Tag Archives: stew

#2620: Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun Stew

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Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun Stew - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

This is the only variety of Samyang Foods’ Buldak Bokkeummyun series to have a broth. Spicy chicken stew sounds good, and it is – at least the pack version was really good. There are usually some differences between packs and bowls. Mainly, bowls are almost always steeped, so the noodles may come out a little different than being continuously boiled. Also, bowls sometimes have extra ingredient sachets. Let’s give this one a try and check out this super spicy variety!

Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun Stew – South Korea

Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun Stew - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, add the noodle block, and sachets as well as boiling water to fill line. Cover and let steep for 5 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!

Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun Stew - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

Detail of the lid (click to enlarge).

Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun Stew - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

The noodle block.

Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun Stew - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

A dry base sachet.

Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun Stew - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

Some veggies and a lot of powder.

Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun Stew - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

The liquid base sachet.

Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun Stew - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

Thick and smells spicy.

Finished (click to enlarge). Added baked chicken, spring onion, and Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts. I really liked the noodles – broad and flat. The broth is thick and has a nice and strong spiciness, however personally I would consider this one by far the least spiciest of the Buldak Bokkeummyun range. It has a hot and kind of sweet taste to it which was fun. 3.75 out of 5.0 stars.  EAN bar code 8801073211032.

Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun Stew - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

Samyang Hit Spicy Chicken Hot Ramen noodle Buldak Variety 10 pack (2 each:Hek Nuclear,Original,Cheese,Curry,S t e w  Type) + (4) Mixx Snack Boxx Chopstick

Here’s a cooking video for this one with a tip at the end

Meet The Manufacturer: #2410: Mama Pat’s Lamb Stew Flavor Instant Ramen Noodles

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Meet The Manufacturer: #2410: Mama Pat's Lamb Stew Flavor Instant Ramen Noodles - United States - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

Today, it’s lamb stew! So I really never have had lamb stew, nor really cooked lamb very often. I thought though I ought to at least make an attempt, and so today I’m going to sous vide up some lamb to go along with the noodles. But as for stew, let’s see what wikipedia has to say:

A stew is a combination of solid foodingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables (such as carrots, potatoes, onions, beans, peppers and tomatoes) or meat, especially tougher meats suitable for slow-cooking, such as beef. Poultry, sausages, and seafood are also used. While water can be used as the stew-cooking liquid, wine, stock, and beer are also common. Seasoning and flavourings may also be added. Stews are typically cooked at a relatively low temperature (simmered, not boiled), allowing flavors to mingle.

Okay yeah that’s what I kind of though. What was interesting though is that they have a huge list of kinds of stew to check out. So let’s dig in!

Mama Pat’s Lamb Stew Flavor Instant Ramen Noodles – United States

Meet The Manufacturer: #2410: Mama Pat's Lamb Stew Flavor Instant Ramen Noodles - United States - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, add noodle block to 2 cups of boiling water and cook for 3 minutes. Take off heat and add sachet contents and let sit for 1 minute. Stir and enjoy! To make the fruit drink: add sachet contents to 8 ounces water (I’m going with cold water). Finally, stir and enjoy!

Meet The Manufacturer: #2410: Mama Pat's Lamb Stew Flavor Instant Ramen Noodles - United States - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

The noodle block.

Meet The Manufacturer: #2410: Mama Pat's Lamb Stew Flavor Instant Ramen Noodles - United States - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

The soup base sachet.

Meet The Manufacturer: #2410: Mama Pat's Lamb Stew Flavor Instant Ramen Noodles - United States - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

A light powder.

Meet The Manufacturer: #2410: Mama Pat's Lamb Stew Flavor Instant Ramen Noodles - United States - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

The vegetables sachet.

Meet The Manufacturer: #2410: Mama Pat's Lamb Stew Flavor Instant Ramen Noodles - United States - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

A nice little mixture.

Meet The Manufacturer: #2410: Mama Pat's Lamb Stew Flavor Instant Ramen Noodles - United States - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

The included drink mix sachet.

Meet The Manufacturer: #2410: Mama Pat's Lamb Stew Flavor Instant Ramen Noodles - United States - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

The drink (click to enlarge)! Definitely lemonade. Has a decent tart and sweet kind of taste to it.

