JP7483550B2 - How to cook dried noodles - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for cooking dried noodles, and in particular to a method for cooking dried noodles with water using an oven, which does not require draining water.

Traditionally, uncooked noodles such as fresh noodles and dried noodles have been eaten by boiling them in a large pot and a large amount of water. This is time-consuming because it requires preparing a large pot and a large amount of water, adjusting the heat to prevent the noodles from boiling over, stirring during cooking, and draining the water after cooking, and it also requires long heating periods that use a large amount of energy to boil the water. Instant noodles, which are made by drying pre-cooked noodles so that they can be eaten with a relatively small amount of water, are used in large quantities due to their convenience, but most of them are inferior in flavor and texture to the original noodles. Frozen noodles, which can be eaten without boiling them, by simply heating them in a microwave oven, are also popular, but special equipment and a large amount of energy are required to store them frozen.

On the other hand, a technique has also been proposed for cooking and consuming dried noodles by microwave cooking using a relatively small amount of water. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a method for cooking pasta in which dried or semi-dried pasta and the amount of water required for hydration are placed in a heat-resistant container, and the pasta is hydrated by microwave heating. Patent Document 2 describes a noodle food for microwave cooking that can be eaten by placing dried noodles, an amount of water corresponding to the amount of dried noodles, and powdered sauce in a heatable container and heating it in a microwave oven.
Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses frozen noodles in a container for heating in an oven or toaster oven, in which frozen cooked noodles and a sauce that covers the entire upper surface of the noodles are contained in an aluminum container that cannot be used in a microwave oven.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-257439 JP 2011-211974 A Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-99460

However, as in Patent Documents 1 and 2, when dried noodles are cooked in a microwave oven using a small amount of water, problems arise in that the water boils over and a large amount of bubbles are generated due to the effect of starch dissolved from the noodles.

The oven cooker used as a cooking utensil in Patent Document 3 is a device in which food is placed inside a high-temperature oven chamber and heated using the convection heat of the hot air, the radiant heat from the walls of the oven, and the heat conduction from the contact surfaces, and is generally used to heat large food ingredients such as chunks of meat. However, the noodles in Patent Document 3 are frozen noodles, and as mentioned above, there is a problem in that specialized equipment and a large amount of energy are required to store them frozen.

The objective of the present invention is to provide a method for cooking dried noodles that can easily cook dried noodles without requiring specialized equipment for freezing and storing them with a large amount of energy.

After extensive research, the inventors have discovered that by heating dried noodles in an oven with steam introduced into it while they are in contact with a significantly smaller amount of water than in normal boiling, it is possible to eliminate the need for stirring during cooking and draining the water after cooking, and also to cook dried noodles extremely simply without the need for special equipment or large amounts of energy for freezing and storing them, as compared to using frozen noodles, and to obtain the inherent flavor and texture of the noodles.

The method for cooking dried noodles according to the present invention involves storing dried noodles in a heat-resistant container with an opening, bringing 100 to 190 parts by mass of water into contact with 100 parts by mass of dried noodles, and heating the dried noodles stored in the heat-resistant container in an oven into which steam is introduced from the outside.

Before contacting the dried noodles with water, fats and oils can be applied to the surface of the dried noodles.
Preferably, the dried noodles have one or more grooves formed along the longitudinal axis of the noodle strand, and the cross section of the noodle strand has a circular or oval main outer shape.
The ratio A1/A0 of the area A1 of the one or more grooves to the area A0 of the main outer shape in the cross section when it is assumed that the one or more grooves are not present is preferably 0.1 to 0.5.
In addition, the dried noodles are pastas, and the amount of water can be 100 to 150 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the pasta.

According to the present invention, 100 parts by mass of dried noodles stored in a heat-resistant container are brought into contact with 100 to 190 parts by mass of water, and the dried noodles stored in the heat-resistant container are heated inside an oven into which steam is introduced from the outside, making it possible to cook dried noodles easily and without the need for dedicated equipment or large amounts of energy for freezing and storing them.

1 is a flowchart showing a method for cooking dried noodles according to the present invention. FIG. 13 is a partial perspective view showing the grooved dry spaghetti used in Examples 20 to 24. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the grooved dry spaghetti used in Examples 20-24.

