Tag Archives: gluten free

#3244: Yamachan Ramen Z Miso Flavor Ramen – United States

So when Yamachan contacted me about a gluten free ramen, I was interested. Really? How does that work? Well, only one way to find out! One thing is these are konyak noodles. I’ve had thick gauge konyak and really disliked it. I have to admit though seeing the gauge of these I’ve got hope. Let’s check it out!

Yamachan Ramen Z Miso Flavor Ramen – United States

Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). To prepare, rinse noodles. Add noodles and miso paste to 6oz of water and microwave 3 minutes. Finally, sir and enjoy!

One of two servings of noodles.

One of two wet sachets.

Miso soup base.

Finished (click to enlarge). Added soft egg, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, spring onion, black sesame seeds, and habanero togarashi. The noodles are indeed unique. The gauge definitely works for this style though; while they have a gummy kind of texture, it works with the broth. The miso broth is strong and tasty which I enjoyed. Couple that with a 136 calorie per reasonably sized serving size too. I was surprised how much I liked this. 3.75 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 767921033608.

Gluten Free Ramen Z Sapporo style Miso soup flavor (shirataki, ramen noodles, pasta, chowmein), 7 oz -3 pags (2 servings in each bag)

Watch me cook on Instant Noodle Recipe Time!

Gluten-Free Japanese Ramen?! | Unboxing Time

gluten free jpanese ramen japan yamachan ramen z

In all the years of reviewing I’ve done, I’ve never seen a gluten-free ramen. Sure, I’ve seen rice noodles which generally are gluten free, but this is entirely different. Let’s take a first look at Ramen Z.

Gluten-Free Japanese Ramen?! – United States

#2688: KOKA Silk Laksa Singapura Instant Rice Fettuccine

#2688: KOKA Silk Laksa Singapura Instant Rice Fettuccine - The Ramen Rater - Singapore

Yet another leftover from the KOKA Meet The Manufacturer series. I’ve still got a bunch more! Wow! So this one should be really great – I love KOKA’s Laksa Singapura every time I try a different version. They make it in quite a few – rice, wheat, fried, non-fried. Let’s crack into this bowl and see what’s within.

KOKA Silk Laksa Singapura Instant Rice Fettuccine – Singapore

#2688: KOKA Silk Laksa Singapura Instant Rice Fettuccine - The Ramen Rater - Singapore

Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Contains seafood. To prepare, add in sachets and 400ml boiling water. cover for 3 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!

#2688: KOKA Silk Laksa Singapura Instant Rice Fettuccine - The Ramen Rater - Singapore

Detail of the lid (click to enlarge).

#2688: KOKA Silk Laksa Singapura Instant Rice Fettuccine - The Ramen Rater - Singapore

The rice fettuccine block.

#2688: KOKA Silk Laksa Singapura Instant Rice Fettuccine - The Ramen Rater - Singapore

A dual sachet.

#2688: KOKA Silk Laksa Singapura Instant Rice Fettuccine - The Ramen Rater - Singapore

Powder seasoning base.

#2688: KOKA Silk Laksa Singapura Instant Rice Fettuccine - The Ramen Rater - Singapore

A seasoned oil.

#2688: KOKA Silk Laksa Singapura Instant Rice Fettuccine - The Ramen Rater - Singapore

A dry sachet.

#2688: KOKA Silk Laksa Singapura Instant Rice Fettuccine - The Ramen Rater - Singapore

Coconut powder.

#2688: KOKA Silk Laksa Singapura Instant Rice Fettuccine - The Ramen Rater - Singapore

A garnish sachet.

#2688: KOKA Silk Laksa Singapura Instant Rice Fettuccine - The Ramen Rater - Singapore

Looks like shrimp and vegetables.

