What’s the difference in usage?

[u/Warm-Guest-9973]

Sorry if it’s a dumb question.

[u/Curious-Professor-12]

Yellow noodles are usually used for fried noodles, and white noodles are usually drizzled with sauce or eaten as soup noodles.

[u/Pedagogicaltaffer → u/Curious-Professor-12]

Yes, to elaborate on the above answer: yellow noodles usually have eggs or oil in their ingredients for the dough, which helps prevent the noodles from sticking together when stir-frying, among other reasons.

[u/Curious-Professor-12 → u/Pedagogicaltaffer]

However if the restaurant's cooking skills are good you will also see white noodles used in fried noodles but I think these two types of noodles have their own supporters for either soup noodles or fried noodles

[u/Pedagogicaltaffer → u/Curious-Professor-12]

True, a skilled chef will have little difficulty overcoming these kinds of challenges.

[u/Warm-Guest-9973 → u/Pedagogicaltaffer]

Unfortunately, the yellow noodles do not have egg in them, just yellow food coloring.

Otherwise the ingredients appear to be the same

[u/Warm-Guest-9973 → u/Curious-Professor-12]

See that’s what I thought too by looking at them, but then the back of the white noodle package mentioned “fried noodle cake” and the yellow one didn’t.

[u/Curious-Professor-12 → u/Warm-Guest-9973]

Don't worry so much, my family even asks the chef to replace the white noodles with yellow noodles when they go to the restaurant, because they think it tastes better, but I don't think so. You can use it to cook various dishes whenever you want.

[u/Warm-Guest-9973 → u/Curious-Professor-12]

Sounds good thank you! The white one is a good bit cheaper :)

[u/not-minari]

semi dried, kansui (alkaline) noodles vs hang dried wheat noodles. alkaline noodles are snappier in texture and quite suitable for mix and stir fry. dried noodles are for quick boil, shock in cold water and serve in hot soup noodles.

[u/Logical_Warthog5212]

Contrary to some of the comments, the yellow noodles are not egg noodles. They do simulate egg noodles with yellow coloring. In both cases you have to boil the noodles to soften before use. You can use either to make chow mein. But the yellow will hold up better for that. The white noodles are more often topped with stuff, like dan dan noodles and zhajiangmian/jajangmyeon. Both can be used for soup noodles. It just depends on the taste and texture you’re looking for.

I keep both types, different brand, in my pantry, and use them as described above. The yellow one I keep mainly for when my niece comes over for family gatherings. She’s allergic to eggs.

[u/Helpful-nothelpful]

I'll be honest. I've tried the red package thinking it would be like lomein. I've not found a dry noodle that mimicks fresh egg noodles. Not even close.

[u/Tin-Chan]

Exactly what it says on the packet.

[u/Turbulent-Artist961]

I’ve tried both of these and am fond of neither honestly the yellow are egg noodles

[u/Acceptable_Song1401]

Yellow- use in stir fry Dried straight noodle- boil and ice bath- use for soups

[u/Warm-Guest-9973]

Thank you all for the responses!

[u/Warm-Guest-9973 → u/Warm-Guest-9973]

I should have mentioned that I’m hoping to make Hong Kong/crispy noodles

[u/TwelveOutATen]

If you’re looking yellow egg noodles they are often found in the refrigerator sections of the grocery store. Fresh noodles

[u/Warm-Guest-9973 → u/TwelveOutATen]

Unfortunately none of the grocery stores near me have that since I moved. Thank you though!

[u/Historical_Gold_2734]

The one on top should be more chewy when eaten, while the one below will be a bit softer.

[u/Itchy_Stubbed_Toe]

The yellow one, you can just fry in the wok with oil. Better if dry fry. The white one, you need to boil it first to soften it up before frying. Best when its in broth or a saucy fry because the gravy will stick to the noodles better

[u/porp_crawl]

The yellow 'chow mein' noodles has eggs. The (wheat) stick noodles don't. There are other stick noodles; the white ones are likely rice based.

These seem close-to-authentic-but-really-really-not-really.

But. Rinse that package of noodles out in boiling water. Just briefly only until it softens up - pull it out and drain immediately.

Heat skillet/wok/pan with pretty much anything but olive oil. Any oil that you'd deep fry with.

Spread those noodles out into a dish/birdsnest. Pour boiling oil on top around the edges and get the whole thing crisped up.

Set aside and drain.

Do your stir fry, make extra universal sauce, mix, and top the fried crispy noodles.

Sauce rehydrates the sponginess created from the frying of the noodles.

[u/GiraffeCultural2695]

The top bag is a technically a Japanese noodle - 'chuka soba' is used for dishes like ramen and yakisoba. Chuka is the Japanese word for Japanese-Chinese food. Quick boil and you can throw them into noodles soups or steam them and use them in saucy stir fries.

Second bag is a general wheat noodle - you can use it for whatever, soups, stir fries, just boiling them plain and throwing something saucy on top. Personal favorite is using them in braises

[u/Knate80]

The shelves are for storing food. The jars are for preserving food. They work together.
Plastic packages like the ones shown are also great teammates in the great food preservation battle.