Tag Archives: low fat

#2500: The Ramen Rater Select Supreme Creamy Tom Yum Noodle

TO EVERYONE ASKING ABOUT THIS ONE – THIS PRODUCT WON’T BE COMING OUT. SORRY TO DISAPPOINT. SOMEDAY I’LL COME OUT WITH MY OWN INSTANT NOODLE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

#2500: The Ramen Rater Select Supreme Creamy Tom Yum Noodle - Malaysia - The Ramen Rater - Hans Lienesch - instant noodles - ramen - tom yam - noodles

Well folks, here it is. This is what I’ve been working on for over a year now. As you will see from a lot of the text on the package, it’s still has a couple of loose ends to tie up – a couple typos and the cooking instructions are a little off. It’s my fault really; I wish I spoke Chinese… Really should learn someday. But it’ll get there.

Also there’s the label on there that says it contains crustaceans – there’s no shrimp or prawn in it. Basically, I think this means that this would be suitable for vegetarians (correct me if I’m wrong) – which is an added bonus.

I should mention that this is really strange. I’ve reviewed a lot of instant noodles – 2,499 before this one. I really love how this tastes – it came out exactly as I wanted which is all I could ever ask for. I want to thank Steven Chong for working with me on this – it’s been a long year of trial and error until we got to this point – thanks for your hard work, bro!

So, you might have some questions – let me answer them for you, anticipating what they may be:

Q> Where can I get The Ramen Rater Select?

A> Yeah – I wish I had an answer for you today. I can say when I do I will absolutely let you know, but for now we have a little bit more to do. Not a lot. How it works is we get a product all ready and then the company will get orders from distributors. If they don’t buy it,. you won’t get to try it. So the more you yell and scream to get this, the faster it will be available.

Q> Okay great but will The Ramen Rater Select be in my country?

A> If you are in Southeast Asia, chances are that they will be too. As for North America, it may take a little longer, but seeing as these don’t contain any meat or fish, that should get it out even quicker. I’m hoping a distributor in the US will be interested in getting it on Amazon as well, which increases accessibility to everyone around here so that’s a plus.

Q> Who’s going to rate YOUR ramen?

A> This is one of my favorite questions I was asked – and I do have an answer! Samples are currently being sent to 4 reviewers – they’re in South Korea, Malaysia, Australia and Germany. I’ve asked them to be honest – these are all friends and I trust that they’ll be unbiased, but I figured I should mention that first. It’s pretty hard being an instant noodle reviewer and not knowing the other instant noodle reviewers – we have a kind of odd kinship; more like the fellowship of the noodles. This review you’re looking at of course is 5 stars – I love this stuff. However, it will never be on a top ten list as that would just be wrong.

Q> Can you make a Gluten Free/Non-Spicy/Low-Carb…

A> So to be honest, it takes a lot of time to make a change. Ingredients have to be sourced, packaging changed, etc etc etc. I would have thought the same thing – hey a little more of this – that’s no easy task when it comes to something mass-produced. But if you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear them.

Q> Will this be on your Top Ten?

A> No. Reviewing my own noodles and saying they’re the best – I mean I think they are but will let you be the judge.

It’s time. The Ramen Rater Select is gets it’;s first look today! Let’s have a peek at this dream and give it a thorough view!

Ramen Rater Select Supreme Creamy Tom Yum Noodle – Malaysia

#2500: The Ramen Rater Select Supreme Creamy Tom Yum Noodle - Malaysia - The Ramen Rater - Hans Lienesch - instant noodles - ramen - tom yam - noodles

Here’s detail of the box (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, add noodle block to a pot of boiling water and cook for 7 minutes. Drain, saving 300-380ml water (less water, thicker and stronger, more water thinner but still strong). Return water and noodles to pot. Add sachet content and cook 1 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!

I recorded this cooking video over the weekend in the frontyard of my childhood home in Anacortes, Washington. I thought that it would be neat to do the video up there since that’s where my whole noodle journey began! Lot of little things getting in the way though – first off it was windy and that made for things falling over a lot! Second, the sun kept moving (or rather the Earth did) causing shadows to run amok. I’m thinking I’ll probably do another video as time goes on. I think I’ll be doing another video and showing garnish I’ll add to it in the near future. I want to thank Susan Lienesch (my sister) and Andy Lienesch (my son) for all the help making this video

#2500: The Ramen Rater Select Supreme Creamy Tom Yum Noodle - Malaysia - The Ramen Rater - Hans Lienesch - instant noodles - ramen - tom yam - noodles

The noodle block. Non-CMO, non-fried organic low-fat noodles. That’s a mouthful!