Finished (click to enlarge). Added a trifecta of Dodo fish balls. The rice fettuccine came out very nicely and has a wide and flat nature. The chew is there – not too much, not too little. The broth is a smack of a lot of things – the coconut powder and oil set the scene for the overall taste – one which has a spicy element, a slightly sweet element, and kind of rings to me of a chowder in some aspects. The included garnish featured little shrimp which were nice. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 8888056811144.

KOKA Laksa Singapura Rice Noodle (get it here)

Meet The Manufacturer: Interview With Blount Fine Foods

Interview With Blount Fine Foods * Product Samples From Blount Fine Foods (1 of 2) * Product Samples From Blount Fine Foods (2 of 2) * Blount Thai Inspired Coconut Chicken Noodle Bowl * Blount Chicken Ramen Bowl

I usually check my noodle news feeds every day on my phone. I use a news aggregator and have keywords like ‘ramen noodles’, ‘instant noodles’, ‘instant ramen’, etcetera. Well, I saw an article about an American company releasing a fresh noodle bowl soon and it sounded interesting to me. Well, I reached out and Blount Fine Foods agreed to participate in Meet The Manufacturer! Today we have an interview with Bob Sewall – EVP/Sales & Marketing to let us know more about the company.

Interview With Blount Fine Foods – United States

THE RAMEN RATER> Thank you for agreeing to this interview! To start, can you tell my readers about the history of Blount Fine Foods?

BLOUNT FINE FOODS> Blount Fine Foods is a family-owned and operated company that has been processing food since 1946. Our roots are in seafood, and especially clams. But for the last 20 years or so, Blount Fine Foods has become best-known as a leading manufacturer of premium, handcrafted soups, entrées, sauces and side dishes for retail and foodservice, and the market leader in fresh retail soups.

TRR> What was the first product you made?

BLOUNT FINE FOODS> Seventy years ago, we had one customer, which was Campbell’s. We sold them the clams they used to make clam chowder. But as the diverse maker of premium soups we are today, our first product was New England Clam Chowder. It is still one of our most popular products, which I would argue is because we make the best clam chowder in the world.

TRR> Can you tell us about the varieties of noodles you make?

BLOUNT FINE FOODS> Blount does not make the noodles, they are provided by a food partner.

TRR> Where does the name ‘Blount’ come from?

BLOUNT FINE FOODS> It is a family name. Todd Blount is our president and CEO. Todd’s grandfather, Nelson Blount founded the company in 1946. His son Ted took over in the late-60s. Ted handed the reins to Todd in 2000.

TRR> I first read about your new ramen bowls online. The article mentioned some innovations – can you expand on this?

BLOUNT FINE FOODS> The magic of a good ramen bowl is the ability of the ingredients to be fresh, which includes maintaining their “texture profile,” so the noodles and vegetables aren’t soft or soggy. These bowls are unique in that they are kept fresh in the refrigerated section. There are some packaging innovations our R & D team developed that allow us to keep fresh noodles separate until they are ready to be added to the broth. We are also able to include a microwavable bowl as part of the packaging that helps make it truly heat-and-eat. The ramen bowls are part of our Asian-inspired line of Blount Bowls which also include rice bowls. The ramen noodle bowls will be in-store in October followed by the rice bowls in November.
We’re very excited to be introducing these bowls, each one is a complexity of flavors and spices which gives our Asian-inspired noodle and ramen bowls their authentic and delicious taste. Our flavors are:

* Chicken Ramen Noodle – a comforting bowl of ramen noodles, chicken raised without antibiotics, shiitake mushrooms and scallions in a flavorful chicken broth with soy sauce and rice koji.

* Coconut Chicken & Noodle – a zesty bowl of ramen noodles, chicken raised without antibiotics and bamboo shoots in a coconut curry broth with lemongrass and cilantro.