Finished (click to enlarge). Added a lamb chop I cooked with a sous vide immersion cooker with crushed garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper at 140 degrees for 2 hours, thin carrot, sweet onion and black pepper. The noodles yet again hydrated very well. Indeed, the quantity is great and they have a soft tooth. The broth was a slightly peppery, savory one. Reminded me of the flavor of a something that stewed in a crockpot, yet with a light thin texture. 3.75 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 728028430943.

Best Stews in the World: 300 Satisfying One-Dish Dinners, from Chilis and Gumbos to Curries and Cassoulet

A neat video about Mama’s Pat Foods with Chef Ron.

The Definitive Guide To Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun

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Samyang Foods Carbe Buldak Bokkeummyun

THE RAMEN RATER SPICY PACK! CHECK IT OUT HERE!

I started doing top ten lists over 5 years ago. So one list that’s been increasingly popular over the years has been The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Spiciest Instant Noodles Of All Time series. Debate over which is hotter than the other has been going on for a very long time. Finally, one thing’s for sure, South Korean varieties dominate this list.

The Definitive Guide To Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun

One variety that has captivated the world is Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun. The ‘Fire Noodle Challenge’ is something of legend; people will try to eat a bowl of the spicy noodles as fast as they can and then (usually in a YouTube video), the reaction to the heat is seen, ranging from silence to screaming, calmness to dripping sweat. 

The viral mania of this challenge has finally prompted me to release a special series on the varieties and some info on them you might not know. I have included a boatload of information in this post – check out the video as well as all the information below it!

  • UPDATE: 12/21/2018 – Added new 10,000SHU Hek Buldak Bokkeummyun & Buldak Bokkeummyun Gyoza Dumplings
  • UPDATE: 4/1/2018 – Added Jjang Buldak Bokkeummyun and Squid Snack
  • UPDATE: 1/8/2018 – Added Carbo Buldak Bokkeummyun
  • UPDATE – 12.18.2017 – Mala is NOT 4x Spicy  !!
  • UPDATE – 09.07.2017 – Added Buldak Bokkeummyun Mala variety

Video Presentation

This is a presentation I’ve made including lots of informational as well as me taking down a bowl of the 2x Spicy noodles.

Varieties

HOT Chicken Flavor Ramen / 불닭볶음면 / Buldak Bokkueummyun / Launch 2012.4.16 / SHU 4,404

The original ‘Fire Noodle.’ This comes in packs, bowls and cups. The bowls are commonly used in the popular YouTube ‘Fire Noodle Challenge’ videos. Full review

HOT Chicken Flavor Ramen Cheese / 치즈불닭볶음면 / Cheese Buldak Bokkueummyun Launch 2016.3 / SHU 2,323

Significantly less fiery than the original Buldak Bokkeummyun, the cheese version includes a sachet of cheese powder. Available in pack, cup and bowl. Originally was sold in packs with a black background, however people mistook it for the original version. A more ‘cheese colored’ background was then chosen. Full review

HOT Chicken Flavor Ramen Stew Type / 불닭볶음탕면 / Buldak Bokkueumtangmyun Launch 2016.8 / SHU 4,705

The ‘Stew Type’ has (you guessed it) broth. These are available in packs and bowls. I have seen many people make the original variety incorrectly and enjoy it as a soup, but this one is meant to have a broth. Full review

HOT Chicken Flavor Ramen Cool/Ice Type / 쿨불닭볶음면 / Cool/Ice Buldak Bokkueummyun Launch 2016.8 / SHU 4,404

I believe this is only available in packs. Originally called ‘Cool,’ the folks at Samyang decided it might be a good idea to market it as ‘Ice’ outside of South Korea so nobody got confused. Full review

2X Spicy HOT Chicken Flavor Ramen / 핵불닭볶음면 / Hack Buldak Bokkueummyun / Launch 2016.1 / SHU 8,808

A double-spicy version of original Buldak Bokkeummyun. These are available in packs and bowls. They mention that they are a ‘limited edition,’ but I couldn’t find out when they would be discontinued. Full review

HOT Chicken Flavor Ramen Curry / 커리불닭볶음면 / Curry Buldak Bokkueummyun   Launch 2016.12 / SHU 3,810

The most recent (as of this guide’s release) is Curry. It is available in packs and bowls. Less spicy than the original Buldak Bokkeummyun, it has a nice curry flavor to it. Full review

MALA BULDAK BOKKEUMMYEON (HOT CHICKEN FLAVOR RAMEN MALA) 

Mala Buldak Bokkeummyun is NOT 4x Spicy !!