In the present invention, "dried noodles" refers to noodles that are made by forming noodle dough into a specific shape and then drying. Typical examples include pasta, soba, and udon, which are dried to a moisture content of 16% by mass or less and are commercially available in packages that can be stored for long periods at room temperature. Note that the dried noodles of the present invention are not limited to those formed into linear noodles, but also include non-linear noodles, such as short pasta such as macaroni.

The method for cooking dried noodles according to the present invention will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG.
The method for cooking dried noodles includes step S1 of placing the dried noodles to be cooked in a heat-resistant container having an opening, step S2 of bringing 100 to 190 parts by mass of water per 100 parts by mass of the dried noodles into contact with the dried noodles in the heat-resistant container, and step S3 of heating the dried noodles placed in the heat-resistant container in an oven into which steam has been introduced.

The heat-resistant container in which the dried noodles are stored in step S1 may be any container that has an opening and can withstand an internal temperature of 100 to 300° C. during oven heating, and examples of such containers include aluminum, stainless steel, and ceramic containers. The shape of the container is not particularly limited, but in terms of heat transfer efficiency in the oven and ease of placing and removing the dried noodles, a container with a wide mouth and an opening on the top surface, typically in the shape of a pot, pan, or tub, is preferred.
It should be noted that containers that contain contents and are sealed in a heated state are not included in the heat-resistant container of the present invention.

When storing dried noodles in a heat-resistant container, it is preferable to spread them as evenly as possible across the bottom of the container so that there is minimal overlap between individual dried noodles. By arranging them in this way, it is possible to prevent the dried noodles from sticking together. It is also desirable that the amount of dried noodles should be about 5 to 40% by volume, and preferably 10 to 35% by volume, relative to 100% by volume of the storage section of the heat-resistant container.

It is preferable to apply oils and fats to the surface of the dried noodles before contacting the dried noodles with water in step S2, as this can better prevent the dried noodles from sticking together. There are no particular limitations on the type of oil and fat, and it is possible to use vegetable oils and fats such as rapeseed oil, corn oil, and cottonseed oil, animal oils and fats such as lard, and oils and fats derived from algae. The amount of oil and fat applied is preferably an amount that can be applied so as to cover the surface of the dried noodles, and can be, for example, about 5 to 30 parts by mass, and more preferably about 10 to 20 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of dried noodles. Oils and fats can be applied to the dried noodles before contacting them with water, but since an unpleasant odor or discoloration may occur over time, it is preferably within 120 hours, more preferably within 80 hours, and even more preferably within 40 hours of heating in an oven.

Next, in step S2, a predetermined amount of water is brought into contact with the dried noodles. For this purpose, both the dried noodles and the water are stored in a heat-resistant container. The water brought into contact with the dried noodles can be any type of water that is suitable for food, and examples of the water include pure water, acidic water, and alkaline water.
The amount of water is 100 to 190 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of dried noodles. If the amount of water is less than 100 parts by mass, the water will run out before the dried noodles are finished boiling, and there is a risk that the dried noodles will not be sufficiently boiled. On the other hand, if the amount of water is more than 190 parts by mass, there is a risk that there will still be water remaining when the dried noodles are sufficiently boiled, making it necessary to drain the water. By setting the amount of water to 100 to 190 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of dried noodles, it is possible to create a state in which the water runs out just as the dried noodles are finished boiling, eliminating the need to drain the water.

The amount of water to be brought into contact with the dried noodles can be adjusted appropriately, taking into account the type of dried noodles and the state of the boiled noodles, as long as it is within the range of 100 to 190 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the dried noodles. For example, if the dried noodles are pasta, the amount can be about 100 to 150 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of pasta if a harder boiled noodles are desired, and about 150 to 190 parts by mass if a softer boiled noodles are desired. Also, if the dried noodles are udon noodles, the amount can be about 120 to 150 parts by mass for a harder boiled noodles and about 160 to 190 parts by mass for a softer boiled noodles. By specifying the amount of water used in this way, the water is gone after cooking is complete, and cooked dried noodles can be obtained without the need to drain the water.

