field guide to ramen
June 5, 2008 9:58 AM Subscribe
Please share your favorite ramen-like instant noodle product and it's distinctive qualities.
There have been some related questions already posted, but I'd like to make a definitive list.
I am extra interested in lower salt, no MSG, non-palm oil attributes.
There have been some related questions already posted, but I'd like to make a definitive list.
I am extra interested in lower salt, no MSG, non-palm oil attributes.
Maggi. Great Indian flavors, most nicely spicy and most vegetarian; no palm oil or MSG. As cheap as Ramen (assuming it's available where you are).
posted by allterrainbrain at 10:16 AM on June 5, 2008
posted by allterrainbrain at 10:16 AM on June 5, 2008
Response by poster: Forget I said "ramen-like" , please include any/ all instant noodle products that you favor.
hindsight...
posted by mistsandrain at 10:18 AM on June 5, 2008
hindsight...
posted by mistsandrain at 10:18 AM on June 5, 2008
Also, here's a similar question I asked a while back that you might not have seen: What are some good, quick, boxed international lunches?
posted by nitsuj at 10:23 AM on June 5, 2008
posted by nitsuj at 10:23 AM on June 5, 2008
Anything that's manufactured in Vietnam or Thailand, and which has more than one flavor packet. If the flavor packet is fluid, not powder, so much the better (sometimes you can feel through the outer package).
Seriously. I pretty much just rifle through the pile looking for Vietnamese or Thai script.
The best one so far had six (6!) little packets of flavor fluid (spice, chili oil, soy, some consomme-looking stuff, a clearish packet with brown bits in it, and a red fluid marked "HOT"). Plus nice thick clear rice noodles. That's just plain awesomeness for $0.36.
Check the packaging for a company address in Vietnam or Thailand, and if the nutritional info is entirely lacking or stuck on as a bad sticker, you're headed in the right direction.
posted by aramaic at 10:40 AM on June 5, 2008
Seriously. I pretty much just rifle through the pile looking for Vietnamese or Thai script.
The best one so far had six (6!) little packets of flavor fluid (spice, chili oil, soy, some consomme-looking stuff, a clearish packet with brown bits in it, and a red fluid marked "HOT"). Plus nice thick clear rice noodles. That's just plain awesomeness for $0.36.
Check the packaging for a company address in Vietnam or Thailand, and if the nutritional info is entirely lacking or stuck on as a bad sticker, you're headed in the right direction.
posted by aramaic at 10:40 AM on June 5, 2008
My favorites are the Nong Shim (korean) brand Neoguri Udon Hot Taste noodles and Neoguri Udon Seafood & Spicy noodles. Lots of flavor, and the dehydrated veggies and (in the latter) squid expand into nice chewy bits. I like the brick form best but the cup noodles are pretty good too. Look for the deep red packages. Review link (looks like that whole site could be useful to you!)
posted by moonmilk at 10:49 AM on June 5, 2008
posted by moonmilk at 10:49 AM on June 5, 2008
I usually get the big packs of ramen-like noodles labelled LONGLIFE INSTANT EGG NOODLES, which are like six servings for a dollar, and while they're cooking, put in crumpled up seaweed and yuba, and eat with soy sauce and sesame oil.
posted by ITheCosmos at 11:00 AM on June 5, 2008
posted by ITheCosmos at 11:00 AM on June 5, 2008
Note that you can also - well, at least here in Australia, and I presume anywhere else with even a slight East Asian population - get non-"instant" dry block noodles which nonetheless cook so quickly that there's really very little speed difference. Five minutes in boiling water and they're done. They're often described as "long life" noodles, because as long as the packet stays sealed they're really not going anywhere. Ever.
Here, they come in 3.5-inch-square cakes, four to a packet. One cake is enough noodles for a solid side dish, two is a large helping by the standards of any country where the mumu is not an acceptable male garment.
All they are is dried wheat noodles, slightly less than 2mm square. You don't get "flavour sachets" or anything with them, but you ALSO don't get a bunch of oil or fat or MSG. They're just plain dried pasta - so you can't eat them dry from the packet, unless you're literally starving. They're no better or worse, by themselves, than spaghetti.
