Got a call from the office at my apartment complex about a package…
Awesome! So Nongshim America had a contest around Easter on their Facebook Page and I was one of the winners!
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Got a call from the office at my apartment complex about a package…
Awesome! So Nongshim America had a contest around Easter on their Facebook Page and I was one of the winners!
The FedEx guy knocked on my window the other day with a package!
Holy cow – a flat of Neoguri and a flat of Chapagetti! I did a review of Chapaguri a couple weeks ago and to say thanks, they made sure I can make it whenever I like! Thanks!
A package from Scott A. over at Nissin Foods USA!
Scott recently traveled to Asia and brought some really neat varieties back for me! Notice that cup on the lower left? That’s a King Cup Noodle – it’s friggin’ huge! The trays on the right are a new line from Nissin Foods USA called Pan Asian Kitchen. Thanks!
Today is the last review of the Samyang Foods Meet The Manufacturer spotlight. Rest assured, there will definitely be more of their products reviewed in the future – I only do a maximum of 15 reviews in a row for a company during a Meet The Manufacturer and they sent more than 15, so lots of neat stuff coming! I want to thank Samyang Foods for their samples and everything else – really nice people!
So here in the US, this is simply called Assorted Vegetable – although I think the 60 Ingredients is definitely important. I’d love to know what all of the ingredients are… Let’s check this one out!
Most people who are keen on South Korean ramyun have heard of the craze for ‘white broth’ ramyuns. Nagasaki Jjampong was Samyang Foods’ entry into the white broth realm, but they made another variety – Nagasaki Crab Jjampong – that has a milder taste. Let’s check it out.
Well this one looks to be extremely spicy. Samyang Foods sent some instructions along as everything on the back of these packages are in Korean. Well, they also added a little advice:
Okay folks – here’s something I’ve never seen before. This is bajirak kalgugsu. I’ve had kalgugsu before, but this has a special ingredient: actual clams in shells! Here we go!
Okay so what’s Hot Chacharoni? Well, its a form of jjajangmyeon. What’s jjajangmyeon? Wheat noodles with a black bean sauce! Pretty much every South Korean instant noodle company has their own take on the popular dish, but this is the only one that I’m aware of that is spicy! Let’s check it out.
Here’s another of the HoMyeonDang private label varieties. This is a stir noodle – drain the noodles after cooking and add the sauce and stir. Let’s check it out.
First, I want to wish my wife a Happy Birthday! Love you! Well folks, here it is. This is the ramyun that started it all. Here’s an except from my interview with Samyang Foods about their first product:
This sure looks fancy! This is a premium private label variety made by Samyang Foods. HoMyeonDang is a restaurant in South Korea – here’s their website. They’re a organic noodle bar! Crab jjampong! Let’s check it out…
Beef flavor – you might be wondering what the difference between this and Samyang Ramyun is. Well, I think this one’s not as spicy possibly. Also, the key that Samyang Foods sent show this as having added milk. I’ve reviewed the export version before – this has only one packet as opposed to the export having veggies too. Well, let’s give it a try!
Here’s Samyang’s foray into the white broth realm. White broth ramyuns are spicy – usually with a jalapeno flavor heat. I’ve tried the pack version before and enjoyed it – let’s check out the big bowl version!
Kimchi! I love kimchi – not only is it hot and spicy and crunchy and awesome, it’s purported to be one of the healthiest foods out there. My favorite comes from a store in my area called KS Mart. They make it in the store and it doesn’t taste at all like the varieties that are branded. I’ve tried to get some people I know to try it, but they think it smells bad and are terrified by it; I just don’t understand. Anyways, here’s kimchi ramyun by Samyang Foods. I think the smiling onion and cabbage say it all – but what I wonder; is the onion planning on eating the cabbage with the chopsticks?
Here’s something new… So this is a ‘stir noodle’ (brothless). I’ve seen Jjajang variations which are stir noodles, but never a spicy seafood one. Basically what you do is cook the noodles and veggies, drain, and then add the liquid and stir, stir, stir. This sounds really interesting!
Sutah. I looked around to find out about what Sutah mean,s but didn’t find much. The description on the sheet Samyang Foods included with the samples reads ‘hot and spicy beef flavor like handmade noodle.’ Sounds good to me – let’s check it out!
Samyang sent a nice big box!
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Upon opening, I was greeted by a big envelope.
It had information about all of the included instant noodles – very handy!