It is preferable to put the water in contact with the dried noodles in a heat-resistant container so that the entirety of the dried noodles is immersed in water, with the dried noodles placed on the bottom of the heat-resistant container with minimal overlap between the noodles. Typically, one suitable embodiment is to place the dried noodles in a dispersed manner so that they are entirely in contact with the bottom of the heat-resistant container and so that they overlap as little as possible, and then gently pour a specified amount of water over the dried noodles so that the entirety of the dried noodles is below the water level, for example about 1 cm below the water level. Therefore, it is desirable to consider the shape of the heat-resistant container so that this is the case when using the above amounts of dried noodles and water.

Furthermore, in step S3, the heat-resistant container containing the dried noodles and water is set inside the oven and heated. Any oven can be used as long as it can utilize heat transfer by any of the following means: convection heat from high-temperature air, radiant heat from the inner wall of the oven, or heat conduction from the contact surface with the heat-resistant container. Examples of the oven include a toaster oven, a roaster oven, a jet oven, and a convection oven. Among these, jet ovens and convection ovens are particularly useful because they are configured to generate air currents inside the oven and have good heat transfer efficiency.

The heating temperature of the oven is 100 to 280°C, preferably 110 to 240°C, and more preferably 120 to 200°C, as indicated by the heating temperature display on the oven. If the temperature is lower than 100°C, the heating will take too long, and if the temperature exceeds 280°C, the dried noodles may discolor or become hard. The heating time may be until the specified amount of water is almost or completely gone and the dried noodles can be removed without the need to drain. Typically, this is 2 to 5 minutes added to the standard boiling time for dried noodles, and for example, it can be about 10 to 20 minutes for spaghetti and 8 to 16 minutes for udon.

When heating in an oven, steam is introduced into the oven chamber. This steam is introduced from outside, separate from the steam generated from the water contained in the heat-resistant container together with the dried noodles. The steam introduced into the oven chamber may be saturated steam or superheated steam. Steam may be introduced into the oven chamber by introducing a conduit from a steam generating means such as a steamer or steam generator into the oven chamber, or an oven such as a steam convection oven with a built-in steam generating means may be used. This can be done according to the usual method using known technology. Steam may be introduced continuously or intermittently during the heating of the oven. The time for introducing steam relative to the heating time of the oven may be preferably 30% or more, more preferably 60% or more, and even more preferably 80% or more, when the entire oven heating time is taken as 100%.

During heating in the oven, the steam generated from the water contained in the heat-resistant container and the steam introduced from the outside mix inside the oven and reach a saturated or nearly saturated state, which serves to regulate the amount of water absorbed by the dried noodles. Therefore, when the dried noodles are finished boiling, all the water is absorbed, making it unnecessary to drain the water.
In this way, dried noodles cooked by the method of the present invention are boiled in the same way as those obtained by conventional boiling cooking, and since the time-consuming process of draining the water is not required, the boiled dried noodles can be taken out of the oven and eaten as is by combining them with separately prepared sauce and ingredients.

Next, the shape of the dried noodles used in the present invention will be explained. The dried noodles used in the present invention are typically in the shape that is usually available on the market, but as mentioned above, a heating time of 2 to 5 minutes added to the standard boiling time is required. This heating time can be shortened by increasing the surface area of the dried noodles.

One method of increasing the surface area of dried noodles is to form area-enlarging shapes such as bumps, grooves, holes, etc. on the surface of the dried noodles. These may be formed continuously along the long axis of the dried noodles, or intermittently along the long axis of the dried noodles.
Examples of shapes in which the area-enlarged shaped portion is formed continuously along the long axis of the dried noodles include the shapes shown in Figures 1 (1), (3) to (5) of JP-A-6-46780 and the shapes shown in Japanese Patent No. 5726493. Examples of shapes in which the area-enlarged shaped portion is formed discontinuously along the long axis of the dried noodles include the shapes shown in Figures 1 (2), (6) and 2 of JP-A-6-46780. From the standpoint of strength of the dried noodles, a shape in which the area-enlarged shaped portion is formed continuously along the long axis of the dried noodles is preferred.

The more preferred shape of dried noodles is one in which one or more grooves are formed along the long axis of the dried noodles and the cross section of the noodle string has a main outer shape that is roughly circular or elliptical. This is advantageous because it allows the texture of the dried noodles after boiling to be equivalent to that of noodles with a typical shape that has no grooves.

