The noodle is a type of staple food[1] made from some type of unleavened dough which is rolled flat and cut into one of a variety of shapes. While long, thin strips may be the most common, many varieties of noodles are cut into waves, helices, tubes, strings, or shells, or folded over, or cut into other shapes. Noodles are usually cooked in boiling water, sometimes with cooking oil or salt added. They are often pan-fried or deep-fried. Noodles are often served with an accompanying sauce or in a soup. Noodles can be refrigerated for short-term storage, or dried and stored for future use.
In American English usage, the word "noodle" is an inclusive term that denotes flour paste products in various shapes.[2] In British English usage it generally denotes a food in the form of long, thin strips of flour paste products.[3][4] The material composition or geocultural origin must be specified when discussing noodles. The word derives from the German word Nudel.[5]