Here another one I got up in Canada at T&T Supermarket in Richmond, BC. Never have I seen this brand before and thought ‘hey – this in interesting!’ What’s more, it’s actually heavy! What’s inside this thing making it so heavy? It took me a bit of looking to find out about this brand and it’s products. Here’s a little something I read on Wikipedia about where the manufacturing facility is:

Nanjie (Chinese: 南街村; pinyin: Nánjiē Cūn) is a village in Linying County, Henan province, China, widely reported as being the last Maoist village in China.^[1][2][3] It is under the administration of the town of Chengguan, which also serves as the county seat.In 1992, the GDP of this village exceeded 100 million yuan and became the famous “billion village” at that time，but its output growth is proportional to the loans form some national banks of China.Since it is Unable to repay its huge loans, it is added to the reputation blacklist. There are rumors of bankruptcy about this village.

I decided I wanted to check out whether there was a company website. Nan Jie Cun isn’t a company, but a collective run by the people of Nanjie Village. In true Maoist fashion, they all participate in the production of products and in turn, they can all go to a store and get them for free. There is no currency in Nanjie. During my search, I found this website in English.

I looked at the root domain and found what I was looking for. This place is referred to as a village but looks very big and modern in all the photos. After digging, I found the village’s products page and the noodles.

I looked around and found that this place has kept all the images and ways of the Cultural Revolution – it looks absolutely fascinating. I’ve found that through my study of instant noodles from around the world, it’s given me the opportunity to find out about some pretty interesting places, Nanjie Village being one of them. Let’s check these noodles out!

Importer sticker (click image to enlarge). Looks to be meat–free but check for yourself. Take out everything, put the noodles and the dry vegetables sachet back in and add boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Drain. Add the rest of the sachets and stir.

Here’s a detail of the front with the instructions (click image to enlarge).

Hooray! An included fork!

The fresh noodle bag.

The mustard stem sachet (front and back).

They look nice and crunchy.

Dehydrated vegetables sachet.

Green onions, carrot and sesame.

Spicy sauce sachet.

Has a very rich and spicy scent.

The sesame sauce sachet.

The peanut scent is strong.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added sweet onion and beef I sauteed with a little garlic salt. the noodles are alright – nice fresh noodles. The flavoring reminds me of dandan noodles – very hot and spicy and dry; dry flavor. Peanut butter and chilli oil abound. The mustard is crunchy and of good quality. Despite the good quality of the ingredients, the flavor is very monotone; hot spicy and peanut butter/sesame taste. I think this may be another instance of me really disliking traditional Chinese flavors (I really dislike a brand of Sichuan province that makes sweet potato thread). I’m sure if you like Chinese flavors like these though, you will be very pleased – I certainly would like to try more of their varieties and will attempt to contact them in hopes of a Meet The Manufacturer spotlight as my curiosity is piqued. 0.5 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 6938618411076.

Here’s a video clip about Nanjie Village.

The post #1213: Nan Jie Cun Hot-Dry Instant Noodles Chilli Flavour appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

Here’s another from my friend in Indonesia – thank you! I asked my son if he would pick which one I’d review today and this was what he picked – he wanted to make sure it was a spicy one. I did some looking and found this on Wikipedia:

Semur is a type of meat stew that is braised in thick brown gravy commonly found in Indonesian cuisine. The main ingredient used in semur gravy is kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), shallots, onions, garlic, ginger, candlenut, nutmeg and cloves, sometimes pepper, coriander, cumin and cinnamon might be added. Soy sauce is the most important ingredient in the Semur-making process because it serves to strengthen the flavor, but it should still feel blends harmoniously with other ingredients. In addition to the main ingredient, semur might also consists of wide range of variation in the presentation, such as the addition of meat (mainly beef), beef tongue, potato, tofu, tomato, tempeh, eggs, chicken, fish and often sprinkled with bawang goreng (fried shallot) or other variations according to the tastes of the communities in each regions.

A spicy stew eh? It also mentioned that Semur Ayam originated in Java. Let’s check it out and see if Andy picked me a winner!

Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge). Looks to be meat-free but check for yourself. Boil the noodles in 400ml water for 3 minutes.Put your seasonings in a bowl. Pour noodles and liquid into bowl, stir, and you’re done.

The noodle block.

A dual sachet: bumbu (seasoning) and cabe (chilli powder).

The chilli powder atop the powder base.

The liquid sachets: seasoned oil on the left and kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) on the right.

The sweet soy sauce is very thick and sticky while the oil flows more freely.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added lime, hard boiled egg, and chicken and onions baked in the over under foil with a little garlic salt. The noodles are good – very standard instant that has a common gauge and good texture. The broth is really quite good. It has a nice spiciness and depth of flavor. The heat is probably more than someone who is leary of spicy foods. The flavor is an amalgam of different spices and flavors with a nice light oiliness that compliments but never overwhelms. 4.5 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 8992388111138.

A market in Java.

The post #1221: Mi ABC Selera Pedas Mi Rebus Hot Semur Chicken Flavour(Rasa Semur Ayam Pedas) appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

Hope everyone who celebrated had a Merry Christmas! My son got me a new plate and bowl – today I’ll be using the plate as it’s mi goreng on the menu! Let’s check it out!

The side panels (click image to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, add boiling water to the noodles and steep 3 minutes. While you wait, put the sachet contents except the garnish in a bowl. Drain the noodles and put in the bowl and stir. Add garnish on top.

Here’s the lid detail (click image to enlarge).

Included fork!

The noodle block.

A dual sachet on seasoning base on left and chilli powder on right.

The chilli powder atop the base.

A triple sachet (from left to right): seasoned oil, chilli sauce and sweet soy sauce.

All three together.

The garnish sachet.

Fried wonton and fried onion.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added lime, kerupuk aci, fried egg, Dua Belibis chilli sauce , sweet onion and chicken sauteed with Jane’s Krazy Mixed Up Pepper. The noodles are just right and very nice for a cup. The flavor goes from sweet to lemony to spicy and is quite good. The garnish (not pictured) is a very nice crunchy mix and adds a  really great finish to the dish. Just as good as the pack version – 4.25 out of 5.0 stars. 8992388112678.

Here’s a Selera Pedas TV Spot.

The post Meet The Manufacturer: #1264: Mi ABC Selera Pedas Mi Goreng Cup Rasa Ayam Pedas Limau Hot Chicken Lemon Flavour appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

Yesterday my wife and I were out and about. I needed to find some fresh squid for an upcoming review and we went to KS Mart, a large Korean market in Lynnwood, Washington. We were hungry, and decided to check out the little restaurants inside (it’s common for Korean grocery stores to have small restaurants inside). We decided to give Dumpling House a try.

This line on the menu caught my eye. Jjampong!

Here’s what I was served (click image to enlarge). This was like a religious experience in a bowl! Lots of seafood and great broth and noodles. A lot of food to be sure. The spiciness was reasonable and the chilli peppers in there were lethal – I ate one and decided to just let them be after that!

So if you’re in the Lynnwood/Everett/Edmonds area, you should really check this place out for a bowl of spicy noodles. Like I said above, they’re inside KS Mart, which is also a great place to find a myriad of South Korean instant noodles, snacks and everything you could imagine.

The post Spicy Noodle Soup From Dumpling House appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

Here’s one a got quite a while back. It’s a cold day out and I picked up some squid yesterday to try out for the first time. I’ve eaten squid before, but never prepared it myself.

I’ve been wondering for a long time – what is this stuff? It looks like pine cone or some special cut vegetable. after asking around and researching I found out – it’s squid. Basically, you take a strip of squid and cut lines in a checkerboard pattern into the surface. Once boiled, it curls up and looks like this. I decided I must give this a try! I guess we’ll see how it goes! On with the review.

Here’s the distributor’s sticker (click image to enlarge). Contains fish.

The back of the package (click image to enlarge). To prepare, boil 350ml water. Add contents of liquid sachet. Add noodles and cook for 1 minute. Add contents of vegetables sachet. Enjoy!

