In praise of instant noodles

[IanSmithCSE]

Good morning,

As mentioned elsewhere it is important to microwave the Pot Noodle using cold water rather than adding boiling water, doing this alllows the excess water to be boiled off opening the way for an additional flavouring.

Chicken and Mushroom is by far the most versatile, if you know that you are going to have to watch Midsommer Murders for example. a single pot with 4 vodkas 10 minutes before the start and another half way through works well.

Actually that is a little unfair as mixed with Cointreau as in Duck A L'Orange or with Black Tower or Blue Nun it can bring back fond memories of the 1970s.

On the other hand if you have bought a bottle of Jack Daniels Single Barrel Select but are reluctant to use it as anti-freeze then it is not a bad addition to Chow Mein and Soy Sauce and if you are looking for a Low Alcohol Pot Noodle then Ginger Wine works well but does lack a punch.

Being sweet to start with the only choice for Curry Flavour is Malibu, the coconut flavouring add a nice contrast and the two sweet flavours seem to subtract from each other rather than add.

Which leaves Beef And Tomato, this is tricky as I can't work out what the base flavour is to contrast of complement, peaty whiskeys such as a Laphroaig or a Port Charlotte seem to be the best option, but a bad port would also work, after all who would want to waste a good one?.

Bye

Ian

 

[Bazzer]

Purely by accident, a couple of weeks ago Mrs B and I came across a shop in Manchester selling a wide range of Japanese, Korean and Chinese foods. It was astonishing the number of different types of noodles available. We still have a packet of black beans ramen noodles to try.
I also bought a dozen pots of Korean made hot chicken flavour ramen noodles from Costco. Very enjoyable and so hot they leave my lips tingling.

 

[mistyoptic]

Which leaves Beef And Tomato, this is tricky as I can't work out what the base flavour is to contrast of complement, peaty whiskeys such as a Laphroaig or a Port Charlotte seem to be the best option

if I might suggest a spiced rum might work, one with ginger notes

 

[Dogtrousers]

I just checked and the ones I have in my cupboard are Koka brand. Unlike Pot Noodles, which are a bit of an inferior imitation, these require some culinary skill to prepare. You have to empty the packet into boiling water and cook for a whole 2 minutes. Proper haute cuisine.

I was surprised to see that a couple of them are lobster flavour. If the lobsters in question taste generally of MSG that's probably about right. Some of the Koka ones come with sachets of chilli oil (well, it's probably industrial capsaicin dissolved in 3-in-1) which is pretty fiery.

I know what I'll be having for lunch today. (But not a whole 10 pack. That would be greedy)

Ready in just minutes, Koka Lobster Flavour Noodles are ideal for busy individuals seeking a gourmet touch without the hassle. <- That's me.

 

[BrumJim]

Went to China. Lots of people eating pot noodles, although strangely not the Western brands, including families with a whole stack of them, one for each member. So much so, that the long distance (particularly sleeper) trains had a boiling water dispenser at the end of the carriage where people could add this to their noodles.

Worth visiting your local Chinese or other oriental supermarket and seeing the wide variety of pot noodle options that are way better than the Western equivalents.

 

[a.twiddler]

No surprise that instant noodles are very popular over here. We keep a few packets in the cupboard as emergency food.

In the early eighties Vesta ready meals were all the rage. Can remember myself and then girlfriend making a Vesta paella type thing, and thinking how sophisticated and continental we must be

Vesta Ready Meals...such a blast from the past! Used to like the Beef Rissotto and Beef Curry (which had probably never seen a cow). They got harder to find before they finally disappeared. Strangely, the Chow Mein is still around.

As for instant noodles, we used to make regular trips to Chinatown in Manchester at one time and buy bulk boxes of several flavours while doing oriental shopping. Nowadays you can get them in your local supermarket.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Went to China. Lots of people eating pot noodles, although strangely not the Western brands, including families with a whole stack of them, one for each member. So much so, that the long distance (particularly sleeper) trains had a boiling water dispenser at the end of the carriage where people could add this to their noodles.

Worth visiting your local Chinese or other oriental supermarket and seeing the wide variety of pot noodle options that are way better than the Western equivalents.

Yes, that's what I normally do.

I go to a Chinese store and just grab an armful of instant noodles at random to fill up the cupboard. Although my Koka ones above I didn't obtain that way. I got from my local Budgens.

Pot Noodles are a bit rubbish tbh. But if you have an urge for instant noodles and that's all that's available they will do.

 

[BrumJim]

Vesta Ready Meals...such a blast from the past! Used to like the Beef Rissotto and Beef Curry (which had probably never seen a cow). They got harder to find before they finally disappeared. Strangely, the Chow Mein is still around.

As for instant noodles, we used to make regular trips to Chinatown in Manchester at one time and buy bulk boxes of several flavours while doing oriental shopping. Nowadays you can get them in your local supermarket.

I used Vesta meals as an indication of genuine nostalgia vs rose-tinted myopia. Anyone who thinks that culinary expectations, food and flavours haven't moved on substantially since those days clearly doesn't have a valid opinion on this subject, and is likely to be similarly biased towards the past on other issues.

(sorry - strong views there)

 

[MontyVeda]

Pot Noodle is crap.
Bachelor's 'super' noodles are crap.
Tom Yum flavour noodles are where it's at.
They are the cure for blocked sinuses.

 

[Dadam]

I used Vesta meals as an indication of genuine nostalgia vs rose-tinted myopia. Anyone who thinks that culinary expectations, food and flavours haven't moved on substantially since those days clearly doesn't have a valid opinion on this subject, and is likely to be similarly biased towards the past on other issues.

(sorry - strong views there)

Agree. Vesta meals. Smash. Grey veg boiled to mush. Orange curries with dried fruit in them.
I have fond memories of Angel Delight but can I imagine being deeply disappointed if I tried it now, so I'm not going to seek it out.

Everyone called me a fussy eater as a kid but actually it was the food in the 70s, not me!

 

[Dadam]

I think it's Aldi, but it may be another supermarket, who do am own brand of instant noodles in a pot. Obviously they can't call them Pot Noodle, as that's taken. So they came up with the witty name of ... "Noodle Pot"

They missed a trick. Could have done a load of Korean and Chinese meat flavours and called them Not Poodle!

 

[Donger]

In my university days four of us shared a house, and we took it in turns to do the "cooking". My mate Nick from Warrington was completely useless and always provided Pot Noodles. Watching him prepare them was hilarious. He was a study in concentration as he measured out the hot water precisely and stirred it for an exact number of seconds before proudly producing his signature dish for our approval and assuming he had achieved culinary genius..

 

[Accy cyclist]

I occasionally buy those 'fresh' Singapore noodles and egg noodles from Tesco, when in the yellow sticker fridge. Oh! and they also have very fine rice noodles which are just rice turned into noodles, so not really noodles, just white rice.

 

[MontyVeda]

I occasionally buy those 'fresh' Singapore noodles and egg noodles from Tesco, when in the yellow sticker fridge. Oh! and they also have very fine rice noodles which are just rice turned into noodles, so not really noodles, just white rice.

the other noodles are just wheat turned into noodles... so not really noodles

 

[Ian H]

[From Private Eye]