starch is gelated and contributes to the
dough’s cohesiveness. The formed dumplings
may be steamed, boiled, fried, or deep-fried.
Japanese Wheat Noodles The standard thick
Japanese noodles (2–4 mm in diameter),
called udon, are descendents of the Chinese
white salted noodle. They’re white and soft
and made from soft wheat flour, water, and
salt. Ra-men noodles are light yellow and
somewhat stiff, and are made from hard wheat
flour, water, and alkaline salts (kansui). Very
thin noodles (around 1 mm) are called so-men.
Japanese noodles are usually cooked in water
of pH 5.5–6, which is often adjusted by adding
some acid. After cooking, the noodles are
drained and washed and cooled in running
water, which causes the surface starch to set
into a moist, slippery, nonsticky layer.
Tapioca
Tapioca pearls, which are widely used to