In particular, in a cross section taken in a direction perpendicular to the noodle string direction, the ratio A1/A0 of the cross-sectional area A1 of one or more grooves to the cross-sectional area A0 of the main outer shape of the noodle string when assumed to have no grooves is preferably 0.1 to 0.5, and more preferably 0.2 to 0.4.
When multiple grooves are formed along the noodle string direction, the cross-sectional area A1 of the groove means the total cross-sectional area of the multiple grooves. As the ratio A1/A0, for example, for five noodle strings, three cross sections of each noodle string are observed under an optical microscope, and the cross-sectional areas A1 and A0 are determined by image processing, and the arithmetic average of the ratio A1/A0 calculated from the determined cross-sectional areas A1 and A0 can be used.

In this way, by forming one or more grooves along the long axis of the dried noodles and forming the noodle strings with a cross section that has a substantially circular or elliptical main outer shape, the method of the present invention makes it possible to cook dried noodles of a typical normal shape in the same heating time as when they are boiled in the usual way. In this case, the method of the present invention eliminates the need to drain the water after cooking, thereby shortening the overall cooking time. In addition, because no excess water is used, there is no need to discard the remaining boiling water.

The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

Example 1
100 g of commercially available dried spaghetti (1.6 mm diameter circular cross section, 7 minutes boiling time; Nisshin Foods) was spread out on the bottom of a stainless steel tray (bottom 30 cm x 30 cm, depth 6 cm). 100 parts by mass of fresh water was gently poured into the tray for 100 parts by mass of dried spaghetti, and the tray was placed in a preheated oven (Panasonic) and heated at an oven temperature of 150°C for 10 minutes. During oven heating, steam at about 100°C at normal pressure generated by a steamer was constantly introduced into the oven through a silicone tube. The heated spaghetti was served on a plate.

[Examples 2 to 5]
The dried spaghetti was heated by the cooking methods of Examples 2 to 5 in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the amount of fresh water poured into the tray was 130 parts by mass, 150 parts by mass, 170 parts by mass, and 190 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of dried spaghetti, and the heated spaghetti was served on a plate.

[Comparative Examples 1 and 2]
The dried spaghetti was heated by the cooking methods of Comparative Examples 1 and 2 in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the amount of fresh water poured into the tray was 80 parts by mass and 210 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of dried spaghetti, and the heated spaghetti was served on a plate.

[Reference Example 1]
The same commercially available dried spaghetti as in Example 1 was boiled for a specified period of time in a conventional manner, after which the water was drained and the spaghetti was served on a plate.

[Cooking operation evaluation]
The cooking operations for the dried spaghetti according to Examples 1 to 5, Comparative Examples 1 and 2, and Reference Example 1 were carried out by 10 trained evaluators, who were then asked to give evaluation scores according to the following evaluation criteria S1.

<Cooking operation evaluation criterion S1>
5 points: No need to drain the water after cooking, just pour the sauce over it and eat, very good.
4 points: There is a small amount of water remaining, or there is not enough water so the spaghetti tends to stick together, but there is no need to drain the water, so this is good.
3 points: There is a little water remaining or the spaghetti is slightly stuck together and needs to be loosened easily, but there is no need to drain the water and it is in almost good condition.
2 points: Either water remains and the water needs to be drained, or the spaghetti is stuck together and needs to be thoroughly loosened, so this is poor quality.
1 point: Very poor; either a lot of water remains and careful draining is required, or the spaghetti is stuck together in places and cannot be separated.

[Texture evaluation]
The spaghetti cooked in Examples 1 to 5, Comparative Examples 1 and 2, and Reference Example 1 were eaten by 10 trained evaluators, who then gave them scores based on the following evaluation criteria S2.

<Texture evaluation standard S2>
5 points: Very good, very chewy, similar to well-cooked spaghetti.
4 points: Good texture, similar to regular boiled spaghetti.
3 points: Slightly harder or slightly softer than normal boiled spaghetti, but still good.
2 points: Too hard or too soft compared to normal boiled spaghetti, defective.
1 point: Compared to normal boiled spaghetti, it is very hard or very soft, and is very poor quality.

