Online noodle class: Udon machine for variety of noodles
Just like a Japanese proverb “Mochi ha Mochi-ya” (“For rice cakes go to the rice cake maker”) goes, different noodle types usually require their own noodle making processes, implemented in noodle machines with particular designs and functionality.
Thus, we have “Ramen machines” for “Ramen, “Udon machines” for “Udon”, and so forth. And for a good reason, we might add, as, indeed, different noodle making processes work best for different ingredients and water ratios, to produce noodle products with distinct characteristics (in terms of shape, texture, storability, cooking properties, etc. ).
However, to which type noodles belong is not necessarily determined by noodle making techniques used to produce them: so, for example, we have Pasta noodles produced using extrusion methods on the one hand, and on the other – Pasta made by rolling, gradually thinning down, and cutting the dough into noodle strands.
In this sense, noodle taxonomy is not clear-cut, and is heavily influenced by definitions, or lack of them, as to how certain types of noodles are supposed to be made, and from what ingredients.
Having devoted almost 50 years to designing and manufacturing noodle making machines Yamato has settled on several basic types of equipment capable of producing almost all existing types of noodles (except for Pho, which requires steaming , and Somen which requires long stretching sometimes done in a way akin to yarn spinning).
By mode of operation, various models of Yamato noodle machines can be divided into two types:
1. one-directional rolling / lengthwise slitter cutting
2. multi-directional kneading / vertical blade cutting
While “Richmen” series noodle machines (both those with a built in dough mixer like “Type I” (LM) and “Gold” (LMA), and those without it like “Type II” (LS) and “LSB”) belong to the first type, “Shin’Uchi” and “Bandotaro” belong to the second (with “Bandotaro” having slightly different rolling and cutting mechanisms tailored to processing buckwheat dough).
Noodle machines of the first type (“rolling” type) can process dough with low water content (down to 25% and even lower) by pressing the dough between two powerful rollers, and then gradually thinning the resultant sheet down to a desired thickness.
On the other hand, noodle machines of the second type (“kneading” type) are optimized to work with relatively wet dough using a set of wide rollers to gradually ‘stretch’ it into a wide and more or less equal-sided layer.
While the rolling type machines make noodles from a dough mix, kneading type machines make noodles from a solid dough block (lump).
The most decisive factor influencing respective noodle making processes of the two types of equipment is dough water ratio: although lumping properties of wheat dough also partly depend on flour’s protein content (and / or presence of other ingredients), it starts to turn into one single block during mixing at around 47-48% of water ratio.
This threshold is one of the indicators determining whether one type of noodle making equipment or another is practical for production of a particular noodle variety: for example, modern Ramen noodles are on average low in water content, and thus are made using rolling type noodle machines.
Conversely, Udon noodles are usually thick, chewy and bouncy, and are usually made from the dough with high water content on the kneading type noodle machines, particularly “Shin’Uchi”.
A combination of ingredient properties (low protein flour, substantial amount of salt), dough making methods (pressing the dough block, then folding its ends inwards, and repeating the procedure several times resulting in a layered but solid structure), and noodle making techniques (gradual, equi-directional stretching of a dough block into a thin dough layer, as well as vertical blade cutting emulating traditional hand-making techniques) gives classic machine-made Udon noodles their distinctive texture and cooking properties.
But nothing prevents us from employing similar techniques and equipment for production of other types of noodles, namely Ramen (a variety with high water ratio in the dough), as well as other dough-based products like pizza sheets.
This versatility of Yamato noodle machines is not limited to “Shin’Uchi”‘s ability to produce Ramen noodles, but also includes “Richmen”‘s ability to make Udon and Soba (depending on the ratio of buckwheat flour in the dough) noodles as well.
On February 25, 2021, join Yamato for a free online class on using “Shin’Uchi” noodle machine for production of ramen noodles and pizza dough
The class is Free, and its live broadcast is accessible by the link that will be sent to your email address after you sign up.
(NOTE: we are looking forward for, and would definitely welcome your watching the live broadcast, but should that be difficult, you would still be able to watch a recording of the class using the same link)
Time schedule
| Time (Japanese time) | Contents |
| 4:00~4:05 (P.M.) | Introduction |
| 4:05 ~ 4:15 | Brief lecture on different types of noodle machines for different types of noodles, and how it is possible to use one machine to make a variety of noodles |
| 4:15 ~ 4:35 | Practical demo session: production of ramen noodles and pizza dough on a “Shin’Uchi” noodle machine |
| 4:35 ~5:05 | Cooking session |
| 5:05 ~ 5:15 | Q&A session |
*February 25, 4:00 P.M. Japanese time will be:
February 24, 11:00 P.M. in Los Angeles;
February 25, 1:00 A.M. in Dallas;
February 25, 2:00 A.M. in New York;
February 25, 9:00 A.M. in Helsinki;
8:00 A.M. in Berlin;
7:00 A.M. in Lisbon
*Schedule and timetable may be subject to change
*The class will be conducted in English
—Start your Noodle business journey with this free online noodle class brought to you by the most experienced and qualified noodle professionals from Japan.
—Get a free chance to explore and experience the world of professional noodle making, including commercial noodle making equipment and professional culinary noodle schools
—The class will feature the best commercial noodle making equipment for restaurants, restaurant chains, mini factories, and other types of small/medium scale noodle businesses:
tested by time, endorsed by professionals
Learn about Yamato Noodle School!
How to register for the class
You will receive an email with instructions for how to log in to the Class livestream.
NOTE:
Please feel free to tell us about what kind of noodles you would want to see featured or any particular topic covered during the Class.
COMPLETED
If you are interested in watching a recording of the class, please contact us to request a playback link.