I’m truly stoked on this one – another one found again at that Smart N Save up in Richmond, BC Canada. This is one I decided not to get last time I was in Taiwan that I saw at Carrefour because, well, it was such a big package and I had limited space. What’s great is that they’ve got quite a few varieties up there so I’ll be trying more – and they’re cheap!
The region of Malacca summons images from my youth time and time again. There used to be a TV commercial I would see almost daily for Malacca Rattan Furniture in the Vancouver, Canada area. Now, I’ve never lived in Canada, but I lived close to the border, which meant that we got lots of Canadian TV stations. I’d be watching Star Blazers, there’d be a commercial break, then this African guy in a white suit and top hat would come on and talk super cool about this furniture. It just seemed s interesting and cool. Well, in 2014 I was awestruck as I was on a ferry with my wife travelling across the Strait of Malacca. Where I grew up, ferries went between the various islands in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Not only that, Penang is an island joined to the mainland by bridge – and so was Fidalgo Island where I grew up. So far away, but so many parallels. Anyways, let’s give this laksa a try!
INA Pan Mee Perisa Sup Laksa Nyonya Melaka – Malaysia
Detail of the packaging (click to enlarge). Contains fish and crustaceans. To prepare, add everything to 350ml boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!
One of four packages inside the outer wraps. Watch the episode of Instant Noodle Recipe Time below to see everything opened up and used.
The noodle block.
A wet sachet of paste.
Dry soup base powder.
Dry non-dairy creamer.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added soft egg, Dodo fish balls, fried tofu, coriander, chili flake, and Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts. The noodles in this one are great. Nice chewiness and gauge for sure – really happy about them. The only issue here is that the amount of time vs the amount of water. Five minutes with 350ml cooks everything down so much that you really don’t end up with a broth but more of a sauce. This doesn’t make me unhappy by any means, but doesn’t make garnishing all that nice. But the broth/sauce/gravy is a nice curry, somewhat monotone, but pretty darn good. 3.75 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 9555123500841.
Today we have a Zenpop.JP variety – so what’s Zenpop? They’re a subscription service for all things Japanese! Definitely, check them out. By the way, use coupon code RAMENRATER to get $2 off! Here’s what they had to say about this one – ‘Laksa, a spicy noodle soup dish of Singapore, joins Zenpop Ramen this month to try and win the Zenpop Ramen Cup. The creamy coconut flavor is spiced up with chili and coriander. How do you like this iconic Asian taste?’
Yeah I’m a huge fan of Laksa. Been curious about this one – I’ve reviewed another Nissin Cup Noodle Laksa from Japan before but this looks entirely different. Let’s give it a try.
Nissin Cup Noodles Singapore Laksa – Japan
Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Contains seafood. TO prepare, fill to line with boiling water and cover for 3 minutes. Add in sachet contents. Finally, stir and enjoy!
Finished (click to enlarge). Added soft egg, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, coriander. Noodles are your standard Cup Noodle fare – Japanese cup noodle that it. The broth is very rich – lots of coconut going on. The included laksa paste adds a nice lime taste (although I lost much on my shirt – watch the video below). 3.5 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4902105242988.
This is my list of my all time favorites (compiled up to review #3132). These are the best and most memorable varieties – some you’ll be able to find easily, some you won’t. In the images you see, you’ll see garnished bowls of noodles. Note – reviewing is done BEFORE products have anything externally added by myself, and I follow directions on the package – for better or for worse. I should also note that going forward, the official last day for companies to submit varieties to be considered for the annual top ten will be January 31st. That’s enough – let’s have a look at The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2019 Edition!
The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2019 Edition
Video Presentation
A special presentation of The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2019 Edition.