SPECIAL STATEMENT AS OF 12/19/2017: It has come to my attention that many places/people are under the impression that this variety is considered to be ‘Samyang Foods 4x Spicy Buldak Bokkeummyun.’ This is definitely NOT the case. Original Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun is 4,404SHU, 2x Spicy is 8,706SHU. I have been informed by Samyang Foods that Samyang Foods Mala Buldak Bokkeummyun is 2,700SHU – which is far less spicy than the original Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun. Sellers claiming this product as Samyang Foods 4x Spicy Buldak Bokkeummyun – this is misleading and untrue. I’ve mentioned in the past that I would love to try a Samyang Foods 4x Spicy Buldak Bokkeummyun, however NO SUCH PRODUCT EXISTS at the time of this update.
This is a differentiated ‘Mala(numbing and spicy)’ flavor of BULDAK BOKKEUMMYEON(HOT CHICKEN FLAVOR RAMEN).
It features a spicy numbing stir-fry noodle with Chinese ‘Mala’ sauce.
It’s a combination of numbing spicy taste and the original flavor of Hot Chicken. This one has some spiciness from Sichuan pepper to appeal to Chinese tastes. Full review

 

Carbo HOT Chicken Flavor / Carbo Buldak Bokkeummyun ‘ SHU 2,600 * Launched December 2017

Carbo is a variety celebrating the billionth serving of Buldak Bokkeummyun sold. At first, the thought crossed my mind that Carbo was referring to lower carbs; a health conscious version perhaps. This is actually short for carbonara. I asked the company about whether is contained pork or was HALAL. As of January 8th, 2018, it is not HALAL certified but will be soon. Also, neither this nor any of the Buldak Bokkeummyun range contains pork or pork products as mentioned by the company. Full review here

Jjajang HOT Chicken Flavor / Jjajang Buldak Bokkeummyun – SHU 1,920 * Launched March 2018

Jjajang debuted March of 2018. It is on the lower end of the spectrum as far as spiciness goes in the Buldak Bokkeummyun series, however it has a very good flavor. Jjajang is a spicy black bean sauce and this one also includes vegetables such as peas. Here’s the full review and a mukbang video.

Korean Updated 2X Spicy HOT Chicken Flavor Ramen / 핵불닭볶음면 / Hack Buldak Bokkueummyun / Launch 2018.12 / SHU 10,000

Recently I saw something about a new Buldak Bokkeummyun in the Korean Samyang Foods instagram. I asked about it and was told it was just coming back. What? Well, the 2x was advertised as for a ‘limited time’ and apparently, it was in South Korea. They brough it back December 3rd, 2018 – however this time it’s 10,000 SHU. This link will take you to the review which contains unboxing, cooking, mukbang, and a special holiday recipe.

SNACKS

Hot Chicken Ramen Snack / 부셔먹는 라면스낵불닭 / Busyeomeongneun Ramyeonseunaek
Buldak / Launch 2016.6

Snack noodles in South Korea are very popular. These are crushed while still in the bag and then the sachet is taken out and sprinkled into the bag. The bag is closed and then you shake it to disperse the flavor. Alternately, there is a cooking instruction on the package as well. Full review

ZZALDDUCK SNACK / 짤떡 / Zzaldduck / Launch 2014.12

These are short tubes with a crunchy texture. They have a sweet and spicy character to them much like a very light Buldak Bokkeummyun seasoning. They resemble macaroni or penne pasta. Full review

Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun Hot Chicken Flavor Squid

Dried squid is a popular Asian snack and this variety packs the heat of original Buldak Bokkeummyun. Here’s the full review.

Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun Hot Chicken Flavor Gyoza Dumpling

U heard about this one and was very interested. I found out it was available north of the border in Canada. We go there pretty often, but it took searching on four trips to find it. These are frozen section spicy little dumplings full of Buldak Bokkeummyun spiciness and flavor. They pretty good and I did this review where I paired them with the Stew Type – check it out!

 

Correct Preparation Of Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun

1) Put the noodles and flakes into 600ml boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.
2) Please remove the water from noodles (reserve 8 spoons of water (120ml = 15ml * 8 or 1/2 cup)) and put liquid soup Into noodles, stir-fry 30 seconds.
3) Add flakes, stir well, and serve.

Interview

I was fortunate to be able to interview Amelia Kwak / Overseas sales support team / Brand manager on the subject of Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun line of products.

THE RAMEN RATER> How did you originally come to decide to produce a super spicy instant noodle?

SAMYANG FOODS> Kim Jung-Su, the president of our company, noticed people crowded in a restaurant which served spicy chickens and had an idea to develop a new stir-type of instant noodle. Our marketing and R&D team tried more than 1,200 spicy chicken dishes and 2 tons of spicy sauce to find deliciously spicy tastes. We finally discovered the best portion of spicy sauce and launched ‘Buldak Bokkeummyun’.

TRR> What about the risks in producing a product that many will not be able to handle due to spicy level?

SAMYANG FOODS> Actually, Koreans like spicy tastes so we thought there’s customer needs of spicy ramen so we thought many people like it. However, overseas consumers can’t eat spicy food well, thus we were a little worried about it. Despite of that problem, overseas people also like Buldak. In my opinion, they seem to enjoy the challenge and relieve their stress when they try it.

TRR> What does Buldak Bokkeummyun mean; what is Korean spicy chicken like?

SAMYANG FOODS> It means a Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen. ‘Bulkdak’ means spicy chicken and ‘Bokkeummyun’ means stirred type of noodles. Korean spicy chicken is literally spicy chicken. In Korea, many restaurants usually cook it with very hot flavor adding red pepper, which is more spicy than general Korean food. So, it is hard to eat even for Korean. We added noodle on hot chicken flavor, so we could make characteristic noodle.

TRR> How did the Fire Noodle Challenge originate?

SAMYANG FOODS> Due to extremely spicy taste, Buldak Bokkeummyun mania were formed at first. Then, diverse recipe has been introduced by them, and spread through some Social Network Service channel especially on YOUTUBE. Also, extremely spicy taste has been issued by the public. Based on this issue, people are still challenging to eat it worldwide.

TRR> Did you expect the level of popularity of this super spicy product?

SAMYANG FOODS> We strongly believed the success of “Buldak Bokkuemmyun” because there had been no this kind of stirred type of instant noodles until 2012. We thought many people who like spicy tastes would be addicted to that tastes as our product is characterized in deliciously spicy.

TRR> How do you measure the SHU – is there a special test and how is the number calculated?

SAMYANG FOODS> SHU is a measurement of the spicy heat of chili peppers. Our R&D center analyzes the component of capsaicin and dehydrocapsaicin which cause spicy tastes in liquid soup. Then, we calculate SHU by standard equation.

TRR> Can you detail exactly how you figure out the SHU a little more? Is spectrometry used? What is the standard formula you mentioned?

SAMYANG FOODS> As I told you, SHU (Scoville Heat Unit) is a measurement of the spicy heat of chili peppers. First, we measure the concentration of capsaicin and dehydrocapsacin by using the HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography). Then, we measure scoville heat units by using the equation below. (Although there is no official rule of calculating SHU, we have used the equation which is generally used.)

SHU = ( Dehydrocapsacin conc. X 0.82 + Capsacin conc. ) X 16
※ Concentration unit = μg/g

TRR> The chicken character has changed from it’s original look. Does the chicken have a name and can you tell a little more about the mascot?
SAMYANG FOODS> Name: HOCHI
Birthday : April 13
Character

  • Addicted to spicy taste.
  • Full of confidence and motivation, but whimsical
    Features:
  • Having the worst fashion sense and dreaming of being a food stylist.
  • A poorly proportioned body
  • Poor at housekeeping
  • Can eat five packs of HOT Chicken Flavor Ramen at a time.