#2500: The Ramen Rater Select Supreme Creamy Tom Yum Noodle - Malaysia - The Ramen Rater - Hans Lienesch - instant noodles - ramen - tom yam - noodles

The dry base sachet.

#2500: The Ramen Rater Select Supreme Creamy Tom Yum Noodle - Malaysia - The Ramen Rater - Hans Lienesch - instant noodles - ramen - tom yam - noodles

Has a sweet coconut scent.

#2500: The Ramen Rater Select Supreme Creamy Tom Yum Noodle - Malaysia - The Ramen Rater - Hans Lienesch - instant noodles - ramen - tom yam - noodles

The tom yum paste sachet.

#2500: The Ramen Rater Select Supreme Creamy Tom Yum Noodle - Malaysia - The Ramen Rater - Hans Lienesch - instant noodles - ramen - tom yam - noodles

Thick and oily with a really nice scent.

#2500: The Ramen Rater Select Supreme Creamy Tom Yum Noodle - Malaysia - The Ramen Rater - Hans Lienesch - instant noodles - ramen - tom yam - noodles

The solid ingredients –

#2500: The Ramen Rater Select Supreme Creamy Tom Yum Noodle - Malaysia - The Ramen Rater - Hans Lienesch - instant noodles - ramen - tom yam - noodles

Tofu puff and long bean. Tofu puff has a lot of protein.

#2500: The Ramen Rater Select Supreme Creamy Tom Yum Noodle - Malaysia - The Ramen Rater - Hans Lienesch - instant noodles - ramen - tom yam - noodles

Finished (click to enlarge). Added 31-44ct shrimp, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts and coriander. These noodles are chewy and thick. They are a lot like the standard yellow noodle you’d find in a hawker stall in Malaysia, however chewier and slightly lighter gauge. The broth is thick – the coconut milk powder marries to the tom yum paste in such a way that you get many elements – sweet, spicy, lemongrass and more. The long bean and tofu come out very nice – all around a filling bowl of noodles I’m proud to call The Ramen Rater Select on. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 9555851500076.

#1412: Chewy Non-Fried Ramen Noodles Taiwan Roast Pork Flavour

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Here”s another one from a birthday trip to Canada. This one isn’t fried and really low fat. But will it be low on flavor? It seems that many companies are now offering options for those interested in low fat instant noodles. Let’s see how this one comes out.

The distributor’s sticker (click image to enlarge).

Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, add noodle block to 500ml boiling water and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Put in bowl and add contents of sachets and stir. Enjoy!

The noodle block.

The soup base sachet.

Has a salty and acidic scent.

The vegetable sachet.

A nice little mix.

The paste sachet.

Has a decent pork scent.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Sauteed sweet onion, Chinese long bean, tofu puff and thinly sliced pork with some garlic salt and black pepper. The noodles are thick – very much like Taiwanese-made mandarin or hakka gauged noodles. They’re broad and indeed chewy. The broth is quite nice – not too strong, not too weak. It has a spiced pork kind of thing going on I like – peppery stuff. 4.0 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 652283001092.

Some vintage Chewy TV commercials.

Meet The Manufacturer: #1332: Sakura Noodle Chikara Brand Udon Chicken Flavor

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Here’s the first of the Sakura Noodle Inc. Meet The Manufacturer! I thought I’d start off with chicken. I haven’t been using a lot of chicken lately and it sounded like a nice little departure from the norm lately. Usually I save the chicken varieties for my son to eat when he’s here – chicken noodles are his favorite. Let’s give this one a try!

Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, boil 1 3/4 cups of water. Add noodle block and cook for 2 minutes. Add contents of seasoning sachet and stir. Enjoy!

The fresh udon noodles.

The soup base sachet.

A fine powder with a pleasant scent.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added carrot, hard boiled egg, enoki mushroom, green onion and grilled chicken. The noodles are great – excellent texture and chewiness. The broth is warm and inviting with a nice chicken flavor. 3.75 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 078128120313.

Making yaki udon.

#1216: Batchelors Super Low Fat Noodles Chilli Chicken Flavour

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Here’s another Joe B. of Nottingham, UK sent – thanks! Low fat noodles eh? I’ve actually been on a diet and exercising a lot lately – down 15 pounds already – and yes, I’m eating an instant noodle every day too! Let’s see how this low fat variety is…

Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge). Contains milk. To make it, add everything to 300ml of water and boil until all of the broth is absorbed by the noodles.

The noodle block.

The seasoning sachet.

