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Four Millennia Old Noodles Found In China

Posted by Zonk on from the i'll-have-some-takout dept.

mollten writes "According to BBC News, the world's oldest noodles have been found at the Lajia site in China. Carbon Dating has found the remains to be over 4000 years old." From the article: "Prior to the discovery of noodles at Lajia, the earliest written record of noodles is traced to a book written during the East Han Dynasty sometime between AD 25 and 220, although it remained a subject of debate whether the Chinese, the Italians, or the Arabs invented it first ... Our discovery indicates that noodles were first produced in China."

4 of 264 comments (clear)

  1. The inventions of noodles was in question? by king-manic · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I thought it was a concrete fact that the chinese invented it and it migrated west. The italians haven't had them for all that long.

    --
    "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
    1. Re:The inventions of noodles was in question? by pancake_lover · · Score: 2, Interesting

      It's not a concrete fact. There is a commonly told story that Marco Polo brought pasta back to Italy, but there is quite a bit of evidence that pasta existed in Italy before MP. There is also evidence of pasta in Roman and Greek times. Further evidence shows pasta existed in the middle east. And we know that pasta existed in China (from TFA).

      One theory is that pasta was invented in several different regions independently. Considering the ingredients it seems plausible. Ground grain, water, maybe some eggs. Not exactly rocket science.

      --
      Homer no function beer well without.
  2. Re:Was it Ramen? by StarDrifter · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The article says they resemble La-Mian noodles. And according to Wikipedia, the name Ramen was probably derived from "la mian". So maybe not exactly ramen, but it could be the ancestor of the modern noodle.

  3. Re:Was it Ramen? by CameraChimera · · Score: 2, Interesting

    La Mian literally translates as pulled noodles. They're a specialty of northwestern China and incredible delicious, but to really appreciate them you have to see them made.

    The noodle chef starts with a well worked ball of dough, rolls it into a rope like thing, takes one end in each hand, pulls it as wide as his armspan while swinging it up and down, doubles it over between his hands and repeats until it's been stretched thin enough. I realize my description doesn't do it justice, but to see it is to be amazed. It's usually served in a bowl of beef broth with meat, cilantro and onions, but you can get 'em fried too. There's nothing like handmade noodles.

    Pictures:1 2 3(this one's not your ordinary la mian) 4 (the first frame gives a good feel for the process)