The average results of the cooking operation evaluation by 10 evaluators and the average results of the texture evaluation by 10 evaluators are shown in Table 1.

In Examples 1 to 5, in which the amount of fresh water poured into the tray was within the range of 100 to 190 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of dried spaghetti, the evaluation results of the cooking operation were all in the 3 or 4 range, indicating that the cooking operation was good or almost good and did not require the draining operation.
In contrast, in Comparative Example 1, in which the amount of fresh water was 80 parts by mass, the evaluation result of the cooking operation was 2.2, meaning that the spaghetti was stuck together and required careful loosening, and in Comparative Example 2, in which the amount of fresh water was 210 parts by mass, the evaluation result of the cooking operation was 2.5, meaning that water remained after cooking and required draining.
In Reference Example 1, the heat had to be adjusted during the boiling process, which was a very poor cooking procedure.

Furthermore, in Examples 1 to 5, the evaluation results for texture were all in the range of 3.5 to 4.0 points, indicating that the texture was good or almost good.
In contrast, in Comparative Examples 1 and 2, the evaluation results for texture were 2.7 and 2.9, respectively, which were too hard or too soft and had a poor texture.

[Examples 6 to 9]
The dry spaghetti was heated by the cooking methods of Examples 6 to 9 in the same manner as in Example 3, except that the steam was introduced into the oven chamber intermittently rather than constantly during oven heating, so that the ratio of the steam introduction time to the heating time was 10%, 30%, 60%, and 80%, and the heated spaghetti was then served on a plate.
The introduction of water vapor was interrupted 10 times on average during heating.

Comparative Example 3
The dried spaghetti was heated by the cooking method of Comparative Example 3 in the same manner as in Example 3, except that steam was not introduced into the oven chamber, and the heated spaghetti was served on a plate.

The cooking operations for dry spaghetti according to Examples 6 to 9 and Comparative Example 3 were carried out by 10 trained evaluators, who were then asked to give evaluation points based on the above-mentioned evaluation criteria S1. Note that the evaluation of the cooking operations was carried out without taking into consideration the effort required for introducing steam.
In addition, the spaghetti cooked in Examples 6 to 9 and Comparative Example 3 was eaten by 10 trained evaluators, who gave it a score based on the above-mentioned evaluation criterion S2.

The average results of the cooking operation evaluation by the 10 evaluators and the average results of the texture evaluation by the 10 evaluators are shown in Table 2.
Table 2 shows the results of the cooking operation evaluation and the texture evaluation of Example 3.

In Examples 6 to 9, in which the ratio of steam introduction time to heating time was 10%, 30%, 60%, and 80%, the evaluation results for the cooking operation all exceeded 3 points, indicating that the cooking operation was good or almost good and did not require the need for draining the water.
In contrast, in Comparative Example 3, in which no steam was introduced into the oven chamber, the cooking operation evaluation result was 2.0, and the spaghetti was stuck together and required careful loosening. This is presumably because no steam was introduced into the oven chamber, and therefore it was not possible to create a saturated or near-saturated state of steam inside the oven chamber.

Furthermore, in Examples 6 to 9, the evaluation results for texture were all in the 3-point or 4-point range, indicating that the texture was good or almost good.
In contrast, in Comparative Example 3, the evaluation result of the texture was 1.8, which was an extremely poor texture.

[Examples 10 to 14]
The dried spaghetti was heated by the cooking methods of Examples 10 to 14 in the same manner as in Example 3, except that 5 parts by mass, 10 parts by mass, 20 parts by mass, 30 parts by mass, or 40 parts by mass of cottonseed oil per 100 parts by mass of dried spaghetti was applied to the surface of the dried spaghetti with a brush 30 minutes before placing the dried spaghetti in the oven, and the heated spaghetti was served on a plate.

The cooking operations for the dried spaghetti according to Examples 10 to 14 were carried out by 10 trained evaluators, who gave evaluation scores based on the above-mentioned evaluation criterion S1.
In addition, the spaghetti cooked in Examples 10 to 14 was eaten by 10 trained evaluators, who gave it a score based on the above-mentioned evaluation criterion S2.

