Here’s a spin on the fire noodle – a cook in bag noodle with rice. Definitely something different, that’s for sure! I mean, it’s one thing to copy something, but this isn’t that – it’s unique and hopefully really good – let’s find out!
EasyBab Hot Chicken Flavor Noodles And Rice – South Korea
Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, remove sachet and fill to line with boiling water. Close for 2 1/2 minute. Drain using side tear. Add in sauce. Finally, stir and enjoy!
The inside of the bag – note the noodle block and rice.
The wet sachet containing the sauce. Watch the Instant Noodle Recipe Time video to see this being used.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added sesame seeds, spring onion, barbecue pork, and soft egg. Noodles and rice hydrate really well in 2 1/2 minutes and are of cook quality – not soggy or mushy. The flavor is a just slightly muted heat version of the fire noodle sauce and works incredibly well. Definitely one to garnish but without garnish it’s 3.75 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 8809275313028.
Today, we have one that was part of Japan Crate’s Umai Crate. So Japan Crate is a subscription service which has all sorts of different options for you. pretty neat stuff from Japan! There’s a coupon code for you too – just use THERAMENRATER to get a special discount at check out.
So here’s what the folks at Japan Crate had to say about this variety -“Enjoy the two worlds of hot and sour with tom yum this season. With notes of pakuchi (coriander) and lemongrass, this Japanese take on Thai fried noodles will leave your stomach full and taste buds satisfied.”
Alright – so they recommend bacon with this. I’m going to take the leap and go with chashu. Let’s give it a try!
Nagatanien Tom Yum Kung Rice Vermicelli – Japan
Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Unsure but probably contains shrimp. To prepare, add vermicelli to a skillet with 200ml boiling water and cook 3 minutes. Add in liquid base. Stir and enjoy!
The vermicelli.
A wet sachet.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added scallions, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, black sesame seeds and habanero togarashi. The vermicelli came out pretty well – very thin and a nice chew. I liked also the fact that they were in semi-short lengths, making them easier to manage with a fork from the outset. The flavor was definitely a Japanese take on a Thai tom yum as it definitely was different. A lot of sweetness here and some lemongrass. It just didn’t rub me the right way. 2.0 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4902388014890.
Here’s one I found over at Waroeng Jajanan, the amazing Indonesian store on 99 in Edmonds. If you’re in Washington state and interested in anything Indonesian entering your stomach, go there. Trust me on this.
This is a rice noodle soup. You might recognize kweitiau from char kway teow (Malay) – Kuah means soup. Ayam bawang? Onion chicken. Let’s do this!
Burung Layang Terbang Kweitiau Kuah Rasa Ayam Bawang – Indonesia
Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, add noodles to a pot of boiling water and cook 3~3 1/2 minutes. Drain. Add in 200~250ml boiling water and sachet contents. Finally, stir and enjoy!
The rice noodle block.
A dry dual sachet.
Powder base with chili powder on top.
A wet sachet.
A seasoned oil.
Another dry sachet.
Leek.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added soft egg, tofu pok, coriander, baked chicken, fried onion and Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts. The noodles are indeed wheat noodles and have a broad thin nature – floppy is the right term, and honestly, they’re very good. The broth has a lot of MSG taste to it, but with the broth it works very well. 3.5 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 8996788711530.
Got an email from Blount Fine Foods the other day about a new product they’ve got – Beef Pho! It was packed on ice and sent overnight – so I had to open it as quickly as possible. Let’s check it out!
New Beef Pho From Blount – United states
Thank you going to Blount for sending this along! Reviews forthcoming!
Found this one up at Osaka market at Yaohan Centre in Richmond, B C. I’ve always been a fan of Chikin ramen – it quite literally was the second instant noodle I tried as a kid. I’ve never had it like this, though! So this is an instant rice, but it has chikin ramen flavor. Let’s take a look at this crossover.
Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Contains pork, chicken and seafood. The prepare, add boiling water to fill line and cover for 4 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!
Finished (click to enlarge). This didn’t come out as I expected whatsoever. I expected a cup of fluffy rice and a nice flavoring and bits here and there. This was more along the lines of a rice soup – rice in a Chikin Ramen broth. While not bad, not my favorite. The rice was a little flat – seemed like it should have hydrated further. The broth had that nice Chikin Ramen taste which I enjoyed. The included bits were throughout and hydrated well;. 3.25 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4902105945568.
