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By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
From the Parc Cafe noodle buffet, from left, are a
southeast Asian-style beef stew, eggplant katsu
and Asian pasta salad.

Pasta is a cross-cultural
phenomenon and a food without rules
-- to experiment with tastes and recipes
is to take a tour of the world

Asian noodles

---

From staff and wire reports

NO one has a territorial claim to noodles. The Italians and the Chinese may elevate them to the highest level of reverence, but in reality pasta belongs to the world.

Traditional noodle dishes can be found on the tables of France, Germany, England, Greece, Bulgaria - and of course all the nations of Asia. A noodle pudding made with apples, raisins and apricots is part of the kosher repertoire. And never forget Hawaii's homegrown contribution, macaroni salad.

Those last two don't quite fit the immediate image of noodles, but that's the point of pasta.

"It's just because pasta is part of the cooking of so many different cultures that we don't have to feel bound by the rules of any one country when we cook it," the venerable James Beard wrote in "Beard on Pasta" (Running Press, 1983).

"Pasta is always the same, yet always different. It has a comforting familiarity, with its pale golden color and chewy, wheaten taste. And then there are all those amusing shapes, and the thousands of ways to sauce them: from avocado to zucchini, or from plain butter and cheese to puree of frogs' legs."

No frog legs here, but in today's tribute to pasta we explore a rainbow of approaches to pasta.

Contributors include chef Donna Scala of Bistro Don Giovanni in Napa; cookbook authors Bill Jones and Stephen Wong, who've written "New World Noodles" (Robert Rose, $17.95)

Representing the Hawaii contingent is Don Maruyama, the new executive chef at the Parc Cafe, who recently added an all-noodle line-up to the Parc's themed buffets.

Like Beard, Maruyama has a fascination with pasta, born of kitchen time spent in a variety of Asian restaurants.

"I wanted to open my own restaurant and call it Noodles," Maruyama said. "When Amy Fergusen opened Oodles of Noodles I was really upset - but at least it's on the Big Island."

The Parc buffet is a good first step toward his goal and allows him to experiment with combinations of Italian pastas and Asian flavors. Experimentation does have its downside: A "kinda funky" Thai lasagne made with coconut milk, comes to mind. "Those flavors may not have been meant for each other," Maruyama says now.

But it has also yielded a deeply flavored beef stew in a Southeast Asian style and served over egg noodles.

Maruyama offers these suggestions for cooking noodles: Salt generously to improve the taste and never add oil. It doesn't keep the noodles from sticking, he said, as it ends up floating on top of the water. Beyond that, "I think the best thing is to follow the directions on the package. I do."

The $15.95 Noodle Buffet is served at lunch on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Call 931-6643.

Asian Duck Soup

Don Maruyama, Parc Cafe

1 whole roast duck (to yield 2 pounds skinless meat)
2 medium onions, halved
1 large piece ginger, skin left on
3 large, whole shallots
1-1/2 to 2 gallons cold water
1/2 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
5 whole peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick
3 pieces star anise
6 cups egg or rice noodles
Garnish:
Beansprouts
Cilantro
Green onions

Debone duck and reserve meat.

Char onions, ginger and shallots on a grill or under a broiler. Remove charred skins. Place vegetables and duck bones in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer 2-3 hours.

Add fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, salt, peppercorns, cinnamon stick and star anise. Simmer an additional hour. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper; strain soup.