The average results of the cooking operation evaluation by the 10 evaluators and the average results of the texture evaluation by the 10 evaluators are shown in Table 3.
Table 3 shows the results of the cooking operation evaluation and the texture evaluation of Example 3.

In Examples 10 to 14, the evaluation results of the cooking operation all exceeded 4.0 in Example 3, and it was found that the cooking operation was excellent without the need for draining the hot water.
Furthermore, in Examples 10 to 14, the evaluation results for texture were all higher than 4.3 in Example 3, indicating that the texture was good.

[Examples 15 to 19]
The surface of the dried spaghetti was coated with 5 parts by mass, 10 parts by mass, 20 parts by mass, 30 parts by mass, or 40 parts by mass of melted butter per 100 parts by mass of dried spaghetti, and 24 hours after coating, the butter had cooled and solidified, and the dried spaghetti was placed in a stainless steel tray. In the same manner as in Example 3, except for this, the dried spaghetti was heated by the cooking methods of Examples 15 to 19, and the heated spaghetti was served on a plate.

The cooking operations for the dried spaghetti according to Examples 15 to 19 were carried out by 10 trained evaluators, who gave evaluation scores based on the above-mentioned evaluation criterion S1.
In addition, the spaghetti cooked in Examples 15 to 19 was eaten by 10 trained evaluators, who gave it a score based on the above-mentioned evaluation criterion S2.

The average results of the cooking operation evaluation by the 10 evaluators and the average results of the texture evaluation by the 10 evaluators are shown in Table 4.
Table 4 shows the results of the cooking operation evaluation and the texture evaluation of Example 3.

In Examples 15 to 19, the evaluation results of the cooking operation all exceeded 4.0 in Example 3, indicating that the cooking operation was excellent and did not require the draining operation.
Furthermore, in Examples 15 to 19, the evaluation results for texture were all higher than 4.3 in Example 3, indicating that the texture was good.

[Examples 20 to 24]
As shown in Fig. 2, grooved dried spaghetti was produced, in which three grooves G were formed continuously along the noodle string direction L, and had a circular cross section with a diameter of 1.6 mm. Except for using dried spaghetti in which, in a cross section in a direction perpendicular to the noodle string direction L, the ratios A1/A0 of the cross-sectional area A1 of the three grooves G to the cross-sectional area A0 of the circular main outer shape C of the noodle string when it is assumed that there are no grooves G, as shown in Fig. 3, were 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.5, and 0.6, the dried spaghetti was heated by the cooking methods of Examples 20 to 24 in the same manner as in Example 3, and the heated spaghetti was served on a plate.

The cooking operations for the dried spaghetti according to Examples 20 to 24 were carried out by 10 trained evaluators, who gave evaluation scores based on the above-mentioned evaluation criterion S1.
In addition, the spaghetti cooked in Examples 20 to 24 was eaten by 10 trained evaluators, who were then asked to rate the spaghetti according to the above-mentioned evaluation criterion S2.

The average results of the cooking operation evaluation by the 10 evaluators and the average results of the texture evaluation by the 10 evaluators are shown in Table 5.
Table 5 shows the results of the cooking operation evaluation and the texture evaluation of Example 3.

In Examples 20 to 24, the oven heating time was 6 to 9 minutes, shorter than the 10 minutes in Example 3, yet the cooking operation evaluation results were all 4.0, and the texture evaluation results were all around 4 points, indicating good cooking operation and good texture.

Example 25
100 g of commercially available dried udon (parallelogram cross section, 13 minutes boiling time; Nisshin Foods) was spread out on the bottom of a stainless steel tray (bottom 30 cm x 30 cm, depth 6 cm). 100 parts by mass of fresh water was gently poured into the tray for 100 parts by mass of dried udon, and the tray was placed in a preheated oven (Panasonic) and heated at an oven temperature of 200 ° C for 16 minutes. During oven heating, steam at about 100 ° C at normal pressure generated by a steamer was constantly introduced into the oven through a silicone tube. The heated udon was served on a plate.

[Examples 26 to 29]
The dried udon noodles were each heated by the cooking methods of Examples 22 to 29 in the same manner as in Example 25, except that the amount of fresh water poured into the tray was 120 parts by mass, 150 parts by mass, 160 parts by mass, or 190 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of dried udon noodles, and the heated udon noodles were then served on a plate.