Has a funky chilli chickenny scent.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added baked chicken that I seasoned with Mexcene and salt, peas and some big ugly carrot. The noodles are a slightly larger gauge than your standard instant. They are crumbly and really not very good. They kind of end up like an odd paste in the mouth. The flavoring is very light and has a slight spiciness to it. 1.0 out of 5.0 stars.UPC bar code 5000354401763.

An advert for Batchelors Mushy Peas!

#946: Dr. McDougall’s Right Foods Vegan Chicken Ramen

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I’ve often wondered if I would ever find this one. I’ve seen i mentioned quite a few times, and finally the other day I found it at a local grocery store. Vegan… Organic… Let’s give it a try.

The side panels (click image to enlarge). Very few ingredients. Also very low in fat.

This is a very small noodle block.

A pretty big seasoning packet.

Has an odd flavor to it – doesn’t make me think of chicken.

Looks like a nice little assortment of veggies.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added kizami shoga (pickled gonger), stir fry vegetables and some Urashima Sesame & Salt furikake. The noodles are okay – a little low on backbone. The broth is very strange to me. It reminds me of the smell of cooking broccoli but the taste. I don’t know if that’s logical, but it tastes really off to me and nothing like chicken. The vegetable hydrated nicely. If you are vegan and looking for instant noodles that taste like chicken, I wouldn’t say this is where its at, but I don’t know of many other choices. I would say this is more of a vegetable flavor and less of a chicken flavor. Didn’t find it exceptionally good. 1.75 out of 5.0 stars. Turns out they make a Miso flavor noodle cup as well as a hot and sour. Perhaps those will fare better if I ever see them. UPC bar code 767335011179 – get it here.

I expected to find more on YouTube asbout this one, but here’s a guy who does weekly grocery product reviews and has a little spiel about another Dr. McDougall’s product.

Some people like to use Shirataki noodles as they have literally nothing to them. Check out this recipe.

Re-Review: Meet The Manufacturer: Nongshim HooRooRook Premium Korean Noodle Soup

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It’s funny how much my wife and I enjoy saying ‘HooRooRook!’ I wonder what it means though… Well, after some research, it came to my attention that it is the sound of slurping noodles.

Here’s the back of the package. Notice it’s made in Seoul – so this is Seoul food! Click image to enlarge.

The noodle block. Thin, delicate and light.

The powder base.

It’s really light and powdery.

The veggie flakes.

I really like the little thin long shreds of seaweed – those make me happy.

The soup paste.

It says to add this after cooking and mix it in. So I did.

Finished (click image to enlarge). I added some Fresno peppers, green bell pepper, onion, snap peas and a coupAlso, I found that there were not only the long, thin noodles but very short slightly wider ones – interesting to see dual gauge noodles in a single block. le florets of broccoli. I really liked the broth – it was light and mellow – not to say I all of a sudden don’t like spicy and deep broth, it’s just nice for a change of pace. In the commercial and from other sources, I see that they’re saying it has some spiciness to it but it is very light. The noodles are good too – they remind me slightly of the Nongshim Hearty Beef rice noodles but a much thinner gauge. Thing is though that these aren’t rice noodles at all. What’s also nice is that the whole pack has a gram of fat, 8g protein and slightly lower sodium than others. Bottom line here is that it’s a nice, light and friendly soup that would make most people who only think instant noodles are unhealthy, cheap nasty things change their tune. 4.0 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 0311461548300 – get it here.

Here’s the HooRooRook commercial with subtitles, starring K-Pop star IU.

Here’s a video on how you can make homemade knife-cut noodles.

#681: Nongshim Hearty Rice Noodle Black Bean & Vegetables

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This is one that’s been in the ramen hamper for a while and so it’s time to give it a go. I’m usually a little leery of the noodles with the thick black coating, but I’m throwing caution to the wind; I liked the last Jjajangmen I had so why not!

Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge).

Had a different Nongshim variety a long time ago that used these noodles. They’re like long rice micro-macaroni! I think the idea is you get the wider gauged noodle without the chewiness you would get if they weren’t hollow.

A packet of veggies…

A nice melange of color and variety. What you do is boil the noodles with the veggies (and add any you might want – I added some C&W frozen Stir Fry Vegetables) and afterwards…

This packet will enter the big pot of drained noodles.

Here’s what it looks like.

Also a packet of vegetable oil. Stir, Stir, stir!

Click image to enlarge. Well this looks shmancy! The noodles are nice – they don’t seem like your typical rice noodles at all; chewy but not overly so. The black bean veggie sauce is good, although I found myself adding a little salt. The veggies were all good. Not bad at all and was filling. 3.75 out of 5.0 stars! UPC barcode 031146007400. Get it here.

Neato! Is this a store in the US or Korea?