The noodle block.

‘

The liquid base sachet.

Dark and thick.

The vegetable sachet.

Lots of neat looking bits and pieces in there.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Hey look – the squid came out nicely! Added sweet onion, squid, Busan fish cake, kamaboko, shrimp and Fresno chilli pepper. The noodles are your standard South Korean fresh udon variety – nice gauge and good texture. They’re chewy and hearty. The broth is sweet and has a little heat to it. The added bits were very good – lots of flavor and textures throughout and the quantity was very nice. 4.0 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 8801068074550.

One of my absolute favorite things in the world is banchan. Banchan is an intergral part of the Korean traditional meal. This short documentary is perfect, except for one thing – you can’t put your hand into the screen with a pair of chopsticks and try it! I recommend finding a local Korean restaurant and giving it a try.

The post #1322: Hi-Myon Instant Noodle Udon Hot & Spicy appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

This one was sent by the folks at A-Sha – thank you very much! I’m always on the lookout for Hello Kitty instant noodles. Why? Well, my wife really likes Hello Kitty. They wanted me to be sure to let people klnow that these cannot be found for sale in the United States – sorry folks – gotta pack your bags and fly to Taiwan! This one’s spicy – which seems a little funny to me. I would think anything Hello Kitty would be very light in flavor and tame for the kids. I think the kids over in Taiwan can handle their spicy stuff! That’s rad! Let’s check it out!

Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge). Not sure whether it contains meat or not. To prepare, add noodles to boiling water and cook for 4 minutes. Drain. Stir in contents of liquid sachet and enjoy!

The noodle block. Very wide noodles – they actually make wider ones known as Hakka noodles. These noodles have scant few ingredients – salt, floue and water usually.

The spicy sauce sachet. Much like the noodles, the sauces usually contain maybe 3 or 4 ingredients.

Has an interesting soy and spicy scent.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added Nappa cabbage, shrimp and Fresno chilli pepper. The noodles in this one are great. They’ve got such a nice texture and chewiness. They’re not just broad, they’re thick. The flavor is slightly sweet, soy and spicy. The spiciness is pretty decent – Hello Kitty’s on fire! 3.75 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 4715635851052.

Here’s a video outlining big things that have happened for A-Sha in the United States with their distributor in California. I hear they’re expanding again! Wow!

The post #1328: A-Sha Hello Kitty La Wei (Spicy Flavor) appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

Today I’m trying something really interesting. This is Paldo’s new spicy octopus ramyun! I thought I couldn’t make this stuff without adding some octopus, but I’d never cooked it before and was a little reserved and slightly nervous. Octopus? Hey, why not! I went to the Korean grocery and picked some up. It was a bit of a surprise how many different kinds of packaged octopus there are. I settled on frozen baby octopus. Let’s see how it turns out!

Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge). Not sure if it contains seafood or not. To prepare, add noodles and vegetables sachet to 500ml boiling water and cook for 3 and a half minutes. Drain. stir in the remaining sauce sachet, return to heat for 30 seconds. Enjoy!

The noodle block.

The vegetables sachet.

Looks to be mostly green onion.

The sauce sachet.

Wow – this stuff is thick. It kind of looks like barbecue sauce, but it sure doesn’t smell like it! It has a really spicy scent – and I mean spicy!

Here’s my cooked octopus! I did a bit of research and found that octopus is cooked in an interesting way. You take the whole thing and a pot of boiling water and dip it in for 3 seconds, take it out and repeat a few times. This ‘tempers’ the flesh – each dip causes the tentacles to curl a bit more, and I think the idea is that by giving is a little time for it to get used to the heat rather than just dropping it in, it will end up more tender. After the dipping, just drop it in, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Then, turn off the heat and let it sit in the water for another 20 minutes. It’s got a kind of rubbery consistency, more so than squid. Interesting stuff!

Tentacle!

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added green onion, sweet onion and baby octopus. The noodles have a very nice gauge and chew; it’s ramyun and so very hearty. The sauce is hot. Uber hot! This is definitely not for the faint of heart and really means it! The veggies were very good and complimented the dish. 4.0 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 8809296882183.