[Comparative Examples 4 and 5]
Except for changing the amount of fresh water poured into the tray to 90 parts by mass and 200 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of dried udon, the dried udon were heated using the cooking methods of Comparative Examples 4 and 5 in the same manner as in Example 25, and the heated udon were then served on a plate.

[Reference Example 2]
The same commercially available dried udon noodles as in Example 25 were boiled for a specified time in the usual manner, and then the water was drained and the udon noodles were served on a plate.

[Cooking operation evaluation]
The cooking operations of the dried udon noodles according to Examples 25 to 29, Comparative Examples 4 and 5, and Reference Example 2 were carried out by 10 trained evaluators, who were then asked to rate the results according to the following evaluation criteria S3.

<Cooking operation evaluation criterion S3>
5 points: No need to drain the water after cooking; cooked just right and ready to eat with just the right amount of sauce. Very good.
4 points: There is a small amount of water remaining, or there is not enough water so the noodles tend to stick together, but there is no need to drain the water, so this is good.
3 points: There is a little water remaining or the noodles are slightly stuck together and need to be loosened easily, but there is no need to drain the water and they are in almost good condition.
2 points: Either there is water remaining and the water needs to be drained, or the noodles are stuck together and need to be thoroughly loosened, so this is poor quality.
1 point: Very poor quality; either a lot of water remains and careful draining is required, or the noodles are stuck together in some places and cannot be separated.

[Texture evaluation]
The udon noodles prepared according to Examples 25 to 29, Comparative Examples 4 and 5, and Reference Example 2 were eaten by 10 trained evaluators, who then gave them scores based on the following evaluation criteria S4.

<Texture evaluation standard S4>
5 points: Very good, with firmness and elasticity, similar to well-boiled udon.
4 points: Good, with the same firmness and elasticity as regular boiled udon.
3 points: Slightly harder or slightly softer than normal boiled udon, but still quite good.
2 points: Too hard or too soft compared to normal boiled udon, defective.
1 point: Compared to normal boiled udon, it is very hard or very soft, and is very poor quality.

The average results of the cooking operation evaluation by 10 evaluators and the average results of the texture evaluation by 10 evaluators are shown in Table 6.

In Examples 25 to 29, in which the amount of fresh water poured into the tray was within the range of 100 to 190 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of dried udon, the evaluation results for the cooking operation were all in the 3 or 4 range, indicating that the cooking operation was good or almost good and did not require the need for draining the water.
In contrast, in Comparative Example 4, in which the amount of fresh water was 90 parts by mass, the evaluation result of the cooking operation was 2.2, meaning that the noodles were stuck together and required careful loosening, and in Comparative Example 5, in which the amount of fresh water was 200 parts by mass, the evaluation result of the cooking operation was 2.3, meaning that water remained after cooking and required draining.
In Reference Example 2, the cooking procedure required adjustment of the heat and adding water during boiling, which was a very poor cooking procedure.

Furthermore, in Examples 25 to 29, the evaluation results for texture were all in the range of 3 to 4 points, indicating that the texture was good or almost good.
In contrast, in Comparative Examples 4 and 5, the evaluation results for texture were both 2.6, which meant that the texture was either too hard or too soft, and was poor.

G groove, L noodle direction, C main outline.

Claims (5)

The dried noodles are placed in a heat-resistant container having an opening,
contacting 100 parts by mass of the dried noodles with 100 to 190 parts by mass of water;
The dried noodles contained in the heat-resistant container are heated in an oven into which steam is introduced from the outside.
How to cook dried noodles. The method for cooking dried noodles according to claim 1, wherein oils and fats are applied to the surface of the dried noodles before the dried noodles are brought into contact with the water. 3. The method for cooking dried noodles according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the dried noodles have one or more grooves formed along the major axis of the noodle string , and the cross section of the noodle string has a major outer shape that is circular or elliptical. The method for cooking dried noodles according to claim 3, wherein the ratio A1/A0 of the area A1 of the one or more grooves to the area A0 of the main outer shape in the cross section when the one or more grooves are not present is 0.1 to 0.5. The dried noodles are pastas,
The method for cooking dried noodles according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the amount of water is 100 to 150 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the pasta.