Alright so when I found this up at China World in Richmond, BC, I was curious. ‘What’s this torpid all about, anyway?’ Well, Thanks to my friend Kyle, that’s been cleared up. It’s a really bad translation. This really should be Sichuan Spicy Flavor. As far as torpid goes, here’s the definition –
tor·pid tôrpəd/ adjective
mentally or physically inactive; lethargic. “we sat around in a torpid state”
Spicy and lethargic beef flavor? Yummy! Translation is a seriously tough thing. It’s definitely an uphill battle for me – Google is of very little help. I’ve been asked in the past by companies what I would call a product and helped them with translating and making it sound like a good name for something sold in the west. I think that would be a neat job – helping companies with western translations. So I guess if you need help with someone proofreading a packaging bound to be on products for the west, contact me maybe I can help. Alright – let’s do up some spicy beef vermicelli!
Chencun The Flavours Of Yunnan China Torpid & Peppery Beef – China
Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, add boiling water to fill line and sachet contents as well. Cover for 508 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!
Finished (click to enlarge). Added spring onion. The rice noodle hydrated really well and ended up the perfect chew – just the way I like it. The noodles and broth worked together in harmony. The broth, with it’s deep red color and Sichuan peppercorn and beef taste has a nice oiliness and richness to it. 4.5 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 6911754102589.
My father had a full set of the Oxford English Dictionary. I remember looking in one of the volumes and just flipping to a random page, looking at the ceiling and dropping my finger on a spot. One time, I found the word nothing – which refereed to something called a nithing post. A nothing post would be erected in someone’s yard – someone who wouldn’t share their meat.
Okay so a week or so ago I got a big package from Prima Taste over in Singapore (thanks again!) – full of tasty stuff! Well, last Sunday I ended up getting the worst stomach flu I think I’ve ever had and it was really crummy. Really did a number on med and put me in bed a few days. This was not from what they sent – let’s make that clear – the stomach flu ios going around. Well, once the clouds started to lift, I was hungry. Didn’t want to do anything spicy and something tasty. My wife made me this Prima Juzz’s Mee with some hard boiled egg and cut up breaded chicken (yeah they’re chicken nuggets – we have kids and hey it’s protein so don’t give me any guff) and some instant rice thrown in there too.
Here it is (click to enlarge)! It was super good and I think from here on out this is my new go-to for when I’m under the weather. I really like it, but I think you can understand that I hope I don’t have to eat it again any time soon – unless I’m just hungry! I should note that Juzz’s Mee Creamy Chicken was on The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time list a year or two ago – super good stuff you should try! Here’s the original review.
While I’m at it, I tried these yesterday – I’ve tried the other Ready Meal varieties they have in the past and was really looking forward to giving this one a spin.
Here’s how it looks after a 90 second spin in the microwave (click to enlarge). It’s ultra good – decent amount of chicken and really tasty! I wish these were available in the United States – it’s a real shame it isn’t. I will say though if you dig and dig you might be able to find it. Some people I’ve been talking to lately have been really amazing me with their resourcefulness in looking high and low for foreign food products I’d never think could be found here or shipped here – and lo and behold, they are and they do! Thanks to Prima Taste for sending these along! I’m feeling better and enjoying food again.
Today, we have one that was part of Japan Crate’s Umai Crate. So Japan Crate is a subscription service which has all sorts of different options for you. pretty neat stuff from Japan! There’s a coupon code for you too – just use THERAMENRATER to get a special discount at check out.
So here’s what the folks at Japan Crate had to say about this variety – “Kenko Foods is back with a healthy ramen to enjoy! Genmai ramen is made from brown rice which offers the fiber and benefits of the whole grain but the delicious taste of ramen.”
Alright – Genmai ramen time! Let’s go!
Kenko Foods Genmai Ramen – Japan
Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Unsure whether it contains meat but guessing it has fish. To prepare, add noodle block to 500ml boiling water and cook 2~3 minutes. Add in sachet contents. Finally, stir and enjoy!
The noodle block. You can see little dark flecks throughout from the rice.
The powder base sachet.
A fluffy concoction.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added Salad Cosmo organic mung bean sprouts, spring onion, narutomaki, corn and shichimi togarashi. I didn’t expect to enjoy these noodles as much I did, to be honest. They’re very hearty and chewy which is a big plus in my book. The broth was pretty good – Kind of a miso thing going on – not bad at all. 4.5 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4973044020067.
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.
Here’s another left from the Tat Hui Meet The Manufacturer from earlier this year. I’ve had a lot of pho instant varieties over the years and to be honest, I’ve liked only a couple of them, so I’m really hoping this is one I’ll like.