Here in Australia they're not incredibly cheap, but ultra-cheap noodles-for-students are one of those products, like plastic-jug vodka, that just don't seem to exist here. "Classy" supermarkets sell them for about $AU1.30 ($US1.24 at the moment) per four-cake packet; maybe a buck a packet from cheaper places.
There are plenty of simple lo-cal sauces you can add to make these noodles highly edible. Just a glug of soy sauce will do in a pinch. My own emergency food solution involving them is noodles plus soy sauce plus some canned tuna; if I'm being honest the flavours don't quite work together, but it's fast and nutritious - and surprisingly healthy.
posted by dansdata at 12:18 PM on June 5, 2008 [2 favorites]
Here, they come in 3.5-inch-square cakes, four to a packet. One cake is enough noodles for a solid side dish, two is a large helping by the standards of any country where the mumu is not an acceptable male garment.
All they are is dried wheat noodles, slightly less than 2mm square. You don't get "flavour sachets" or anything with them, but you ALSO don't get a bunch of oil or fat or MSG. They're just plain dried pasta - so you can't eat them dry from the packet, unless you're literally starving. They're no better or worse, by themselves, than spaghetti.
Here in Australia they're not incredibly cheap, but ultra-cheap noodles-for-students are one of those products, like plastic-jug vodka, that just don't seem to exist here. "Classy" supermarkets sell them for about $AU1.30 ($US1.24 at the moment) per four-cake packet; maybe a buck a packet from cheaper places.
There are plenty of simple lo-cal sauces you can add to make these noodles highly edible. Just a glug of soy sauce will do in a pinch. My own emergency food solution involving them is noodles plus soy sauce plus some canned tuna; if I'm being honest the flavours don't quite work together, but it's fast and nutritious - and surprisingly healthy.
posted by dansdata at 12:18 PM on June 5, 2008 [2 favorites]
i like throwing an egg or two in the boiling water as i'm cooking the noodles for standard ramen.
but for convenience + flavor, maruchan's hot spicy beef flavor is the tits.
posted by ncc1701d at 1:00 PM on June 5, 2008
but for convenience + flavor, maruchan's hot spicy beef flavor is the tits.
posted by ncc1701d at 1:00 PM on June 5, 2008
Might I recommend fresh ramen? You can find it in your local Asian grocer's refrigerated section, if they don't totally suck. Of course, then you have to do it up all legit-like, like they show on the bag...
Still, though, I haven't eaten instant ramen since I got back from living in Japan. Fresh ramen is like $4-5 for a three-pack, and while it's not DIRT-cheap, it's still not expensive for what you get.
posted by DoctorFedora at 2:53 PM on June 5, 2008
Still, though, I haven't eaten instant ramen since I got back from living in Japan. Fresh ramen is like $4-5 for a three-pack, and while it's not DIRT-cheap, it's still not expensive for what you get.
posted by DoctorFedora at 2:53 PM on June 5, 2008
Maggi...no palm oil
I like Maggi - I've got a 5-pack in my office drawer right beside me. Asam Laksa flavor is the best - hot and tangy. But I have to say, it does indeed contain palm oil, at least in the formulation they sell in Malaysia. I would imagine all instant-style less-than-a-dollar ramens contain it.
posted by BinGregory at 8:41 PM on June 5, 2008
I like Maggi - I've got a 5-pack in my office drawer right beside me. Asam Laksa flavor is the best - hot and tangy. But I have to say, it does indeed contain palm oil, at least in the formulation they sell in Malaysia. I would imagine all instant-style less-than-a-dollar ramens contain it.
posted by BinGregory at 8:41 PM on June 5, 2008
Ramen rules!
