Although we associate noodles with Italy, they seem to have been brought to Italy from China, by Marco Polo. However, there is evidence that wheat-made pasta was already widely used in southern Italy by the time Marco Polo returned from his travels because in his diaries he compared Chinese noodles to Italian pasta. Although udon originated in China, it is now best known as a traditional dish of Japanese cuisine. Udon noodles are thick noodles made of wheat or brown rice. They can be prepared in many ways, but are usually served as soup, or are stir-fried with vegetables, fish, chicken or tempura.
Udon noodles are served both hot and cold, depending on whether they are eaten in summer or winter. This is a very popular dish throughout Asia, not only because it’s one of the traditional dishes, but because it’s easy to prepare and digest, it’s cheap, filling, and is ideal if you want to prepare a healthy meal in minutes. Besides, udon noodles provide low calorie, nourishing meals suitable for everyone trying to lose weight.