A Taste of the People with Easy Vegetables｜Introducing the Nostalgic Taste of Fried rice noodles!

Have you ever heard of fried rice noodles?

Fried rice noodles is a popular menu item that is easy to make at home and hearty, combining the delicious taste of rice with meat, vegetables, and other ingredients.

In recent years, as eating out has been restricted due to the Corona disaster, it has become popular in Japan because it is easy to make, easy to get vegetables, and reasonably priced.

I remember eating it often for lunch at school when I was a child, and on fried rice noodles day, everyone in my class would happily fight over another bowl.

Not so much when I grew up, but I started paying attention to it again when I started cooking for myself more often with the Corona Disaster.

So, in this article, I will explain the history and appeal of Japanese fried rice noodles, as well as recommended restaurants and menus, including my own experiences.

Have you ever heard of fried rice noodles?

Fried rice noodles is a dish of stir-fried rice noodles made from Uruchi rice flour.

It is said to have originated in Fujian Province, China, and in Japan, as in Taiwan and Fujian Province, China, it is enjoyed stir-fried with vegetables, meat, and other ingredients.

It is characterized by extra-thin noodles stir-fried with ingredients such as dried shiitake mushrooms, dried shrimp, pork, and vegetables and containing their umami, and has become a popular menu item at Taiwanese restaurants in Japan.

It is a Chinese-style dish of thin noodles stir-fried with vegetables and meat, but since it is made from rice instead of wheat flour, it is attracting attention as a gluten-free food that can be safely eaten by people with wheat allergies.

Its unique sticky texture and the savory flavor of the noodles that absorb the flavor of the ingredients are appealing.

History of fried rice noodles in Japan

Fried rice noodles was first introduced to Japan at the 5th National Industrial Exhibition in Osaka in 1903.

It was introduced as a Taiwanese specialty, and could actually be eaten at a restaurant located next to the exhibition.

However, it was not until after World War II that the dish became popularized in earnest.

It is said that Japanese who repatriated from Southeast Asian countries began eating it because they could not forget the taste of the fried rice noodles they had become familiar with in those countries.

In 1950, Mr. Kenmin Takamura from Taiwan established a business in Kobe in response to repatriates’ requests to once again enjoy the taste of fried rice noodles they had eaten there.

Later, in 1960, “Instant fried rice noodles” was launched, and Kenmin Foods established itself as a manufacturer specializing in beef noodle.

Today, fried rice noodles is widely enjoyed by ordinary households.

What has sparked the popularity of fried rice noodles in recent years?

The recent popularity of fried rice noodles is due to the growing health consciousness and the Corona Disaster.

Increased attention to “gluten-free” diets, which do not include the protein found in wheat, has led to a growing interest in rice-flour-based ingredients.

Rice noodles has come to play a role as a gluten-free food, a diet food, a health care food, and a food for wheat allergy sufferers.

In the Corona Disaster, “Kenmin fried rice noodles” can be cooked in a single frying pan in three minutes, and its low-calorie and nutritionally balanced meals are a good match for home time, leading to a 13% increase in sales of the series over the previous year.

Furthermore, as a new challenge in the Corona Disaster, in September 2021, we installed the industry’s first “frozen fried rice noodles vending machine,” which became a hot topic.

It is likely to continue to be popular as an ingredient that is easy to prepare, health-conscious, and meets diverse food needs.

Have you ever heard of fried rice noodles?

Here is a summary of some of the things that I find attractive about Japanese fried rice noodles.

Easy preparation and superior convenience

Fried rice noodles is a popular menu item at Taiwanese restaurants in Japan, and its great appeal is that it can be easily prepared at home.

The authentic taste can be enjoyed just by stir-frying it in a frying pan for a few minutes.

In particular, the seasoned type of fried rice noodles sold in Japan is favored for its simplicity, requiring no boiling back and no complicated seasonings.

The food is also excellent for preserving, and there are various types, from dried types that can be stored at room temperature to frozen types, which are useful for making meals on busy days when you have a lot of food to buy.

Another reason why it has become a popular Japanese home cooking dish is that by stir-frying both vegetables and meat together, a well-balanced and nutritious dish can be completed.

With its short cooking time and authentic flavor, fried rice noodles is a dish that fits perfectly into the modern Japanese diet.

Variety of flavors and fun to arrange

Japanese fried rice noodles come in a variety of flavors, from the traditional soy sauce-based flavor to salty and curry flavors, all of which have been developed to suit the Japanese taste buds.

The arrangements at home are endless, from the standard style using pork and seafood to unexpected combinations such as kimchi and corned beef, and many recipes have been posted on cooking sites such as Cookpad.

Curry-flavored arrangements are particularly popular, and simply adding curry powder or oyster sauce to store-bought fried rice noodles transforms them into an ethnic flavor.

Many professional chefs have developed their own recipes for this home-style dish, such as the method of steaming the dried shrimp in the juice of the dried shrimp to add flavor.

Fried rice noodles, which has evolved uniquely in Japan, will provide a fresh surprise to foreign visitors to Japan as a new food culture that transcends the boundaries of Asian cuisine.

Health-consciousness and compatibility with modern lifestyles

One of the most attractive features of fried rice noodles is that it is a gluten-free food made from rice flour, making it safe for people with wheat allergies.

With the recent increase in health-consciousness, fried rice noodles have naturally come into the limelight as people focus on a “gluten-free” diet that does not include the protein found in wheat.

