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The noodle is an ancient foodstuff, one that is found in many different cuisines around the world. But how many noodle dishes have you actually tried?

This infographic from the team over at Sweettooth Design helpfully details 30 different noodle dishes from around the world, from the better known, such as ramen, pasta dishes and pho, to some that are maybe not as internatonal yet.

The infographic was part designed by Fanny Chu of the Japanese Foodie blog, who you may remember put together this guide to 42 different types of ramen.

It should be a life goal to try every noodle dish on this list, but there any that you think should be included that aren't? Let us know over on our Facebook page, so we can digitally pat you on the back.

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The noodle is an ancient foodstuff, one that is found in many different cuisines around the world. But how many noodle dishes have you actually tried? This infographic from the team over at Sweettooth Design helpfully details 30 different noodle dishes from around the world, from the better known, such as ramen, pasta dishes and pho, to some that are maybe not as internatonal yet.

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, a cooked egg-and-flour paste prominent in European and Asian cuisine, generally distinguished from by its elongated, ribbonlike form. Noodles are commonly used to add body and flavour to broth soups. They are commonly boiled or sautéed and served with sauces and meats or baked in casseroles.

Asian noodles are made primarily from starch ingredients other than , although the recipes for some Asian pan-fried and stir-fried dishes allow the substitution of wheat-flour noodles for the Chinese mein. Noodles made from rice flour or the starch of the mung bean are softened in water and then boiled and drained in preparation for being fried or added to soups.

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a cooked egg-and-flour paste prominent in European and Asian cuisine, generally distinguished from by its elongated, ribbonlike form. Noodles are commonly used to add body and flavour to broth soups. They are commonly boiled or sautéed and served with sauces and meats or baked in casseroles.

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Pasta , any of several starchy food preparations ( pasta alimentaria) frequently associated with Italian cuisine and made from semolina , the granular product obtained from the endosperm of a type of wheat called durum , and containing a large proportion of gluten (elastic protein). It is formed into ribbons, cords, tubes, and various special shapes, all originally developed for specific characteristics, such as ability to retain heat or hold sauces.

In commercial processing, the semolina, mixed with warm water, is kneaded into a smooth, stiff dough and extruded. The dough, moved forward while it is being compacted and mixed, is forced through perforated plates, or dies, that form it into the desired shape. Hollow tubular forms, such as macaroni , result when the perforations are small and contain steel pins; smaller holes without pins produce spaghetti; flat ribbonlike types are made by slitted perforations. Shell forms are produced by a special die; small fancy shapes are produced by rotary knives slicing the dough as it emerges from the die. The formed dough is next dried, reducing its moisture content from about 31 percent to approximately 12 percent. The drying is carefully regulated, as very rapid drying may result in cracking, and very slow drying may produce stretching or encourage the growth of mold or of organisms that produce souring.

cereal processing: Pasta products

Alimentary pastes include such products as macaroni, spaghetti, vermicelli, and noodles. Such products are often called pastas. Italy is regarded as the place of origin of macaroni products, and annual consumption in that country is as high as 30-35 kilograms (65-75 pounds) per person. Annual consumption is about 6.3 kilograms in France, 3.7 in the United States, and only 0.4...
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Doughs may be coloured with spinach juice, producing green pasta; with beet juice, resulting in red types; and with eggs, adding bright-yellow colour. Eggs are frequently added to homemade pastas.

Among the popular cord forms are spaghetti ("little string"), a finer type called spaghettini, and the very fine vermicelli ("little worms"). Tubular types include macaroni, shaped into tubes of ¹/ ₂-inch (12.7-millimetre) diameter, such variations as the small elbow-shaped pieces called dita lisci, and the large, fluted, elbow-shaped pieces called rigatoni. Ribbon types include the wide lasagna and the narrow linguini. Farfels are ground, granulated, or shredded. The wide variety of special shapes includes farfalloni ("large butterflies"), lancette ("little spears"), fusilli ("spindles"), and riccioline ("little curls").

Pastas are prepared by boiling and may be cooked until firm and resilient to the bite ( al dente) or until very tender. Prepared Italian style, they may be tossed with butter, cheese, and seasoning (nutmeg, pepper) or served with a variety of sauces-tomato, cream, seafood, or others. Shaped pastas are often stuffed with meat, cheese, spinach, or a combination of these and other ingredients. Pastas are also cooked in soups and are used in casseroles and other dishes that call for the use of noodles, a similar starch preparation ( see noodle ). Uncooked pastas retain their freshness from three to six months.

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Pasta , any of several starchy food preparations ( pasta alimentaria) frequently associated with Italian cuisine and made from semolina , the granular product obtained from the endosperm of a type of wheat called durum , and containing a large proportion of gluten (elastic protein).

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Leftovers for the record books were found in China recently—a bowl of noodles dating back 4,000 years, the earliest known example of the staple food.

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Enny Nuraheni/Reuters

Setting out to discover pasta's past, Jen Lin-Liu, founder of Beijing's Black Sesame Kitchen, travels along the historic, undulating Silk Road trade route linking Asia and Europe in her new book, On the Noodle Road: From Beijing to Rome, with Love and Pasta. Eating her way through China, Central Asia, Iran, Turkey, Italy, and Greece, she documents the changes in cuisine from East to West. On her journey, she not only discovers culinary delights and recipes but also stories and transnational connections between disparate cultures of the Silk Road.

Lin-Liu is also the author of Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China and has written about food and culture for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Saveur, Newsweek, Travel + Leisure, and other publications.

Via e-mail, Asia Blog talked with Lin-Liu about the flavors, origins, and fascination of noodles.

I'm fascinated by your travels through Central and West Asia. What connections through food did you discover with Turkic and Persian cultures?

I learned through my travels that the word Turkic is much more encompassing that the nation of Turkey: there are ethnic Turkic groups that span from western China to Turkey itself. Linguistically and culturally, these groups are all linked. In Iran, there is an ethnic Turkic group called the Azeris. These Turkic groups share one really interesting dish -- dumplings. In the northwestern region of China and Central Asia, Uighurs and Uzbeks make a dish called manta, steamed dumplings filled with mutton and pumpkin and served with cream. In Turkey, the dish evolves into manti, tiny tortellini-like dumplings that are boiled and served with yogurt, mint-infused oil, paprika, and crushed walnuts. Some researchers have theorized that Genghis Kahn and his empire that spanned from east Asia to central Europe has something to do with the development of dumplings (in the form of pierogi) all along this path -- it was an easy food to make and boil while on the road and the filling could be easily varied.

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Pasta

That was one of the most fascinating experiences of my trip. In Iran, I had to travel with a tour guide who was essentially a government minder. I was able to get away from him when we came across a women's-only cooking school and the women operating the school invited me in to learn how to cook Persian dishes with them. The school was in a private home and women were free to dress how they wanted and were able to talk freely about the constraints that the Islamic government had put on their lives. Aside from learning amazing Persian rice dishes (and a couple of noodle dishes that didn't quite match up), I learned that many Iranian women are very strong and career-oriented, but yet have to deal with many day-to-day nuisances like wearing the hejab and not being able to freely socialize with men, even privately.

Who makes the best and most irresistible noodle cuisine?

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The History of Noodles: How a Simple Food Became a Worldwide Staple

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Enny Nuraheni/Reuters Setting out to discover pasta's past, Jen Lin-Liu, founder of Beijing's Black Sesame Kitchen, travels along the historic, undulating Silk Road trade route linking Asia and Europe in her new book, On the Noodle Road: From Beijing to Rome, with Love and Pasta .