringy rice noodles) and boiled eggs.

Come to tea or Dinner, they even have fried noodles, rice or wheat type. Greasy it may seems, but a mix of Soy Sauce, Chili Paste and some condiments, it’s not to forget. However, alcoholic beverages are NOT to be consumed with local dishes as you will land yourself a trip to the mortuary for Severe Gastroenteritis or Tummy Ache. It is worse than Heart Burn, mind you, so ask the hawker for a very mild one if you wish to try. Also, contrary to the belief, cold drinks don’t cool you down when eating hot spicy foods there, instead as for a hot Milk Tea or Tea Tarik (Pulled Tea) as the sweet tea will counter any burning effects.

Indonesians are more or less like the Singaporeans. They however cure or dry their seafood to add to their noodles. Meat balls are also found in many of their soupy noodles like Mee Bakso which is very common and bland to some taste.

That is from me.
For more recipes, please visit http://www.MarlindaRadzi.com or http://www.MyKitchenDisasters.com with a modified version to suit your locale.

Happy cooking