The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2019 Edition
#10: Indomie Real Meat Mi Instan Goreng Rendang – Indonesia
The first Indomie variety on the list in years and it’s really amazing. Basically take their Mi Goreng Rendang and include a sachet of real rendang in a retort pouch. This comes after recently hearing that Indomie Rendang is hard to find here in the United States, something I was surprised to hear since it’s such a popular product and such a good one. Original review
#9: Sau Tao Tom Yum Kung Flavour Ramen – Hong Kong
I’ve become enamored and thrilled with the straight ramen noodle varieties in recent years – especially ones from Hong Kong which have been on the last two The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time lists. This is Sau Tao’s first appearance on the list. A Thai flavor is delivered masterfully – broth has a great richness and crispness of tom yum kung – spicy and lemongrass and shrimp notes play together very well. Original review
#8: Mom’s Dry Noodle Dan Dan Noodle – Taiwan
It’s second year on The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time, Mom’s Dry Noodles’ Dan Dan Noodle is just wonderful stuff. A broth-free offering with gourmet Taiwanese dry noodles, and myriad sauces that harmonize, salty, spicy, sweet and other flavors masterfully. Flavorful and deep. Original review
#7: Red Chef Green Tom Yum Soup Noodles – Malaysia
Another one returning to The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time list, Red Chef’s Green Tom Yum Soup Noodles feature a fried noodle with a great mouthfeel and quantity. They work well with the broth which is like a mashup of tom yum and green curry. The spiciness and flavors are just great – it might seem like a strange gimmicky kind of thing but definitely not. I love the new and this is a new flavor for the instant noodle world. Original review
#6: Prima Taste Singapore Curry Wholegrain La Mian – Singapore
Since a very young age when my mother would cook curried chicken livers over rice, I’ve absolutely loved curry. This one is just mind blowing and has been on the top ten for years and years. The noodles are thick and chewy – and have a rustic kind of feel to them. Marry that to the broth which comes from a large sachet of curry paste and one full of coconut milk powder, you end up with a rich, luxuriant experience you’ll love. I should note they also have a version with non-wholegrain noodles which is also very impressive. Original review
#5: CarJEN Nyonya Curry Laksa – Malaysia
Back again with their rich curry noodle, CarJEN brings something very special to the table in their Nyonya Curry Laksa. You dip the paste seen on the spoon into the broth to flavor it and it has little bits of shrimp in there that really are a nice addition. Sweetness, spiciness, richness from coconut milk powder, and a nice plump noodle makes this so tasty and memorable. Original Review
This is the highest position a Taiwanese variety has achieved in The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time before – congratulations, Taiwan! For a long time, I’ve really enjoyed this style of noodle from Taiwan. It’s wide, with a center line which is thicker, and the sides are thinner – which gives them a very unique and wonderful mouthfeel. I’ve also always thought that these would just sing is in a broth (usually they are presented with a combination of sauces but no broth). The soup is rich with a strong beef flavor and hint of Sichuan peppercorn that do not overwhelm. The nice part is the inclusion of real beef in here. It should be noted that there is a special version of this that comes out during Lunar New Year which includes Wagyu beef – very expensive at a whopping $15USD per serving!, but very tasty as well. Original review
#3: Liangchengmei Biang Biang Men – China
My wife Kit saw this while we were up in Canada and it piqued my curiosity so thought hey let’s give it a try. Noodles are very broad – over an inch. The flavoring is just superb – to use a word I normally don’t, this is yummy. What’s interesting too is that they included meat – at least I thought it was meat – it’s made from soy protein! Unique, delicious, and the highest a Chinese variety has achieved on The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time to date. Congratulations! Original review
#2: Red Chef Spicy Sakura Prawn Soup Noodles – Malaysia
Let the prawn-slaught begin! Returning to the #2 spot this year, we have a Red Chef variety that just gives and gives when it comes to sweet and savory prawn flavor. This umami bomb has a nice chewy noodle that is complimented by just the sweetest, strongest prawn broth with an excellent thickness and just the right amount of spiciness. What’s more they include a sachet of crispy onions to put on top that round things out so well. If you want to have a prawn freak out, this is an indispensable tool. Original review
#1: Prima Taste Singapore Wholegrain Laksa La Mian — Singapore
For the fourth year in a row, Prima Taste wins with it’s excellent Wholegrain Laksa. If abandoned on an island with only a life supply of instant noodles, I’d want them to be these, period. Hearty artisan noodles which are thick and of good quantity are combined with a broth which has a strong flavor and richness from coconut milk powder. A flavorful and striking noodle dish. Original review
What’s New
Instant Noodle Recipe Time
In the last year, I’ve decided to start doing videos for each on of my reviews and as of April 3rd, I’ve done 295 episodes. You can watch me cook and garnish everything as I sit at my stove. People have commented ‘why do you sit?’ Well, it’s a lot easier to record the show that way. Why do you wear sunglasses all the time? I’m legally blind and light sensitive. I answer a lot of questions about what I do from reader questions as well as talk about what I’m up to and give opinions and chatter about anything that crosses my mind. The show comes out every single day at 2pm Seattle time. Check out the show here.
The Chocolate Break
What began as something to try once has become a project my wife Kit and I do regularly. The Chocolate Break is where we try chocolate from around the world – and give our opinions on them. I’m proud to announce that www.thechocolatebreak.com is up and has rundowns of every single episode! Check it out and let us know what you think!
Big Changes For Me
Some of you have been noticing I’ve been losing weight – thank you! In fact I’ve been working hard on that. Reviews I do are usually involving me eating maybe 5% of a bowl of noodles, if that. Everything else goes down the drain.
