#016 CHIKARA Hot & Spicy Udon
Sister, this is my first blog about udon so I dedicate this to you. Unfortunately, Chikara hot & spicy brand noodles were not great. Anthony complained that there wasn’t enough msg which I sort of agree with. Also, to my disappointment, the soup was not hot & spicy as the package claims. I rate udon by how soft and chewy the noodles are and despite the fact that I cooked the noodles for about 15 minutes, they still didn’t turn out as soft and chewy as I prefer. Even though I doctored these noodles up it was still OK….edible…but nothing to write home about. The truth is that I have yet to find really good instant udon except for this one time when I bought a package at a random asian grocery store, the problem is that I can’t remember the name of the brand OR the store I bought it from. Oh well, my quest continues for the best instant udon noodles.
The toppings I added were onion, cooked cabbage, chilis, daikon and a raw egg. I don’t usually add raw eggs to instant noodles but since the noodles were cooking for so long, the soup was hot enough to cook the egg.
*Product of Japan
Rice Noodles, udon noodles | Comment (0)#015 SANYO Nameko Soba
Another donation from Fanny to the noodle cause. I’m not positive what flavor these noodles are because all the words on the package are in Japanese except for the nutrition label, but I would bet money that it’s mushroom flavor. This was the first time I’ve ever tried instant soba noodles. For some reason, I woke up at the crack of dawn on Saturday and the first thing that I had on my mind was eating a pack of instant noodle. I suppose I felt a little guilty starting out my day with something so un-nutritious so I figured soba is a little healthier which would make it okay. I peeled back the lid to find little pebbles of seasoning, dehydrated scallions, mushrooms & fish cake. The whole mixture kinda looked like dog food. I filled the cup with hot water and covered for about 10 minutes. When I uncovered the noodles, I was amazed to see that the noodles looked just like the picture! And the best part is that it tasted good! The noodles were hearty and the rehydrated veggies tasted very fresh. The flavor of the soup had the distinct earthy flavor of mushrooms. I have to keep a look out for more Sanyo brand noodles and for other instant soba products. This is a must try if you can find it.
*Product of Japan
HOME MADE Soto Ayam
After a shitty day at work, I was ecstatic to come home to one of my most favorite noodle dishes ever!! Anthony’s mother made Soto Ayam…mmmMMmm. It’s always such a special treat and is so delicious. Soto Ayam is an Indonesian chicken noodle soup that’s usually made with vermicelli rice noodles….but it’s so much better with bean thread (or cellophane) noodles. The reason why I love-love Soto Ayam so much is because it’s served with so many goodies. Soto Ayam is most often served with shredded chicken (but not tonight), hard boiled eggs (quail eggs are better!) slices of fried potatoes, fried shrimp chips and lots of veggies. The soup has an intense and savory flavor with a hint of sour because of the tomatoes, think of chicken soup on crack. Shredded cabbage and bean sprouts add texture and crunch. The fresh flavor of the basil and cilantro rounds out the dish. The fried potatoes and egg make this a hearty and substantial meal. A squeeze of fresh lemon is a must to add extra zing to the soup.
These are the bean thread noodles in it’s raw and cooked form. Oriental King seems to be the most popular brand in my neck of the woods. The wonderful thing about this noodle is that it absorbs the soup or sauce it’s in…at a rapid rate…so you have to eat fast! which shouldn’t be a problem…for me anyway. I also really enjoy the slippery, smooth texture, the chewiness, and the airiness of the noodles. Bean thread noodles are very easy to make: soak the noodles in hot water and give them a quick boil. The noodles are quite delicate, so be careful to not over cook or you’ll end up with a starchy pot of water.
Leave no noodle behind….I went from empty to full in 10 minutes.
#014 OTTOGI Jin Ramyon Mild Taste
I seem to be consuming quite a few Korean brand instant noodles lately. I think it’s the chewy thick noodles I’ve been craving. This was my first time trying Ottogi Jin Ramyon and was rather excited. However, this tasted much like other Korean instant noodles. The soup was the standard MSG packed-bonito flavor; nothing out of the ordinary. Again, the best part was the thick, chewy noodles. Korean noodles will hold up to extra cooking time if you’re like me and like the noodles a little softer. Also, the longer cook time allows the noodles to absorb the soup for a more intense flavor.
*Product of Korea