what the heck are those cold elasticky noodles called that you get with Korean/Japanese food?

[Sweet Pea]

I've only ever gotten them at Korean sushi places, but I love 'em. They're served cold with a bit of pepper and sometimes some sweet sauce. I'm having a mad craving for them, but can't think of anywhere to get them either west end (where I work) or east end (where I live).

[kerwintoronto]

How'd it go Sweet Pea?

[qtxniki]

You can also buy already prepared chap chae from galleria and PAT.

[sway]

I'd put in a vote for sweet potato noodles (sorry, don't remember exactly what they were called). I bought them at a korean supermarket and made them for dinner with a friend, we were frightened. While they tasted great, they turned into a gelatinous rubbery mass that seemed to expan and possibly double in our stomachs. The moral of that story is figure out what you're eating and how to make them well beforehand : )

[mogo]

If by "west-end" you mean Mississauga-ish, there's a P.A.T. also on Dundas just west of Cawthra. There are a number of Korean restaurants/businesses down that stretch of Dundas.

[Sweet Pea]

Thanks all! I have an excursion to Bloor/Christie planned for this weekend to stock up on yummy noodles.

[anekmp]

the cold noodles are naeng myun; japchae is usually served warm. naeng myun is served almost ice cold is they are buckwheat noodles the wheat too. they are more chewy than japanese soba noodles.

if you google naeng myun you can get recipes.

[Sweet Pea]

Definitely not soba, udon or somen. Those I'm very familiar with and can identify on sight! It sounds like they're probably dang myun (transluscent, slippery and kind of like chewing on thin, yummy, gelatinous rubber bands). Now I know to look for chap chae on a menu. Maybe I'll make a pit-stop on my cross-city subway ride to pick some up in Korea Town. I've only ever had them as a side dish. Does chap chae usually come with anything besides the noodles themselves?

[fickle]

Hi Sweet Pea,
It sounds like you're looking for the chap chae noodles (glass like). You can find them at P.A.T. (big korean grocery store on Bloor Street, south side, just east of Christie). You can either get the noodles ready to eat (I think they make it on the premises)in their refrigerated section. Last time I bought a container, it was $4.99 and there's enough for two servings. Or you can get the dried noodles and make them yourself. Just google chap chae recipes and tons of options will pop up. Happy chowing!

[Teep]

Beef is a usual ingredient of the dish, either in thin strips or as ground beef, aside from the veggies (onion, carrots etc.)

[g_lee]

From the description, the first thing that comes to mind is "bibim naeng myun" which used dried Arrow root noodles. You can probably buy it at Korean Grocery like Galleria (Yonge & Clark).

[pakegirl]

Take it from an Asian: they are bean thread noodles sold dry. They are reconstituted by soaking them in water before cooking.

[Teep]

These are probably probably "dang myun" - that's the name of the noodles. The dish is called "chap chae". It's a Korean dish and found in every Korean restaurent. Not sure what you mean by "West End" but if Bloor and Christie is on your way home that's where a lot of Korean restaurents are. (If you find it in a Japanese restaurent, then the proprieters must be Korean, and offer other Korean fare in the menu, like bulgogi, bibimbap.)

To make them, you would need to buy them in a Korean grocery. These are different from Chinese translucent bean thread noodles which are much thinner so you won't find them in Chinatown. See these articles

http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2001-11-15/goods_foodsecret_p.html
http://www.foodsubs.com/NoodlesAsianO...

[josamania]

Are you sure he/she didn't mean Japchai (sorry for the poor spelling), made from potatoe starch? And the best places to get them are unfortunately in Korean Town. Either Bathurst / Bloor or Yonge / Finch. My fav quick Korean fix is Yummy BBQ on Yonge and Wellesley.

[blogs]

They could be konyaku, they will sometimes be called yam noodles but are actually made from starch from konjac a type of lily I think.

blogs

[nancyj]

Those noodles are definitely the sweet potato starch noodles. I love them too! If you want to make your own, you can purchase them from a Chinese grocery store - they are in the dried noodles section.

[frankiii]

if they are really elastic then they are probably sweet potato noodles called dang myun. They could be udon as those are somewhat "elasticky." in my limited experience, soba noodles are not too elastic. however, dang myun will stretch a good bit. I cooked some a few weeks ago and was amazed at how much the stretched. dang myun tend to be the thinnest of the noodles mentioned so far while udon are thick and pearly. Soba tend to be a grayish green and opaque. dang myun are pretty translucent unless they have been cooked with a sauce and then they tend to take on the color of the sauce. hope that helps

[Olivia]

Was the dish chap chae?

Hm, "elasticky"? Are they sort of translucent? If so, I believe they are the ones made with mung bean or yam starch--but I'll be damned if I can remember what they're called!

[oishi]

I admit when I read your post I thought of a number of noodles that could fit your description. If the colour of the noodles were a sort of gray-ish it was likely soba: buckwheat noodles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soba). If they were white, perhaps they were somen or even udon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somen or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Udon).

Perhaps others have another idea...

[cookbook]

I believe what you're looking for is the Japanese Soba Noodle- made of buckwheat (or at least the really authentic, good ones are made mostly of buckwheat). The Japanese prefer to serve them cold with a little sauce- they say you get the most flavour out of the noodle that way. If you dig them- go to Hiro Sushi on SUNDAYS when Soba Noodle Master (no kidding- it took him YEARS to perfect the craft in Tokyo, his home city) Ted makes fresh soba and serves it up right. It's an awesome experience! Let me know if you go and if you like it!