Interview * Samples From Samyang Foods * Samyang Foods Sutah Ramyun * Samyang Foods Ganjjampong * Samyang Foods Kimchi Ramyun * Samyang Foods Nagasaki Jjampong * Samyang Foods Beef Flavor Ramyun (SK Version) * HoMyeonDang Premium Noodle House Crab Jjampong * Samyang Foods 三養라면 (Samyang Ramyun) (SK Version) * HoMyeonDang Premium Noodle House Tofu Fried Noodle * Samyang Foods Hot Chacharoni * Samyang Foods Bajirak Kalgugsu * Samyang Foods Yukgaejang Beef Ramyun * Samyang Foods Buldalk Bokkeummyeon (Hot Fried Chicken Ramyun) * Samyang Foods Nagasaki Crab Jjampong * Samyang Foods Assorted Vegetables (60 Ingredients) Ramyun (SK Version) * HoMyeonDang Premium Noodle House Don Ramyun
Here’s something people should be able to find easily at their supermarkets – at least here in the United States. Lime… Habanero… Let’s check it out!
I’ve heard of recipes people make where they combine two different types of instant noodles to make something new. Well, here’s one from South Korea that is very popular right now! Chapaguri! 짜파구리 !
It’s amazing; can go to a supermarket nearby and find something new! This one’s a Kosher instant from Tradition. It also looks to be vegetarian. I was asked if I could mention if an instant contained meat products or not, so I think I’ll be doing that.
Here’s one from Nissin Japan. Not a lot of English on this package so I had to do some research. What I found is that this is part of a series of spaghetti instant noodles. You add boiling water to the noodles and veg and let steep for one minute, then drain and add the oil and dry powder packet contents. Let’s give it a try!
Here’s a variety of Oh! Ricey I’ve not seen before – we found it on our trip to Canada. Pork spareribs sound good!
Here we go with the 27th edition of The Ramen Rater Noodle News! I scour the Internet for articles about ramen and instant noodles and bring them to you! Here are some recent stories you might find interesting!
Here’s the second of two packs sent to me from The Netherlands by Sister Laoban – thanks again! I thought some Oriental Chicken instant noodles sounded good for Easter.
Recently, I was given the great opportunity to visit the Wheat Marketing Center in Portland, Oregon. People who work with noodles and other wheat products from all over the world come here to take part in the Asian Noodle Technology and Ingredient Application Short Course. The course is taught by Dr. Gary Hou, an expert in the production of wheat noodles like ramen and yakisoba. I found out about the course via a news feed I follow and decided to email Dr. Hou and see if I could cover the instant noodle workshop for The Ramen Rater. I was very pleased when he answered in the affirmative, and so on March 27th, we got up early, hopped in the car and drove to Portland! In the following pictures and video, I’ll describe how instant noodles start as raw ingredients and become the blocks of noodles we all know so well. I’ll go through everything from photos first, and then there’s a video at the bottom of the process. Enjoy!
Here’s one of the new Maruchan Bowl products. There are three varieties – a non-spicy chicken which I reviewed a while back, this one and a spicy shrimp. Maruchan sent me these in a neat box – first samples from them (hope to get more of their stuff in the future)! Well, let’s check it out!
Here’s yet another from my birthday trip to Canada! A big cup of Chinese noodles – let’s check it out!
Woke up to an email from Stan at eMart telling me he had sent some samples and that they would possibly arrive sometime this week. A little later, there was a knock at the door and a USPS guy asking me to sign for a box – a big box!
Found this one up the road at KS Mart in Lynnwood, Washington. Looks really interesting – an egg block huh? I imagine it will be like a seasoning block or something… Funny; I had a sesame one yesterday too. Well, on with the sesame flavored noodles!
Here’s another one we got in Canada on my birthday! I was surprised to see a Demae Ramen bowl – always nice to see something new on the shelf! This one’s from Hong Kong. Let’s check it out.
Here’s the last of the varieties from Poland that were kindly sent by Joe & Gil of the UK! Borscht! I’ve never actually had real borscht before, but I read up on it on the Wikipedia page:
Here’s another one from my wife and I’s trip to Canada for my birthday! Only had a Four Seas instant once before – my sister had brought it back from Canada for me – see a theme here? Let’s check out this chicken big bowl.
Here’s a little pack of Wai Wai noodles!
Here’s the sticker put on by the distributor.
Here’s something new – a spicy teriyaki beef tray. Spicy teriyaki? I don’t know if I’ve ever heard of such a thing! Well, let’s see if it’s a good’un.
I read an article about the dangers of instant noodle cups a long time ago which prompted me to write an article last year. Well, I recently saw another one so I thought it was time for a rebuttal. I emailed ConsumerAffairs.com and they were interested, and so without further adieu, here is my article! Thanks to Jim H.! If the link isn’t working, click on the image below for a large image of the article.
On my birthday, my wife took me up to Canada and I got 55 new varieties of instant to review – here’s one of them! I’ve reviewed Mr. Noodles before and found them to be marginal at best. Let’s see how the bowl version here goes!
Well my friends, onward we march with the first post-1000 review! This is Dosirac with Cyrillic writing on it. I thought at first this is sold in Russia, but on the back there was a clue. I looked up the url mentioned – it turns out the .MN means Mongolia! Neato! So what’s Dosirac? It translates to ‘lunch box!’ I’ve had many of the versions that are sold in trays, but never have I seen a pack version. Let’s give this a try.