* Hibachi Chicken & Rice – sweet and roasted flavors of garlic, ginger, red onion, and red peppers, simmered with tomatoes, chicken raised without antibiotics and long grain brown rice. GLUTEN FREE

* Vegetable & Rice – a creamy coconut broth with lemongrass and cilantro, blended with long grain brown rice and packed with Asian vegetables including cabbage and bamboo shoots. GLUTEN FREE, VEGETARIAN/VEGAN

TRR> In what countries are your products available?

BLOUNT FINE FOODS> Blount products are only available here in the United States.

TRR> Are noodles the only products you make?

BLOUNT FINE FOODS> Bowls are not the only product; Blount makes delicious dips, sauces, soups, sides.

TRR> A lot of people are concerned with their sodium intake. How would you recommend people enjoy your product as part of a healthy meal?

BLOUNT FINE FOODS> To start with, as part of our commitment to offering premium products that are also wholesome, we work very hard to keep our sodium levels as low as possible in all our products. There are ways, like using spicy ingredients for example, to prepare foods that don’t taste like they require additional salt. We do this whenever possible. Another aspect of dietary balance is moderation, which is important for every consumer to practice.

TRR> Are you involved in in your local community or participate in charities?

BLOUNT FINE FOODS> Absolutely. As a company, Blount supports many causes in our community and across our industry. Personally, with the support of colleagues and friends, I was lucky enough to start an organization called Bob’s Big Give about 15 years ago as a way to inspire co-workers to give to those less fortunate around the holidays. Back then, if a colleague made a donation, I would match it personally and then work with churches and other community groups to make sure it found its way to those who needed it most. It’s grown so much over the years that we took the formal step to become a recognized 501(c)3 nonprofit a few years ago. Our mission has also expanded to be there for the community throughout the year. We give away hundreds of holiday meal kits beginning with Thanksgiving and carry it through the holidays. We also award heating fuel grants to needy families, especially those who have endured a tragedy of some kind. This month, to help get kids excited about going back to school, we filled 250 backpacks with school supplies to inner-city kids in our area can return to school with the supplies they need to be successful, and so that their families have one less thing to worry about at this time of year. It is a labor of love for me personally, and I have many colleagues at work who volunteer their time to help me keep everything running smoothly.

TRR> Are there any new products coming soon?

BLOUNT FINE FOODS> We are always introducing new products and flavors, but we keep them quiet until it’s time to launch them. You’ll have to stay tuned.

TRR> When you make noodles for yourself, what do you like to add to them to make them extra special?

BLOUNT FINE FOODS> A variety of options – green onions, cashews, red pepper flakes, that’s the best part – our bowls can be customized to everyone’s unique palate.

THE RAMEN RATER> Thank you for this opportunity for me and my readers to learn more about Blount Fine Foods!

Meet The Manufacturer: #2444: KOKA Silk Spicy Marinara Instant Rice Fettuccine

Meet The Manufacturer: #2444: KOKA Silk Spicy Marinara Instant Rice Fettuccine - Singapore - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles - tat hui

Today it’s a rice noodle variety with an Italian twist: spicy marinara. So, what is marinara? Wikipedia, if you please –

Marinara (English: “mariner’s”) sauce is an Italian sauce that originated in Naples, usually made with tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and onions.^[1]^[2] Its many variations can include the addition of capers, olives, spices, and a dash of wine.^[3]^[4]

This sauce is widely used in Italian-American cuisine, which has greatly diverged from its Old World origins.

Italians refer to marinara sauce only in association with other recipes. For instance, spaghetti alla marinara literally translates to “spaghetti mariner’s style” (from the adjective marinara with the feminine suffix -a pertaining to salsa, Italian for “sauce”, and also to maniera, Italian for “style”), but tomato sauce alone in Italy is called sugo/salsa al/di pomodoro or pummarola (the latter being Neapolitan language).