I also recommend Nong Shim. Of all the ramen freeze-dried-preserved-bricks I have known, theirs taste the most like food. I like the Shin Ramyun - don't use the whole spice packet, your mouth will taste like fire. According to wikipedia, it's also the #1 selling ramen noodle?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin_ramyun
My second favorite is a facsimile of chajangmyun, a korean black bean sauce over noodles, chapagetti. My whitey girlfriend and her family were dubious looking at the package and hearing the name, but they now believe.
http://ramenlovers.blogspot.com/2006/08/nong-shim-chapagetti.html
posted by wuzandfuzz at 9:16 PM on June 5, 2008
I also recommend Nong Shim. Of all the ramen freeze-dried-preserved-bricks I have known, theirs taste the most like food. I like the Shin Ramyun - don't use the whole spice packet, your mouth will taste like fire. According to wikipedia, it's also the #1 selling ramen noodle?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin_ramyun
My second favorite is a facsimile of chajangmyun, a korean black bean sauce over noodles, chapagetti. My whitey girlfriend and her family were dubious looking at the package and hearing the name, but they now believe.
http://ramenlovers.blogspot.com/2006/08/nong-shim-chapagetti.html
posted by wuzandfuzz at 9:16 PM on June 5, 2008
mmm Shin Ramyun.
I generally rinse the noodles to get rid of the extra grease before I add the spices and such.
Boil water in a kettle.
Boil water in pot, add noodles. cook for 1/2 to 2/3 of recommended time.
drain and rinse noodles so that there's no more oil.
Put back in pot, add boiling water and flavour.
Cook till noodles are done.
Eat!
posted by captaincrouton at 9:48 AM on June 6, 2008
I generally rinse the noodles to get rid of the extra grease before I add the spices and such.
Boil water in a kettle.
Boil water in pot, add noodles. cook for 1/2 to 2/3 of recommended time.
drain and rinse noodles so that there's no more oil.
Put back in pot, add boiling water and flavour.
Cook till noodles are done.
Eat!
posted by captaincrouton at 9:48 AM on June 6, 2008
Response by poster: So, here's something I do with ramen that everyone (but me, and the guy from high school who shared with me the technique) thinks is wrong... please try this at home:
ramen product boiled in minimal water
1/2 to 3/4 flavor pack added and mixed in
pour off all remaining liquid
add 1 can tuna
add 1 dollop of mayonnaise or nayonnaise
add v. large amount of thyme spice in powder form
black pepper to your liking
mix mix mix!
result is army green and surprisingly good.
posted by mistsandrain at 12:04 PM on June 6, 2008 [1 favorite]
ramen product boiled in minimal water
1/2 to 3/4 flavor pack added and mixed in
pour off all remaining liquid
add 1 can tuna
add 1 dollop of mayonnaise or nayonnaise
add v. large amount of thyme spice in powder form
black pepper to your liking
mix mix mix!
result is army green and surprisingly good.
posted by mistsandrain at 12:04 PM on June 6, 2008 [1 favorite]
Thirding Nong Shim. Specially the spicy flavor. With an egg.
There's also a Filipino brand (I've forgotten exactly what it was called) that tastes kinda tangy. Oh, and it says "With Added Vitamin C!!!" or somesuch on the packet.
posted by pantsrobot at 5:14 PM on June 6, 2008
There's also a Filipino brand (I've forgotten exactly what it was called) that tastes kinda tangy. Oh, and it says "With Added Vitamin C!!!" or somesuch on the packet.
posted by pantsrobot at 5:14 PM on June 6, 2008
When Nong Shim started being more conscientious about ingredient labeling and thus revealed that Shin Ramyun had beef in it, I switched over to Paldo brand Hwa Ramyun. Similarly tasty stuff.
posted by jtron at 9:18 PM on June 6, 2008
posted by jtron at 9:18 PM on June 6, 2008
IndoMie Mi Goreng. Comes with seasoning powder, plus a triple sachet containing kecap manis, chilli sauce and onion oil, plus another sachet of crunchy fried onions. You mix all the seasonings and sauces together in your bowl while you simmer the noodles, then toss the drained noodles through the resulting paste, coating each strand with sweet, salty, spicy goodness, then sprinkle the onions over the top.
Damn, I'm gonna go have me some midnight Mi Goreng right now.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 6:10 AM on June 7, 2008
Damn, I'm gonna go have me some midnight Mi Goreng right now.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 6:10 AM on June 7, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
It's a delicious pad thai-like collection of rice noodles in a creamy, coconutty, peanutty sauce. I add a few squirts of sriracha to spice it up a bit, and a few wedges of lime.
posted by nitsuj at 10:10 AM on June 5, 2008