People are challenging eachother to eat a bowl of this stuff as fast as they can on Youtube – rad!

The post #1347: Paldo Bulnak Bokkummyun Spicy Fried Octopus Ramyun appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

I’ve always found these quite interesting. Why? Well for starters, they seem to always have a pack of seaweed with them, and not a small one but a decent portion. Also, the noodle blocks are unique as well. How? Well, read on and you’ll see. This one is from Hong Kong – let’s check it out!

Here’s the distributor / import sticker. Looks to be meat free but check for yourself.

Here is detail of the side panels (click image to enlarge). To prepare, empty sachets into bowl, add boiling water to line, steep for 4 minutes, stir and enjoy.

Here’s detail of the lid (click image to enlarge).

Included fork!

So what’s the hubbub about the noodle block? The fact that there are two of them! I’ve never seen this elsewhere – lots and lots of noodles in this one!

The powder soup base sachet.

A very fine powder.

The paste sachet.

Has a nice artificial beef scent.

The other unique thing about these bowls are the seaweed sachets.

That’s quite a bit of seaweed there!

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added beef and sweet onions as well as a dash of Urashima Sesame & Salt furikake. The noodles have a very familiar instant noodle gauge – kind of squareish. Decent consistency although very light. The broth has a very good flavor, and although not extremely hot or spicy, is full and good. The seaweed is everywhere and works well. 3.5 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 4892616018915.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcY2VyAUXwI]Here’s a video about seaweed farming and supporting areas hit by the Indian Ocean tsunami.

The post #1365: Four Seas Seaweed Hot & Spicy Instant Noodle Mushroom & Beef Flavour appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

If you like it hot, you’re in for a real treat here. These are the spiciest instant noodles you can get that I’ve reviewed from my 1,446 reviews thus far. If you can’t handle spicy foods, these definitely aren’t for you – these are serious! Many of these were so hot, I couldn’t finish the bowl – and I can handle a decent amount of heat! I used to review hot sauces! Anyways, Hope everyone is having a great summer and here are the spiciest instant noodles of all time for 2014!

#10: Nongshim Harmony Korean Spicy Noodle Dish With Chipotle – United States

This unique instant is very new and quite spicy. What’s interesting about is that you can serve it hot or cold, but the spiciness is going to bite you either way! This is the only variety I’ve found featuring chipotle pepper heat. Original review

#9: Mamee Mi Segera SLLRRRP! Perencah Kari Xtra Pedas – Malaysia

The noodles are good – plump with a nice chewiness. The broth is very spicy and hot – not for the faint of heat! It has a good curry flavor to it. If you like spicy curry, check this one out. By the way, Kari Xtra Pedas means extra hot curry if you couldn’t figure that out! Original review

#8: Maggi Extra Spicy Curry Instant Noodles – Singapore

Maggi 2 Minute Curry is a nice instant with a little bit of heat, and with the demand for more hotness, they made this new variety. Extra Spicy Curry has a really great flavor to it and a heat that will definitely challenge many. Original review

#7: MyKuali Penang White Curry Noodle – Malaysia

When MyKuali’s White Curry Noodle hit this list last year, there was a bit of a craze for it in Malaysia! People really wanted to give it a try. Not only is it retaining it’s spot this year on the spicy list, but it is the reigning number one on The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2014 list. If you can, you have got to try this spicy marvel! Original review

#6: Indomie Curly Noodle With Chicken & Chilli Paddi – Indonesia

This one’s a lot of fun; kind of like Russian roulette on a plate! You’re eating your noodles and all of a sudden wham! There’s usually a couple of these little chillies in there and they pack an extreme punch. You’ll definitely know it when you find it! Original review

#5: emart Dare You! Habanero Jjamppong – South Korea

Extreme heat is paired with nice bit of seafood broth and lots of bits of seafood. All the fire and flavor melded together with thick ramyun noodles make it hot as well as delicious. This one comes in at 1,960 SHU (Scoville Heat Units). Original review