Several folk theories exist as to the origin of this sauce: One version states that cooks aboard Neapolitan ships returning from the Americas invented marinara sauce in the mid-16th century after Spaniards introduced the tomato (a central Mexican “New World” fruit) to Europe. Another theory states this was a sauce prepared by the wives of Neapolitan sailors upon their return from sea.^[5]

Historically, however, the first Italian cookbook to include tomato sauce,^[6]Lo Scalco alla Moderna (The Modern Steward), was written by Italian chef Antonio Latini and was published in two volumes in 1692 and 1694. Latini served as the Steward of the First Minister to the Spanish Viceroy of Naples.^[6]^[7]^[8] This early tomato sauce was more like a modern tomato salsa.

As you can see, there’s nothing about it being a part of Southeast Asian cuisine. However, iI have seen Italian flavor not only in this Singaporean variant but in Japanese, Vietnamese, Indonesian and Hong Kong brands. Let’s have a look at this seafood marinara.

KOKA Silk Spicy Marinara Instant Rice Fettuccine – Singapore

Meet The Manufacturer: #2444: KOKA Silk Spicy Marinara Instant Rice Fettuccine - Singapore - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles - tat hui

Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Cintains fish and shrimp. To prepare, Add sachets to bowl and add 400ml boiling water. Cover for 3 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!

Meet The Manufacturer: #2444: KOKA Silk Spicy Marinara Instant Rice Fettuccine - Singapore - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles - tat hui

Detail of the lid (click to enlarge).

Meet The Manufacturer: #2444: KOKA Silk Spicy Marinara Instant Rice Fettuccine - Singapore - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles - tat hui

A pouch of rice fettuccine.

Meet The Manufacturer: #2444: KOKA Silk Spicy Marinara Instant Rice Fettuccine - Singapore - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles - tat hui

A dual sachet.

Meet The Manufacturer: #2444: KOKA Silk Spicy Marinara Instant Rice Fettuccine - Singapore - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles - tat hui

The seasoning powder.

Meet The Manufacturer: #2444: KOKA Silk Spicy Marinara Instant Rice Fettuccine - Singapore - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles - tat hui

Seasoning oil.

Meet The Manufacturer: #2444: KOKA Silk Spicy Marinara Instant Rice Fettuccine - Singapore - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles - tat hui

The garnish sachet.

Meet The Manufacturer: #2444: KOKA Silk Spicy Marinara Instant Rice Fettuccine - Singapore - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles - tat hui

Shrimp, chilli flake and coriander.

Finished (click to enlarge). Added Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, sweet onion, coriander and 31-44ct shrimp. The rice fettuccine came out remarkably well. Indeed it is perfectly hydrated. I make a couple cross-cuts with a pair of kitchen scissors to make them easier to work with a fork. The broth is very tasty with a fresh taste of tomato and a bit of spiciness. Moreover, the broth definitely has a seafood feel to it – almost has a slight lemony hint to it. The vegetables hydrated very well and were complimentary. Also,m the shrimp that are included taste good and are of a decent quantity. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 8888056811229.

Koka Laksa Singapura (Rice Noodles, Bowl), 70-Grams (Pack of 12)

A KOKA Spicy Marinara TV advertisement.

Meet The Manufacturer: #2177: MAMA Instant Rice Noodles Vegetable Flavour

Here’s another from the line that looks to be for export to northern Europe. Vegetables! Let’s give it a try!

Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, put everything in a bowl and add 350ml boiling water. Cover for 3 minutes. Stir and enjoy!

The noodle block.

The dry soup base sachet.

A light powder, flecked with herbs.

Seasoned oil.

Has a pleasant scent.

Finished (click to enlarge). Added Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, coriander, spring onion, tofu puff, mushroom and chilli flake. The rice noodles hydrated very well. They have a very good gauge and nice quantity. The broth was really good too – a kind of vegetable and black pepper flavor. 3.75 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 8851876201778.

Instant Rice Vermicelli Noodles (Pack of 3)

Beautiful Ratchaburi province – home of President Rice.