TRR> There have been a lot of people cooking the original Buldak Bokkeummyun with soup instead of as a dry stir noodle. What are the official cooking instructions for cooking the original Buldak Bokkeummyun on the package (for those who can’t read Korea)?

SAMYANG FOODS> Dry stir noodle type is our official cooking instruction
Below is our instruction appeared in our packing material.

1) Put the noodles and flakes into 600ml boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.
2) Please remove the water from noodles(remain 8 spoon of water) and put liquid soup Into noodles, stir-fry 30 seconds.
3) Add flakes, stir well, and serve.

TRR> Exactly how many mL 8 spoons of water are?

SAMYANG FOODS> 8 table spoon of water would be approximately 120ml. (15ml per spoon)

TRR> Other than the container, is there a difference between the pack version and the bowl versions?

SAMYANG FOODS> There is little differences in ingredients because we tried best to minimize those differences. However, you can notice small differences because of cooking method. In a case of bowl type, Stir time is skipped so it’s more spicy than pack version. Actually, noodles release starch during stir time so, spicy taste is relatively relived

TRR> Are there new Buldak Bokkeummyun varieties coming soon? Can you share what they might be?

SAMYANG FOODS> We have launched new Buldak Bokkeummyun series. One is Curry Buldak Bokkeummyun (HOT Chicken Flavor Ramen Curry) and other is Hack Buldak Bokkeummyun (2X spicy Hot Chicken flavor Ramen).

Curry Buldak : In curry Bulkdak, taste of curry and original Buldak have been well balanced. However, it is only for foreign consumers, not be sold in Korea yet.

Hack Buldak : Hack Buldak’s SHU is twice as spicy in comparison to buldak. It is a limited edition so we recommend you to try it. I guess it is the most spicy instant noodle in the world.

THE RAMEN RATER> Thank you for giving my readers the opportunity to find out more about the Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun range!

Nomenclature/Translation/Timeline

Ther Definitive Guide To Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun

This list (click to enlarge) was supplied by Samyang Foods.

Mascot

Name: HOCHI (click image to enlarge)
Birthday : April 13
Character

  • Addicted to spicy taste.
  • Full of confidence and motivation, but whimsical
    Features:
  • Having the worst fashion sense and dreaming of being a food stylist.
  • A poorly proportioned body
  • Poor at housekeeping
  • Can eat five packs of HOT Chicken Flavor Ramen at a time.

I want to thank all the great people at Samyang Foods to make this special feature possible, especially Amelia, Taehoon and Joey who helped with making this special series possible. They sent samples and answered so many questions I’ve posed to them kindly.

I also want to thank Colin, a reader from Massachusetts who originally sent me the Ice Type for review, 1theKorea, an eBay seller who was very helpful in sourcing varieties and helping greatly. Moreover, you can find many South Korean instant varieties in his store. Anders and Ji-Min, readers from South Korea for sending some great varieties. Finally, I would like to thank my son Andreas for being so adventurous at the age of 11 to try the 2x spicy. Indeed, spicy food has never been his thing and he ate a big bite and survived! You can see part of the video with us trying the Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun 2x Spicy in the end credits of the above video and our full video in the Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun 2x Spicy review.

#2365: Samyang Foods Stew Buldak Bokkeumtangmyun

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#2423: Samyang Foods Stew Buldak Bokkeumtangmyun - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - 불닭볶음탕면 - fire noodle challenge

Part Of The Ramen Rater’s Definitive Guide To Buldak Bokkeummyun

HOT Chicken Flavor Ramen Stew Type / 불닭볶음탕면 / Buldak Bokkueumtangmyun

Launch 2016.8 / SHU 4,705

This one came by way of eBay seller 1theKorea – they’ve got all sorts of neat South Korean varieties, and lots of the spicy ones that aren’t the easiest to find or are unavailable in the USA.