I keep my regime to around 1200~1500 calories a day. I’ve also been doing a lot of walking with my daughter Miriam. With her stroller decked out with lots of lights and a really loud speaker (I usually play a lot of Primus, Herbie Hancock and Tobacco), we walk all over town. My feet hurt, too! If you put together our walking from April 1st and April 2nd, it comes to 21.12 miles (33.989km)! No, that is NOT a typo. My doctor told me I had high cholesterol back in October and I decided to make some changes. I’ll find out how I’ve done later this month and let you guys know how I’ve done so far.
I mentioned a second box from an Unboxing Time video I posted yesterday. Well, here it is! They’re updated the recipe for their Prawn Soup variety yet again and it’s supposed to be really great stuff. Let’s see what’s inside.
Prima Taste New Recipe Prawn Soup Samples – Singapore
There are various theories about the origins of laksa. In Indonesia, the dish is believed to have been born from the Chinese coastal settlements and the mixing of cultures between Chinese merchants and the local cooking practices.[6] Historians believe laksa is a dish that was born from actual intermarriage.[7] In early coastal pecinan (Chinese settlement) in maritime Southeast Asia, it was only Chinese men that ventured abroad out from China to trade. When settling down in the new town, these Chinese traders and sailors set out to find local wives, and these women began incorporating local spices and coconut milk into Chinese noodle soup served to their husbands. This creates the hybrid Chinese-local (Malay or Javanese) culture called Peranakan culture.[7] As Peranakan Chinese communities have blended their ancestors’ culture with local culture, Peranakan communities in different places now demonstrate diversity according to the local flavour.[8]
In Malaysia, the dish is believed to have been introduced by Chinese immigrants in Malacca.[9] In Singapore, the dish (or its local “Katong” version) is believed to have been created after interaction between the Peranakans with the local Singaporeans.[10][7]
Because laksa has different varieties across the region, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact origin of the dish. Nevertheless, numbers of laksa recipes has been developed along the trade channels of Southeast Asia—where the ports of Penang, Medan, Malacca, Singapore, Palembang, and Batavia (now Jakarta) are the major stops along the historic spice route. The intensive trade links among these port cities enables exchanges of ideas to took place, including sharing recipes.[7]
Well now that you have some background, let’s make some laksa!
Way Premium Foods Authentic Singapore Laksa – Malaysia
Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Contains fish and shrimp. To prepare, boil noodles for 3~4 minutes. Drain and set aside. add liquid sachet to 160ml water and bring to a boil. Add noodles. Finally, stir and enjoy!
There was more, but it would have overflowed my cup!
Finished (click to enlarge). Added hard boiled egg, coriander, fried tofu with lemongrass, Dodo Shrimp & Fish ball, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts and fried garlic. The noodles have a tooth on them which is just right for this bowl. They work very well with the soup – ah, the soup. It’s thick, rich and exceedingly tasty. It has heat, depth of flavor – it’s just excellent. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 9555861000481.
There are various theories about the origins of laksa. In Indonesia, the dish is believed to have been born from the Chinese coastal settlements and the mixing of cultures between Chinese merchants and the local cooking practices.[6] Historians believe laksa is a dish that was born from actual intermarriage.[7] In early coastal pecinan (Chinese settlement) in maritime Southeast Asia, it was only Chinese men that ventured abroad out from China to trade. When settling down in the new town, these Chinese traders and sailors set out to find local wives, and these women began incorporating local spices and coconut milk into Chinese noodle soup served to their husbands. This creates the hybrid Chinese-local (Malay or Javanese) culture called Peranakan culture.[7] As Peranakan Chinese communities have blended their ancestors’ culture with local culture, Peranakan communities in different places now demonstrate diversity according to the local flavour.[8]
In Malaysia, the dish is believed to have been introduced by Chinese immigrants in Malacca.[9] In Singapore, the dish (or its local “Katong” version) is believed to have been created after interaction between the Peranakans with the local Singaporeans.[10][7]
Because laksa has different varieties across the region, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact origin of the dish. Nevertheless, numbers of laksa recipes has been developed along the trade channels of Southeast Asia—where the ports of Penang, Medan, Malacca, Singapore, Palembang, and Batavia (now Jakarta) are the major stops along the historic spice route. The intensive trade links among these port cities enables exchanges of ideas to took place, including sharing recipes.[7]
So many kinds and styles of laksa…Let’s take a look!
Way Premium Foods Authentic Thai Laksa – Malaysia
Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Contains fish and shrimp. To prepare, boil noodles for 3~4 minutes. Drain and set aside. add liquid sachet to 160ml water and bring to a boil. Add noodles. Finally, stir and enjoy!
Finished (click to enlarge). Added starfruit, pineapple, baked chicken, egg, prawn, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, coriander and fried garlic. The noodles are just right – greatest chew and gauge. The broth is seething with rich flavor – a nice smack of lemongrass and spiciness here. Very impressed. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 9555861000474.