Non-fried fried rice noodles, produced using the hot air drying method, are lower in fat than noodles fried in oil, and are also favored as a low-GI food that is good for weight loss.

It is also an excellent partner for vegetables, allowing the use of a variety of vegetables as ingredients, and is characterized by a flavor that enhances the deliciousness of the vegetables.

The increase in “home time” in the Corona disaster has further increased the popularity of fried rice noodles, and it has been reevaluated as a low-calorie, nutritionally balanced meal.

Health-conscious yet satisfying, fried rice noodles is a dish that epitomizes Japan’s modern food culture.

Three Famous Japanese fried rice noodles Restaurants

In this article, we will introduce some of the best Japanese fried rice noodles restaurants.

My 3 recommendations for the best fried rice noodles restaurants in Japan

Column: What is the difference between rice noodles and vermicelli ?

Rice noodles and vermicelli look similar, but there is a big difference in ingredients and manufacturing process.

Rice noodles is “made from more than 50% rice flour of Uruchi rice and processed into noodles,” while vermicelli is “made from starch such as pea starch, mung bean starch, potato starch, and citrus starch and processed into noodles.

The manufacturing process is also different. rice noodles are made by mixing rice flour made from ground rice with water, kneading the dough, forming it into noodles, and then drying it, while vermicelli is made by mixing starch and water, forming it into thin noodles, and boiling it in boiling water.

The texture of the two products also differ.

Rice noodles has a flavor derived from rice and a moist texture, while vermicelli, depending on its ingredients, is characterized by a crunchy texture for mung bean vermicelli and a glutinous texture for domestic vermicelli.

From a nutritional standpoint, another important difference is that “rice, the ingredient of rice noodles, contains protein, so it also contains protein when it is made into rice noodles whereas vermicelli is made from starch, a type of carbohydrate that does not contain protein.

How to Enjoy Japanese fried rice noodles for Foreign Visitors to Japan

To enjoy Japanese fried rice noodles to its fullest, try these tips:

✅ Enjoy the authentic taste and texture

Fried rice noodles is a dish in which ingredients such as dried shiitake mushrooms, dried shrimp, pork, and vegetables are stir-fried together and their delicious flavors are contained in ultra-thin noodles, and is a popular menu item at Taiwanese restaurants in Japan.

While respecting traditional Taiwanese and Chinese flavors, Japanese fried rice noodles are characterized by a slightly sweet soy sauce-based seasoning, which gives them a unique texture for foreign visitors to Japan.

Rice noodles, made from Uruchi rice flour, is also gluten-free, a feature that makes it safe for people with wheat allergies.

Rice noodles itself has no peculiar taste and is enjoyed in various Asian countries with various flavors such as “Pad Thai” (Thailand), “Pancit Beef Noodle” (Philippines), and “Singapore Beef Noodle” (Singapore), but it is popular among foreign tourists for its unique Japanese flavor.

✅ Experience the Japanese way of eating and arranging

Japanese fried rice noodles was born from the feeling of “I want to eat ethnic food on a hot and humid day!

It is a nutritious and well-balanced dish with plenty of vegetables.

In Japan, fried rice noodles is well-known, but when you look around the world, there are various ways to prepare it, such as “stir-fried rice noodles” and “soup rice noodles” which offer different experiences for foreign visitors to Japan.

Unique Japanese cooking methods include arrangements using seafood and local seasonal vegetables, and eating it as a soup.

The enjoyment of seasonal ingredients and nature, which are the hallmarks of Japanese food culture, can be enjoyed through food as well, and this is an important point that foreign visitors to Japan seek in Japanese food.

The greetings “Itadakimasu” before eating and “Gochisosama” after eating are impressive to foreigners as a uniquely Japanese food culture, and experiencing this culture during a meal around fried rice noodles will also give them a sense of Japaneseness.

✅ Cooking Experience and Food Culture Exchange

Food culture exchange through cooking experience is also recommended.

Since fried rice noodles is a relatively easy dish to make, you can deepen your understanding of Japanese food culture through the experience of cooking with foreign visitors to Japan at a cooking class.

Cultural experiences through cooking are an important way for foreigners to experience the charms of Japan, and activities to convey Japanese culture through food are attracting attention.

Foreign tourists have different taste preferences in different countries.

For example, Europeans tend to prefer light flavors, while Americans prefer rich flavors.

Customizing the seasonings of fried rice noodles to suit the tastes of foreign visitors to Japan will provide a more enjoyable dining experience.

Furthermore, by comparing the taste of fried rice noodles with other Japanese dishes, the development from Japanese to Asian cuisine and the diversity of Japanese food culture can be communicated.

You can easily taste Japanese fried rice noodles at home!

Fried rice noodles is easy to make at home, but there are times when you come home from work and are too tired to cook, but still want to eat fried rice noodles.

Nowadays, there are many delicious fried rice noodles dishes that can be frozen, so you can have delicious fried rice noodles right away with just the push of a button.

In this article, I will introduce some of the fried rice noodles that I recommend and that are available on Amazon.

If you are interested, check out the following products on Amazon!

Frozen Grilled Rice Noodles, 6.7 oz (190 g) x 10 Packs

Kenmin Cooked Rice Noodle with 8 Types of Vegetables, 6.3 oz (180 g) x 8, Side Dishes, Frozen

[Frozen] Skylark Bamiyan Curry Rice Noodle, 7.1 oz (200 g) x 12 Packs