Since the advent of the Fire Noodle Challenge, I’ve seen many, many people making the original variety with broth. In fact, the original (and all others beside stew) are dry noodles, meaning all but a scant amount of liquid is drained off of the noodles, and then seasonings added and stirred in. I’ve been curious about this one; I wonder if it’s kind of like what they were making or if it’s something different altogether. So let’s crack open this pack and see what’s inside!

Samyang Foods Stew Buldak Bokkeumtangmyun – South Korea

#2423: Samyang Foods Stew Buldak Bokkeumtangmyun - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - 불닭볶음탕면 - fire noodle challenge

Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, add the liquid sachet to 500ml boiling water and bring to a boil. Add the noodle block and cook for 5 minutes. Add in dry sachet. Finally, stir and enjoy!

#2423: Samyang Foods Stew Buldak Bokkeumtangmyun - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - 불닭볶음탕면 - fire noodle challenge

The noodle block.

#2423: Samyang Foods Stew Buldak Bokkeumtangmyun - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - 불닭볶음탕면 - fire noodle challenge

A dry sachet.

#2423: Samyang Foods Stew Buldak Bokkeumtangmyun - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - 불닭볶음탕면 - fire noodle challenge

A powder with bits of vegetable.

#2423: Samyang Foods Stew Buldak Bokkeumtangmyun - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - 불닭볶음탕면 - fire noodle challenge

The liquid sachet.

#2423: Samyang Foods Stew Buldak Bokkeumtangmyun - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - 불닭볶음탕면 - fire noodle challenge

Spicy stuff!

#2423: Samyang Foods Stew Buldak Bokkeumtangmyun - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - 불닭볶음탕면 - fire noodle challenge

Finished (click to enlarge). Added chicken massaged with gochujang, drizzled with sesame chilli oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper and baked at 375 for 45 minutes. The noodles are indicative of the trend in South Korean instants – thicker and wider. Good quantity and chew. The broth was pretty exciting stuff. Indeed it was spicy – less so than the others – but it also had a tasty sweetness. Moreover, it was thick but not overly oily. Definitely tied everything together well. Very impressed. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars.  EAN bar code 8801073113329.

#2423: Samyang Foods Stew Buldak Bokkeumtangmyun - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - 불닭볶음탕면 - fire noodle challenge

Spicy Fried Chicken Ramen Noodles Stew Type 5.11 x5

The recipe for Samyang Foods Stew Buldak Bokkeumtangmyun.

Spicy Korean Noodles From Anders & Ji-Min!

Comments

Spicy Korean Noodles From Anders & Ji-Min! - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - Instant noodles

I got an email a few weeks back asking if I’d tried the new 2x Spicy Buldak Bokkeummyun. I hadn’t and really wanted to. The email was sent by Anders and his girlfriend Ji-Min who live in South Korea and were kind enough to send some varieties along! Let’s see what’s inside!

Spicy Korean Noodles From Anders & Ji-Min! – South Korea

Spicy Korean Noodles From Anders & Ji-Min! - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - Instant noodles

Well packed!

Spicy Korean Noodles From Anders & Ji-Min! - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - Instant noodles

The beastly spicy (click to enlarge) 2x Spicy Haek Buldak Bokkeummyun!

Spicy Korean Noodles From Anders & Ji-Min! - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - Instant noodles

Check it out (click to enlarge)! South Korean version of Shin Ramyun and Shin Black by Nongshim!

Spicy Korean Noodles From Anders & Ji-Min! - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - Instant noodles

The Stew version of Buldak Bokkeummyun (click to enlarge).

Spicy Korean Noodles From Anders & Ji-Min! - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - Instant noodles

Finally (click to enlarge), we have Paldo’s foray into the super spicy chicken scene – Volcano Spicy Curry! Thanks to Anders & Ji-Min!!!

#1481: Master Kong Mushroom Stew Chicken Ramen

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Here’s one that was donated by a reader from Sweden! Thanks! It’s funny; you really can’t find any Master Kong noodles here in the United States which is a real bummer. They’re really good – hopefully they’ll be here at some point. What’s tough about Master Kong packs is that they don’t seem to say how much water to add in. For a pack this size, I’ve gone with 500ml before, so I’ll go with 500ml again.

Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge). Looks to contain chicken. To prepare, add noodle block and vegetable sachet to 500ml boiling water and cook for 4 minutes. Add in remaining sachet contents and stir. Enjoy!

The noodle block.

Dry powder soup base.

A very fine powder.

Seasoned oil.

Smells oily!

The solid ingredient sachet.

Vegetables and dehydrated chicken bits.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added grilled chicken, sweet onion and bell pepper. The noodles aren’t very chewy – they’re soft like comfort food geared noodles. Not to say that’s bad – they really work well in this context. They suck up the broth, which is decently thick and has a warm, cozy chicken flavor. There is a kind of off taste that’s meandering in the background though. The vegetables and chicken are very nice and have a good taste. 3.5 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 6900873711598.


Here’s a different bowl from Master Kong.

Meet The Manufacturer: #1386: Takamori Sukiyaki Style Noodle Stew

Comments

Well, we’re almost to the end of this Meet The Manufacturer. It’s been a really fun journey through all of these Japanese flavors. Today, I’m going to review a beefy sukiyaki udon stew! But what is sukiyaki? Let’s ask Wikipedia:

Sukiyaki (鋤焼?, or more commonly すき焼き) is a Japanese dish, of the soup or stew type, prepared and served in the nabemono (Japanese hot pot) style.

It consists of meat (usually thinly sliced beef) which is slowly cooked or simmered at the table, alongside vegetables and other ingredients, in a shallow iron pot in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin. Before being eaten, the ingredients are usually dipped in a small bowl of raw, beaten eggs.

Generally sukiyaki is a winter dish and it is commonly found at bōnenkai, Japanese year-end parties.

Well, it’s not Winter here anymore, but the temperature has gone down a bit. We had a couple 80+ degree days a week or so ago but today it’s dark and rainy. In fact, all the Springtime pollen from the trees is gathering around the storm drains – looks like a thick yellow soup! Let’s check this one out.

Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge). Probably contains beef. To prepare, bring 300ml water to a boil. While it’s getting to a boil, put the liquid sachet in to heat it. After boiling, take out the sachet. Add udon and cook for 2 minutes. Add sachet content and stir. Enjoy!

The noodle pouch.

Liquid soup base sachet.

Neat looking stuff!

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added sweet onion, sukiyaki beef and green onion. The noodles are excellent – soft but chewy and thick. The broth is really something – has a nice thickness to it and a sweet, salty and strong beef flavor. I can see why this is for the Winter – very stick to your ribs stuff! 4.5 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 4901959100291.

[AMAZONPRODUCTS asin=”B004AE20D2″]A hotpot is what you would use to make Sukiyaki.[/AMAZONPRODUCTS]

Wow this looks really good – making Sukiyaki in Japan.

#1364: Golden Wheat Korean Style Stew Pork Flavour Noodle Soup

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Today we have a big bowl of noodles! These were found up in Canada for my birthday trip – last year. I must say that the shelf life of instant noodles is really quite amazing and helpful – especially when I review one every day. I’ve got quite a lot of instant noodles here, which should be no surprise! I remember in November of 2012 – I was in a bit of a panic. I did a bunch of re-reviews and had a real problem finding new varieties. Then boom – found tons and got a bunch sent to me. Anyways, let’s have a look at this big pork bowl!

The side panels (click image to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, add sachet contents to bowl. Add boiling water to line and cover for 3-4 minutes. Uncover, stir and enjoy.

Detail of the lid.

An included fork!

The noodle block.

The powder soup base sachet.

You’re going to say ‘hey – this doesn’t look like powder!’ Well, over time, the powder can clump a bit – which really doesn’t hurt anything; there’s a little bit of moisture in the ingredients, and after a while, they tend to turn chunky.

The vegetables sachet.

A nice variety.

The liquid base sachet.

A thick paste.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added green onion, sauteed pork and sweet onion, and a little BonCabe Level 10 chilli seasoning. The noodles ended up being kind of spongy which was a big let down. The broth had a nice rich flavor and the veggies were quite good. Can’t get past the noodles though. 1.75 out of 5.0 stars. 6921555571668.