Here’s another one I got up at the new T&T Supermarket up in Richmond BC that’s at Lansdowne Centre. Or is it Lansdowne Mall? Either way, it’s a big T&T inside what used to be a Target store. Oh – and sad parents can rejoice – TOYS R US IS STILL IN CANADA. Also, if you go to the Walmart in Richmond, you will often see Teslas, Ferraris and the odd Buigatti. It’s like a mirror universe. Let’s check this one out!
Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Contains shrimp. To prepare, add noodles to 500mL boiling water and cook for 4 minutes. Add in sachet contents. Finally, stir and enjoy!
One of the two noodle bundles.
A dry sachet.
Lots of powder.
A sauce sachet.
Thick stuff!
Finished (click to enlarge). Added fried onion, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, Dodo fishball, tofu puff, BonCabe Level 15 and coriander. The noodles are really great – nice roundness, good texture. Married to the broth which is thick and luxuriant with a spiciness and really nice little prawny hit to it with a keen sweetness, it works very well. 4.5 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 087303866847.
I saw some promotional events that Prima Taste was running and some of the neat stuff they did with giveaways and what the folks who were giving out samples were wearing. I asked if I could possible have some swung my way and they obliged! Thank you! Let’s open this boxc up and see what’s within!
Unboxing Time: Instant Noodles Swag From Prima Taste – Singapore
Tee shirts, posters and stickers? Awesome! Thanks again!
Got this one at the Jason’s Market at the foot of the Taipei 101. Asam laksa – possibly a new taste for you. Here’s something from Wikipedia –
Asam laksa is a sour, fish and tamarind-based soup. Penang Asam Laksa listed at number 26th on World’s 50 most delicious foods compiled by CNN Go in 2011.[13] Asam is the Malay word for any ingredients that makes a dish tastes sour (e.g. tamarind, gelugur or kokum). Laksa typically uses asam keping, known as kokum in the English speaking world, which is a type of dried slices of sour mangosteens. The modern Malay spelling is asam, though the spelling assam is still frequently used.
The main ingredients for asam laksa include shredded fish, normally kembung (small mackerel of the Rastrelliger genus), and finely sliced vegetables including cucumber, onions, red chillies, pineapple, lettuce, common mint, daun kesum (Vietnamese mint or laksa mint), and pink bunga kantan (torch ginger). Asam laksa is normally served with either thick rice noodles or thin rice noodles (vermicelli). And topped off with petis udang or “hae ko” (蝦膏), a thick sweet prawn/shrimp paste.[1]
Alright – let’s crack it open and give it a try!
World O’ Noodle Asam Laksa Flavour Instant Noodles – Malaysia
Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Contains fish and crustaceans. To prepare, boil noodles in 400ml water for 2 minutes. Add in sachet contents. Finally, stir and enjoy!
The noodle block.
The soup base sachet.
A granular powder.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added Dodo fishball, coriander and Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts. The noodles are good – nice gauge and soft chew. The broth has that nice little spicy kick and sour notes. Basic and good. 3.75 out of 5.-0 stars. EAN bar code 4894514002744.
When it comes to my favorites and the annual The Ramen Rster’s top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time list, I like to take nothing for granted. This one has been number one for the past two years and I’m guess it will be so again this year – but I have to try it first just to make sure. Did they change the recipe? Has my taste changed? It gets a little tougher every year with this list as every year there’s about 400 new varieties I’ve been sampling. Anyways, here we go – let give it another try and see how it stacks up!
Prima Taste Singapore Laksa Wholegrain La Mian – Singapore
Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Contains crustaceans. To prepared, add sachet contents to 500ml water in a pot and bring to a boil. Add in noodle block and cook on low for 7 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!
The noodle block.
A large laksa paste sachet.
Serious stuff!
A large dry sachet.
Aromatic coconut milk powder.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, scallion, tau pok, fried onion and Dodo fishball. The noodles come out thick and with just the perfect chew to them. Indeed, they seem very artisan – very rustic and hearty. The broth is the stuff of dreams – a nice spiciness, a strong flavor of fish and shrimp and a rich depth from spices. The coconut milk powder gives it a richness and creaminess reminiscent of cooking for hours. 5.0 out of 5.0 hours – just as good as the first time I tried it. EAN bar code 8886350067854.
Got this package the other day – and I didn’t expect it. Well, I WAS expecting it, however both I and Prima Taste thought that it probably had been seized by customs. The tracking was going great then it hit Oakland, California and then Import Delay. It stuck that way for over a week – and then started moving again! What’s more, they never opened the package. Let’s have a look inside!
Thank you very much to the folks at Prima Taste! Can’t wait to try everything (some tried before, some new to try) and thank you for the birthday gift!
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
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!
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.
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