neilmac Sep 11, 2013:

@Helen I'd say something similar about the difference between the different pasta types. Although 'tallarín' is 'tagliatelle' as you say, the distinction is an Italian one, and for this rather oriental-sounding menu, my chef friend and I agree that "noodles" is the most likely catchall term we'd use in this particular case.

neilmac Sep 11, 2013:

@GB OK, so "salteado" means "sauteed", but the usual collocation with noodles is "stir-fry". Sauteed noodles just sounds too odd to me and the couple of friends I asked about it. Sometimes with menus you have to be, let's say, "economical with the truth" and go for what sounds best rather than what is strictly "correct".

Charles Davis Sep 11, 2013:

As used in Chinese restaurants in Spain Tallarines and fideos are both like spaghetti, but fideos are thinner. In Italian restaurants, of course, tallarines are tagliatelle.

Gordon Byron Sep 11, 2013:

saltado=salteado which is "sauteed". Tallarines while precisely referring to Tagliatelle, can often be used as indicating generically "fideos" = noodles.
So, depending on context it can indicate a type of spaghetti or the generic reference.

Alex Lago Sep 11, 2013:

Difference between stir fry and sautee Saute is high heat, little fat. Sauteed food is typically allowed to brown, at least slightly before moving it in the pan. Sauteing cooks the food mostly with transferring heat from the pan, through a process called "contact conduction."

Stir fry is also high heat, but more fat. Because the food is cooking in oil, it can be moved around without altering the browining process (Maillard reaction, usually). So, typically there's more agitation to insure the food cooks evenly. Also, the ideal pan is different -- for stiry frying that is a wok. A wok allows the cook to move food through a depth of oil, without leaving it there for a few minutes. While contact conduction plays a role, the physics of stir frying is much more dependent on liquid immersion conduction.

http://www.cheftalk.com/t/44180/saute-vs-stir-fry

Having said this Spanish does not really have this difference and you saltear both in a sarten and a wok so I think the best option is stir fry (after looking at images of the dish)

Helena Chavarria Sep 11, 2013:

Two more links http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tallarines

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tagliatelle

Jane Martin Sep 11, 2013:

From pictures tallarin look much more like spaghetti than noodles. http://miricacocina.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/tallarin-saltado-...

Helena Chavarria Sep 11, 2013:

In Spain 'tallarín' is 'tagliatelle': ribbon-like spaghetti; noodles are fideos.

http://en.pastazara.com/special-shapes/sauteed-tagliatelle-w...

BDT (asker) Sep 11, 2013:

quickly stir-fried noodles?