Here’s a recipe for Chinese pork stew.

#1202: Sugakiya Foods Udon Miso Stew

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Hey this looks really good! It’s a foggy day here and I can hear the ships out in the sea blowing their horns in the distance. Time for seafood! Let’s check this one out!

The back of the package (click image to enlarge). Looks like this one contains meat and seafood. So 500ml water for two minutes, add soup base sachet and cook two more.

A block of thick udon noodles.

Soup base sachet.

Has a miso and seafood scent.

Flake sachet.

Red pepper!

 

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added egg, Busan fish cake, kamaboko, sweet onion, and green onion. The noodles are very broad, thick and chewy. There’s plenty of them and they’re quite good in feel and texture. The broth has a miso and seafood flavor with a little thickness to it. 3.25 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 4901677000187.

A TV spot for Sugakiya Yakiudon.

#842: JML Instant Noodle Artificial Stew Beef Flavour

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Here’s a big bowl of noodles sent a while back by Michelle L. of New York. Stew beef sounds good to me!

Side panels (click image to enlarge).

A fork!


A good sized noodle block.

Powder seasoning.

Very light powder.

Paste packet.

Pretty thick stuff!

Veggie packet.

Looks like a nice smattering.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added a fried egg with some Krazy Mixed Up Salt, some red bell pepper, broccoli and onions, and a little roast beef I sauteed with a touch of Cavender’s All Purpose Greek Seasoning. Noodles are slightly spongy but all in all pretty good. The broth is really good – has a great beef flavor with just the right amount of oil. Veggies were decent. A nice big bowl of noodles! Well done! 3.75 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 6921555571866 – get it here.

One of the most awesome instant noodle commercials ever.

China: A Century Of Revolution documentary

#839: CJ CheilJedang Mild Bean Curd Stew

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Saw this at H Mart a while back and it piqued my curiosity. Was kind of pricy for a little cup – close to $3… Wonder what’s in there.

Here’s the export label.

Side panels (click image to enlarge).

A potato noodle block – yep it’s made of potatoes and pea starch! Looks more like a bird’s nest.

The veggie packet.

Lots of interesting pieces here – very large!

The liquid packet.

Thick liquid.

Finished. (click image to enlarge)  These noodles aren’t my cup of tea. They’re so slippery and hard to eat for me. Really thin and odd. Kind of like bean thread but even harder to break with your lips. The broth is interesting; has an odd heat and flavor. The bits and pieces of veggies and tofu are wonderful – unfortunately not enough for me to say I really like this stuff though. Would love to try a kimchi red broth version of this – could be good! 2.0 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 8801007189192 .

Neat CJ video

Another CJ spot

#773: Little Cook Instant Noodle TVP Stewed Pork Flavor

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Here’s another one that was sent in by Michelle L. of New York, New York – thanks again! TVP? What’s TVP? Well, I’ve had it quite a few times before. TVP stands for ‘textured vegetable protein’ and is basically fake meat. Usually you couldn’t get pork in a packet coming from Thailand into the states – fake pork on the other hand is doable.

The distributor’s label with nutrition facts.

A side panel – click to enlarge.

Part of the noodle block.

Powdered seasoning packet.

Powdered seasoning with what look to be bits of vegetables strewn in there.

The contents of the oil packet. Forgot to take a picture of the oil packet – it was clear and had the same triangle pattern as the powder packet.

In this big metallic packet is the textured vegetable protein.

I know, but you put ANYTHING in a clear bowl like this and it looks like cat food. It actually smells quite nice.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added some mixed veggies and a little kizami shoga (pickled ginger). The noodles are interesting; the word bulbous comes to mind. They’re a little wider with an interestingly puckered texture. Different and good. The broth has a nice pork taste and is reminiscent of a duck flavored instant I had before. The textured vegetable protein chunks are abundant and not too shabby, although they have a little more sponginess than I expected. Again, the duck I had before was closer to a real piece of meat than this was. All in all, not bad – quite a big bowl of noodles for a $1.59 cup! I liked it. 3.5 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 4710249000841 .

Old Thai commercial

Salvador Dali on Mike Wallace Interview – 1958