Yellow noodles substitutes

The same category of noodle from a different country, made with the same alkaline salts.

Best for

mee goreng, Hokkien mee, mie ayam, wonton noodle soup, char mee

The closest match you can buy, because the alkalinity that gives mee kuning its yellow colour and bouncy snap is exactly what makes ramen noodles what they are. Most ramen noodles are thinner than Malaysian yellow noodles, so shorten the blanch to about twenty seconds and pull them a shade underdone, since they finish cooking in the wok. Buy plain fresh or frozen noodles rather than a soup kit.

Thick Japanese wheat noodles, chewy and satisfying but a much bigger noodle.

Best for

mee goreng, Hokkien mee, stir-fried noodles with plenty of sauce

Udon has real chew, so the dish is enjoyable, but it is white rather than yellow, thicker, and slippery-soft rather than springy, and its smooth surface holds less sauce, so a mee goreng made with udon tastes doughier and less seasoned. It also breaks less in a hard stir-fry, which is a genuine advantage if you are nervous with a wok. Rinse frozen udon in hot water and add it straight to the pan.

The coiled wonton-style Chinese egg noodles found in any Asian aisle.

Best for

Hokkien mee, noodle soups, mee goreng, pantry cooking

Convenient and reliably available, and the colour is right. These genuinely contain egg, so they taste a little richer and eggier than mee kuning, and they are less springy and soften faster once sauce hits them. Boil them one minute short of the package time and rinse in cold water, then drain well, or they will turn soft and start breaking up in the wok.

An old trick that turns ordinary pasta into a passable alkaline noodle.

Best for

mee goreng, Hokkien mee, when the only shop open is a supermarket

Worth knowing, because it works. The alkaline water changes the pasta's surface and protein, and it comes out yellower, slipperier and distinctly springier than plain-boiled spaghetti, closer to mee kuning than you would expect. Use a big pot because the water foams up, cook to just under al dente, rinse well, and toss with a little oil. It is still pasta at heart, so the bite is firmer and the flavour cleaner.

Pre-steamed Japanese alkaline wheat noodles, sold in vacuum packs in the chilled aisle.

Best for

mee goreng, stir-fried noodles, fast weeknight cooking

Essentially the same family of noodle, so the springiness and colour are right, and since they are already cooked they go straight into the wok with a splash of water to loosen them. Two cautions: they are usually thinner than mee kuning, and many packs come with a sachet of Japanese sauce, which you should discard rather than use, or the dish will taste of Worcestershire rather than soy and chilli.

The gluten-free option, and an honest one about what you give up.

Best for

gluten-free cooking, char kuey teow, soups

Rice noodles have no gluten and therefore none of the bounce, so they are soft and tender and they tear and clump in a hot wok where a yellow noodle would spring back. What you make is char kuey teow rather than Hokkien mee, which is a great dish in its own right. Handle them as little as possible in the pan, toss with tongs, and expect a softer, more delicate plate.