Homemade Jia Jang Men

Meet The Manufacturer Re-Review: Tat Hui’s KOKA Tom Yum Flavour Instant Rice Noodles

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Here’s another of KOKA’s varieties – this time in a bowl and with rice noodles. Notice in the directions that it specifies how much water to add – that’s pretty awesome.

Here’s the side panel information (click image to enlarge).

A seasoning powder and liquid packet.

The garnish packet – this time, the contents are steeped with the noodles.

Here’s everything in the bowl awaiting two cups of boiling water.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added a scrambled egg with some Tabasco Jalapeno hot sauce on top. The rice noodles are the kind I like – wide, thin and very light. The broth is interesting – very lemony and spicy but has a bit more shrimp or seafood taste that I like. The garnish had little shrimps in it that were good too. ASll in all, a decent Tom Yum bowl – 3.5 out of 5.0 stars. UPC barcode 639192721648 – get it here!

A band called The Slurps playing a song called KOKA Noodles.

KOKA TV commercial

Meet The Manufacturer Re-Review: Tat Hui’s KOKA Curry Flavour Instant Non-Fried Noodles

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Here’s another one – curry flavor!!! This is the four pack.

I ate the contents of this package!

Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge). 0.7g of fat!

Here’s the noodle block – really light.

One packet of dry seasonings.

Here’s the dry powder – has a very nice curry scent!

Here’s the veggie pack…

I love this.

This time, these get cooked with the noodles.

Finished (click image to enlarge). The noodles are just like in the last coupe packs – a decent firmness and chewiness and still not super thick. The broth is sweet and spicy – but in a curry way. It works and is quite tasty. The veggies are spot on – I really enjoyed how the peas re-hydrated – very nice and fresh. Excellent – 4.25 our of 5.0 stars. UPC barcode 8888056000258 – get it here.

KOKA TV commercial

A UK KOKA commercial.

Meet The Manufacturer Re-Review: Tat Hui’s KOKA Tomato Flavour Instant Non-Fried Noodles

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Here’s another of the KOKA line to re-review – tomato flavor! Here’s the four pack.

Here’s a single package.

This is the back of the single package (click image to enlarge) – was a surprise to see it contains zero grams of fat.

The noodles block – light and stalwart, ready to take on boiling water.

A single packet of flavoring.

Upon opening the packet and pouring it into this cup, I was ensconced with the smell of tomato soup – smelled like a tomato factory – it was awesome! After this, I boiled water and threw the flavoring in – the broth took on a nice red color and had a wonderful tomato-soup like scent to it. I think you could just use half the 500ml water and other other half milk and it would be just like a bowl of tomato soup.

Here’s my favorite part – the garnish pack. You sprinkle this on top after the noodles are all done.

Here’s the garnish melange – colorful and tasty.

Finished (click image to enlarge). The noodles are perfect – just enough chewy and just the right gauge. The broth is tomato through and through – very tasty. The garnish was really nice on this one; everything came together like a tomato basil noodle kind of thing. 4.75 out of 5.0 stars – wonderful. UPC barcode 8888056000265 – get it here!

KOKA TV commercial

KOKA Purple Wheat noodles commercial in Mandarin.

Meet The Manufacturer Re-Review: Tat Hui’s KOKA Spicy Sesame Flavour Instant Non-Fried Noodles

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Here’s one of the samples sent to me by Khong Guan marketing manager James Parr – thanks again! I haven’t had this is a very long time – since the 230’s! This is what a four pack looks like.

Here’s what a single package looks like.

Here’s the back – note the nutrition facts (click image to enlarge).

Here’s the noodle block. As I’ve said before, it’s a surprise to me how light this block weighs. Being a low fat variety too, I am surprised how the uncooked noodles taste – crunchy and light – not like uncooked spaghetti.

In this packet, we have powdered seasoning and oil.

Upon putting these seasonings in this cup, the air around my desk was immediately infused with a strong scent of sesame oil!

The noodles cook for three minutes. After that, they go in a bowl and you sprinkle the garnish on top!

I find this just fascinating; I don’t know if other companies do this, but if they do, they don’t mention it. I asked what the differences that seasonal availability would provide, but I didn’t get an answer to that one – I imagine it may be a somewhat guarded secret as this stuff is amazing!

Here’s what was in this particular garnish packet – could be different next time!