Add reserved duck meat and serve with noodles. Garnish with bean sprouts, cilantro and green onions. Serves 12.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 300 calories, 10 g total fat, 3.5 g saturated, 100 mg cholesterol, greater than 1,500 mg sodium, 25 g protein, 27 g carbohydrate.*

Southeast Asian-Style Beef Stew Over Egg Noodles

Don Maruyama, Parc Cafe

2 pounds top round beef, in 3/4 inch cubes
3 tablespoons cooking oil
3 cloves garlic, finely shopped
2 tablespoons ginger, finely chopped
2 stalks lemongrass, finely chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 12-ounce can beer
8 cups fresh beef stock (no added salt)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup fish sauce
3 pieces star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 large carrot, large dice
1/2 pound egg noodles
Juice of 1 lime
Marinade:
1 onion, large dice
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Garnish:
1 cup mint leaves
1 cup watercress, in 1-2 inch lengths
2 cups beanspourts
2 red chilies, thinly sliced
Lime wedges

Combine marinade ingredients and pour over beef. Let sit for 45 minutes.

Reserve marinade. Brown beef in oil; remove from pot and set aside.

Add garlic, ginger, lemongrass, curry powder and reserved marinade to pot. Cook 2-3 minutes. Deglaze with beer, simmering 2-3 minutes.

Add stock, soy and fish sauces, beef, star anise and cinnamon stick. Simmer 1-1/2 hours or until meat is tender. Add carrots and cook 3-5 minutes until done.

Remove star anise and cinnamon stick. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and add lime juice.

Cook egg noodles in boiling, salted water.

Serve stew over noodles, with garnishes. Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 720 calories, 31 g total fat, 7 g saturated, 140 mg cholesterol, greater than 4,000 mg sodium, 56 g protein, 48 g carbohydrate.*

Pasta Alla Gianni

Donna Scala, Bistro Don Giovanni

1 head cauliflower, cut in florets
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
Salt, to taste
1 pound penne pasta, cooked
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes, to taste
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-
Reggiano cheese

Steam cauliflower until fork tender. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until light brown. Add cauliflower and season with salt. Break florets into small pieces. Add cooked pasta, chile flakes, parsley and cheese. Toss. Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 765 calories, 33 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 12 mg cholesterol, 306 mg sodium, 24 g protein, 94 g carbohydrate.*

Meats and Seafood with Udon in Miso Soup

"New World Noodles"

5 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons red miso paste
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 slices gingerroot, 1/4-inch thick
12 ounces udon noodles
4 ounces barbecued pork, sliced
2 hard-boiled eggs, halved
4 stalks broccoli, in 2-inch lengths
8 large shrimp, shelled and deveined
6 large scallops, cut in 3 slices
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon Japanese seven spice or coarsely ground pepper

Combine chicken stock, miso, sesame oil and ginger; bring to boil. Cook 1 minute. Add noodles and cook until al dente. Using a slotted spoon, transfer noodles to a soup tureen or 4 bowls. Arrange pork slices and egg halves on top.

Add broccoli to broth; bring to boil and cook 1 minute. Add seafood, return to boil and continue cooking 1 minute. Season with salt. Ladle soup mixture over noodles, sprinkle with pepper and serve immediately. Serves 4

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 476 calories, 10 g fat, 199 mg cholesterol, 2,292 mg sodium, 62 g carbohydrate, 34 g protein.*

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Asian Noodles

Dry

Bean thread: Also called cellophane or glass noodles, these clear noodles are made in many sizes from green mung beans. Should be soaked in warm water before serving.
Rice noodles: Made from rice flour and available in sizes from tiny vermicelli to small, medium and large widths, and in ribbons. Broader sizes are called rice sticks. Should also be soaked before cooking.
Somen: Fine white noodles made from wheat flour. Often served cold with a dipping sauce.
Udon: Fat, round or flat noodles made with wheat flour. Preferred in Osaka and Western Japan, these have a soft, slightly chewy texture.
Soba: Thin noodles made with 80 to 90 percent buckwheat flour, plus some wheat flour to make them less crumbly. Taupe in color.

Fresh

Rice noodles: Made with rice flour and water and precooked, they need only be added to dishes and heated. Also available in sheets for making dim sum.
Egg noodles: Also occasionally called stir-fry noodles, made with wheat flour and egg. Used in lo mein. Add to boiling water to cook for just a few seconds.

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