#2064: Nongshim Arrabiata Rice Bucatini

Here’s one I’ve been curious about. Looks like South Korean take on rice noodle spaghetti perhaps? It certainly looks tasty… Hmm! Let’s check it out!

Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Contains beef. To prepare, add noodles and contents of vegetables sachet to 310ml boiling water in an 8 inch skillet and cook for 4 minutes. Add in remaining sachet contents. Stir and enjoy!

Rice noodles – this is a gluten free pack!

The sauce base.

Has a nice red sauce scent to it.

The vegetables sachet.

Looks like maybe tomato and cabbage?

An oil sachet.

Vegetables soil.

Finished (click to enlarge). The rice noodles came out very nicely – thick and with just the right amount of chewiness. The sauce was extremely good – very nice tomato taste with a nice spiciness to it – seemed almost like a kimchi spaghetti sauce! The vegetables were ample and worked well. I’m very impressed with this – definitely look for this one. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 031146033300.

Nongshim Shin Noodle Ramyun Gourmet Spicy, 4.2-oz. Packages, 20-Count

A new TV spot for Nongshim America – Nongshim Zha Wang black bean noodle.

#2007: Nongshim Rice Fettucine Alfredo

Found this one at Uwajimaya the other day. We thought it sounded interesting – a fettucine alfredo made in South Korea? Hey – why not. I thought the idea of it being made with rice noodles was enthralling as well. Let’s have a look!

Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but checkfor yourself. To prepare, add noodle block and vegetables sachet to 310ml boiling water and cook for 4 minutes. AQdd in contents of powder sachet and stir. Let sit for 1 minutes. Stir and enjoy!

The rice noodle block.

The powder sauce sachet.

A lot of powder.

The vegetables sachet.

Lots of peas and nice sized slices of mushroom.

Finished (click to enlarge). Added baked chicken. The noodles came out pretty well, with a broad and flat character. They were chewier than expected. The sauce was thinner than expected and there was a lot of it. I think less water would have worked a little better. The flavor was very good, although could have been stronger. The vegetables were exceptionally good. 3.75 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 031146033355.

Nongshim Shin Noodle Ramyun Gourmet Spicy, 4.2-oz. Packages, 20-Count

A new video from Nongshim about their Champong variety – a spicy seafood ramyun.

#1936: Fortune Rice Noodle Coconut Curry

Found this one at the new Win?Co Foods store in Edmonds, Washington. I thought ‘ooh – rice noodles and curry’ and so I got it. Let’s check it out!

Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, puncture noodle pouch and microwave for one minute. Add 1-2tbsp oil to a pan and add in noodles, seasoning, and 1/2 cup water. Cook 1-2 minutes while stirring. Enjoy!

The noodle pouch.

The seasoning sachet/.

Has a coconut curry scent and a neon glow about it.

Finished (click to enlarge). Added barbecue pork, coriander and tofu puff. The noodles are wide and thick. They look more like egg noodles and have a kind of chewiness to them with a hint of crumble. This one smells a bit better than it tastes; it’s kind of curry, kind of coconut, has a hint of spiciness and exudes sugariness. It’s just weird and doesn’t seem right to me. As a curry lover, this disappointed expectations. Kind of like Thousand Island dressing gets heated up, a pinch of chilli powder is added, and some overly thick and chewy rice noodles are in the mix. Long story short, this hurt my feelings. 1.0 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 070492033848.

So the company that makes Fortune products also makes these which are very, very tasty! Twin Dragon Almond Cookies 15 Oz.

A recipe and overview of the products made by this company.

#1544: Thai Pavilion Pad Thai Instant Rice Noodles & Sauce

I believe my wife got me this one for Christmas last year – thanks sweetie! What’s so nice about instant noodles is that they have such a long shelf life, and so they can sit in my noodle hamper for a while before I have to get to them. Anyways, here’s one that sounds good today – Thai Pavilion Pad Thai. This one is made in Thailand but made for the US market. Let’s check it out!

Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, take everything out of the box and empty noodles into the box. Add boiling water to cover the noodles and put the lid back on tightly for 5 minutes. Drain off water and add in contents of the sachets and stir well. Enjoy!

An included fork!

The seasoning sachet.

Has a sweet peanut scent.

An oil sachet.

Shallot oil.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added mung bean sprout, coriander and roast beef that were sauteed together. The noodles are broad and flat. I steeped them using the boiling water method and they could have used a minute or so longer. The flavoring was a bit off; they have the peanut hit, but then there’s this acidic and strange sweetness that both work against authenticity and my enjoyment. 1.5 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 734492823006.

You can get these here.

A Thai street food documentary – excellent stuff here!

#1395: Snapdragon Singapore Laksa Curry Soup Bowl

Found this in a local grocery store the other day. It’s definitely made of the United States market, but made in Thailand, which seems kind of funny as it’s Singapore Laksa Curry. Any way you slice it, it’s a Singapore Laksa Curry that made for the United States market which is something that truly piqued my interest. What’s different here also is that it uses rice noodles instead of wheat, so it’s gluten free. I’ve only had a Laksa that used rice noodles once before. Let’s have a look at this one.

Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge). Contains milk and crustacean. To prepare in a microwave, remove lid and empty all sachets into bowl. Add cold water to fill line and microwave 2-3 minutes. Let stand for 1 minutes and stir well. Enjoy!

When you remove the cardboard outer box, you are greeted by a plastic bowl with a clear lid.

The rice noodle block.

A dual seasoning sachet: base on the left and oil on the right.

Has a nice laksa scent.

Canola oil infused with paprika.

A coconut powder sachet.

Fluffy stuff!

The solid ingredient sachet.

Cabbage and carrot abound.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added vegetable fish ball, sweet onion, red and green bell pepper and seafood flavor tofu. The noodles were definitely not done after a 3 minute spin in the microwave and a minute of sitting. This surprised me as rice noodles tend to steep rather quickly. They were chewy and not really edible until a 2 minute extra ride in a pot on the stove. The broth had a nice rich laksa flavor, but it could have been a little thicker. The vegetable bits hydrated nicely. The rating based on microwave preparation as per box is 3.0 out of 5.0 as the noodles weren’t done (1100w oven to boot). However, if the noodles had been done, I would have given it a 4.25 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 815055010009.

This looks like the place to go in singapore!

Meet The Manufacturer: #1345: Lotus Foods Forbidden Rice Ramen

Today’s the last day of this awesome Meet The Manufacturer, and I wanted to save the one I found most curious for the end. I’ve NEVER seen anything like this before. These noodles are dark – almost black! They’re made from Lotus Foods’ Forbidden Rice – something I’ve enjoyed for a long time. Forbidden Rice was originally served to Chinese emperors – who resided in the Forbidden City.

The Emperor lived in this place, attended by hundreds of servants and fed the finest foods. The Chinese considered the forbidden Rice to be one that brought longevity. It has a strong flavor and what I found most interesting was that it was very flavorful without any seasoning. Let’s check out this fascinating noodle made from this rice.

Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge). Vegan and Gluten Free. To prepare, boil 2 cups of water and add noodle block. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring gently. When soft, add the contents of the soup base sachet. Stir and enjoy!

The noodle block. See what I mean? This stuff is dark – like a very deep purple.

The soup base sachet.

For this one, they went with white miso broth – which I imagine will give the bowl a very interesting look what with the contrasts between the noodles and broth.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added green onion, hard boiled egg and beef sauteed with soy sauce. The noodles are very purple as is the broth; I expected the broth and the noodles to have quite the contrast, but the Forbidden Rice component of the ramen gives the broth strong purple hues. They have a decent gauge and a very earthy flavor. The broth was a very light miso. Fascinating stuff! 2.25 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 708953601014.

One of the founders of Lotus Foods speaking about their Forbidden Rice and its history.