The finished product (click image to enlarge). Nothing extra added. First off, the noodles – are light, slightly chewy and very nice in quality. There’s absolutely no compromise in flavor or texture here. The broth is good stuff – a strong sesame flavor and a good bite to it – my mouth’s got a nice burn going on but not making me run to put the fire out. Finally, the garnish. The garnish has a nice frsh veggie taste that is second to none. I used to just cook this in with the noodles and seasonings as you usually do with a veggie pack – big mistake. Putting this on top is so wonderful! 5.0 out of 5.0 stars – just like when I reviewed it last time. UPC code 8888056000241 – get it here!

KOKA Commercial

Singapore: where these noodles come from

Happy National Noodles Month! Meet The Manufacturer: Interview with Tat Hui Foods – Makers of KOKA Noodles

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Let’s kick off National Noodles Month with a special new feature – Meet The Manufacturer!

Recently, I had the fortunate experience to talk to James Parr, a marketing manager for Khong Guan, the distributor for Tat Hui Foods’ KOKA l;ine of instant noodle products. He was very kind and offered to liaise an interview between myself and the company in Singapore! He sent along some great samples and today I’ll be doing a re-review of the Spicy Sesame flavor KOKA noodles today as well as a post about the sample he sent! Here’s the interview! I also want to thank those of you who sent in questions for the manufacturer!

TRR: Hello! Thank you very much for this opportunity to learn more about instant noodles and your company!
To begin, how did your company start out? What is the history?

THF: In 1987, the company founder Mr Lim Hi Lay embarked on the mission to take Tat Hui products to other countries. The products were first introduced to the Chinese grocery markets in US, Europe and Australia. In the following years, Tat Hui started to venture into mainstream European and Middle Eastern markets and saw demand increase ten-fold. Today Koka Noodles continues to win over more and more fans around the world.

TRR: Other than the Koka variety, I’ve had the Mi Hua – did you choose to go the low fat route with your products?

THF: THF (Tat Hui Foods) is committed to promoting healthy eating without compromising on Taste, evident through its continuous investment in research and development and new production facilities to produce low fat instant noodles. The noodles are steam-cooked and bake-dried through a fat-free process instead of the deep-frying process used in making conventional instant noodles.

TRR: How do you differ in your production of instant noodles from other manufacturers?

THF: Noodles are carbo food and a staple, just like rice, in most of Asia. They are made ‘Instant’ through a cooking and drying process to enable easy preparation and a longer shelf-life. While most consumers are accustomed to the taste and mouth-feel of conventional deep-fried instant noodles, the non-fried/ fat-free noodles definitely offer a healthier alternative. Besides cutting down on the fat, we also do not add MSG, preservatives or artificial colouring to our noodles and seasonings.

TRR: The varieties you have currently are amazing – how do you decide what different flavors to offer? Do you plan on coming out with new varieties on a regular basis for the United States market?

THF: The convenience food market is saturated with similar flavours across competing brands. Therefore, in line with our commitment to continuous improvement and innovation, it is our aim to introduce more choices to the discerning customers with a variety of tasty and authentic flavours from around the region.
Favourite flavours are Chicken, Curry, Laksa and Beef, to name a few.*
We are excited to introduce more of our creations in US soon – Koka Purple Wheat noodles in 3 new recipes, Chilli & Lime, Soy & Vinegar and Aglio Olio.

TRR: People here add all sorts of things to their instant noodles. What was a surprise to me was how shocked so many are at the concept of adding eggs to them. How are Koka noodles and your other varieties enjoyed in Singapore?

THF: Adding sliced hard boiled eggs to Curry and Singapore Laksa noodles is delicious although they are appetizing enough on their own. We also suggest that adding some shredded chicken breast or just chopped coriander to Koka Chicken would greatly enhance the taste and wholesomeness of the meal. In general, a handful of semi-cooked crunchy bean sprout added to the noodles is always enjoyable with that extra contrast of texture to the bite. If ‘fried shallot’ is readily available in supermarkets like in Singapore, it’s great to top up as garnishes for almost any noodle dish. Of course in Singapore chilli is another favourite commonly used, as well as fish cake, fish ball and sausages too.

TRR: I asked readers of the blog to pose some questions you might be able to shed light on – here are some of them:

Any plans to spread the distribution to other EU countries? – Denis P., Slovenia

THF: Not sure at this stage.

Why is it so hard to find your noodles in Canada? – Anonymous

THF: Please write to us at [email protected] and we can advise you based on your location.

(I would like to know) what flavour of instant noodles they cannot imagine making? – Cindy C., UK

THF: This is an interesting question because all the time we are only thinking about what CAN we create next.

TRR: Again, thank you very much for the opportunity to ask you some questions!

Well, that’s it! Thanks again to Tat Hui Foods, James Parr at Khong Guan and those who sent in questions! There will be another fun Meet The Manufacturer coming soon!