Pho restaurants are very popular here in the United States – they’re everywhere! Here’s a little about pho from Wikipedia –
Phở or pho[1] (pronounced variously as /fɜːr/, /fʌ/, or /foʊ/;[2] Vietnamese: [fəː˧˩˧] (listen)) is a Vietnamese noodle soup consisting of broth, rice noodles called bánh phở, a few herbs, and meat, primarily made with either beef or chicken[3].[4] Pho is a popular street food in Vietnam[5] and the specialty of a number of restaurant chains around the world. Pho originated in the early 20th century in northern Vietnam, and was popularized throughout the rest of the world by refugees after the Vietnam War. Because pho’s origins are poorly documented,[6][7] there is significant disagreement over the cultural influences that led to its development in Vietnam, as well as the etymology of the word itself.[8] The Hanoi and Saigon styles of pho differ by noodle width, sweetness of broth, and choice of herbs. A related noodle soup, bún bò Huế, is associated with Huế in central Vietnam.
Alright – let’s check this one out.
KOKA Silk Instant Rice Fettucine Chicken Pho Flavor – Singapore
Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). To prepare, cook fettuccine in 400ml boiling water for 2 minutes. Add in sachet contents. Finally, stir and enjoy!
The fettuccine in its own package.
A dual sachet.
Powder base.
Oil.
The garnish sachet.
Onion, coriander and chilli flake.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added baked chicken, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, coriander and Huy Fong sriracha sauce. The fettuccine comes out very well – slippery stuff but not entirely mushy. The broth has an onion and chicken flavor with notes of cinnamon and anise. The garnish was the real seller for me – the onion, coriander and chilli flakes really went a long way to wrap this dish all to gether. 4.0 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 8888056801107.
Here’s one I found at PriceSmart Foods up in Richmond, BC in July 2017. They had a ton of these and they sounded interesting. These are from Hong Kong – not a place I would think of when it comes to laksa. Here’s a little about laksa from Wikipedia –
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.[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][11]
Various recipes of laksas have gained popularity in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia; and subsequently international recognition. Initially in July 2011, CNN Travel ranked Penang Asam Laksa 7th out of the 50 most delicious foods in the world.[12] Its rank however, fell to number 26th after CNN held an online poll by 35,000 people, published in September 2011.[13] Singaporean Curry Laksa on the other hand ranked in number 44th.[13]
In Indonesia, laksa is one of the traditional comfort foods; the spicy warm noodle soup is much appreciated during cold rainy days. However, its popularity is somewhat overshadowed by soto, a similar hearty warm soup dish, which is often consumed with rice instead of noodles. In modern households, it is common practice to mix and match the recipes of laksas; if traditional laksa noodle is not available, Japanese udon noodles might be used instead
Alright – let’s check out this variety from Hong Kong!
Sau Tao Laksa Flavour Ho Fan – Hong Kong
A big and hard to remove distributor/import sticker (click to enlarge).
Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Contains shrimp. To prepare, add in all sachets and boiling water to fill line. Cover and let steep for… Yeah – no instructions. Great. I’m going to go with 3 minutes and give it a look and if that’s not enough to hydrate the rice noodles, 5 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!
Finished (click to enlarge). Added fishball, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, egg , spring onion, and fried onion. The noodles are thin and broad with a little more chew than I expected for a rice noodle, however, not an unwelcome one. The broth was good however I think that the amount of water required due to the fill line position was just way too much and what could have been a stronger curry broth was neutered by dilution which makes me sad. 3.0 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 087303866793.
This is the third of the rice vermicelli (bihun) varieties that MyKuali has come out with in cups. I was very surprised yesterday – happily so. They now have them at the 99 Ranch store near me – all of their pack range, the rice vermicelli bowls and the cup versions as well. Pretty surprised to see them actually – but it’s a good thing since it seems Malaysian flavors are really making a big punch into the outer world.
As you might remember, MyKuali’s Penang White Curry wheat noodle version was #1 on the top ten list in 2014. As for the rice vermicelli varieties, they hit #1 and #2 of my top ten rice noodles for 2017 with their Hokkien OPrawn and Tom Yum varieties. Let’s have a look at this one!
MyKuali Penang White Curry Rice Vermicelli Soup – Malaysia
Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Contains prawn. To prepare, add all four sachets to the bowl and add 400ml boiling water. Put lid on and steep for 4 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!
Finished (click to enlarge). Added spring onion, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, fishball and tofu puff. The vermicelli came out just right – good hydration in the time specified. As usual, I did a couple of cross cuts with a pair of kitchen scissors to make them more manageable with a fork. The broth is thick and luxuriant. It’s very dark and has a strong garlic overtone. When I first tried their white curry in 2013, it was much different. It definitely had less garlic and although I love garlic, it kind of gives everything a kind of monotone hit which really bums me out. Howver, there’s a lot to it and it’s as rich as can be. It’s still one of my favorite flavors though. The included garnish hydrated well – chives and chilli. 4.75 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 9555655005333.
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