#4: Paldo Teumsae Ramyun – South Korea

On the list for three years now! Another South Korean ramyun with serious kick to it. This isn’t to be trifled with!  Teumsae has restaurants in South Korea which serve up some seriously spicy fare. I really like the text underneath the word Teumsae which reads, ‘Flavor. Culture. Human’ Original review

#3: Samyang Foods Buldalk Bokkeummyeon – South Korea

I would say that I’ve seen dozens of videos of YouTube showing people competitively eating this one. This stuff is extremely hot. Another brothless variety and it really packs a punch as well as has a nice taste to it. Thick ramyun noodles round everything out nicely and will transmit the spicy sauce to your tongue. Original review

#2: Paldo Bulnak Bokkummyun Spicy Fried Octopus Ramyun – South Korea

See that little octopus on the package with the smile on his face? He’s laughing. Laughing as he watches you sweat as you eat this ultra spicy ramyun! I’m not kidding this one was over the top spicy! Bring a fire extinguisher. Original review

#1: emart Dare You! Habanero Ramyun – South Korea

For the third year running, this stuff tops the list. See the little guy in the top right? Yeah – it’s not one to underestimate; this is violently hot. The broth just keeps delivering the heat and it’s just insane. Try licking a lit candle – I swear this stuff is hotter! Original review

The post The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Spiciest Instant Noodles Of All Time 2014 Edition appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

When I think tom yum, I think spicy, seafood and citrus flavors. When I think extreme thrown into the mix, I’m guessing that it’s going to be ultra spicy. One thing that Thai varieties tend to have in common is that when they say they’re spicy, they really mean it! Let';s have a look at this new variety for this year by Thai President Foods’ Mama brand and see what it’s got.

Detail from the side panels (click image to enlarge). Contains shrimp. To prepare, add in all sachets. Add boiling water to inside line and re-cover for 3 minutes. Stir well and enjoy!

Detail of the lid (click image to enlarge).

Included fork!

The noodle block.

A soup base sachet.

A granular mixture.

The paste sachet.

A fiery little concoction!

The solid ingredient sachet.

Seafood and other enjoyables!

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added lime, shrimp, sweet onion, bell pepper, coriander, lime and BonCabe Level 15 chilli seasoning. The noodles are very nice – the light crumble, sturdy gauge and nice flavor. The broth is definitely extreme – really nice citrus and shrimp flavor augmented with a blast of spiciness that just builds and builds! This stuff means business! The solid ingredients hydrated just perfectly for an added bonus and were of excellent quality. Serious tom yum! – 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 8850987145070.

Hey all your fans of heat – this is one you’ll want to try!

Here’s a video of Gordon Ramsay trying some extremely spicy foods in the heart of Thailand.

The post Meet The Manufacturer: #1473: Mama Instant Cup Noodles Shrimp Tom Yum Flavour (Extreme) appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

A while back, I reviewed Nanyang Chef’s Penang White Curry Noodle With Nanyang Chili Paste. Today, it’s a new product from them – Asan Pedas. At first, I thought this would be Asam Laksa, but then I dug a little in Wikipedia and found that Asam Pedas is a stew accompanied by fish. The Asam word refers to tamarind, which lends to the sour nature of Asam Laksa as well as Asam Pedas. Let’s check out this new comer from Nanyang Chef!

Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge). Contains shrimp. To prepare, add instant noodle block to 380ml boiling water and cook for 3 minutes. Add in paste and stir gently. Enjoy!

The noodle block.

A very large Asam Pedas paste sachet.

This smells absolutely wonderful!

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added fried mackarel in chilli sauce, cili padi, bean sprouts, coriander and sliced spring onion. The noodles have a good gauge and a decent chew to them. They have a nice gauge as well. The broth has a really great balance of spiciness as well and that great tamarind sour taste. This is really delicious stuff! 5.0 out of 5.0 stars.EAN bar code 9555098800359.

Penang Heritage Food: Yesterday’s Recipes for Today’s Cook (from Amazon) – Penang is one of the food capitals of Malaysia. However, over time, many Penang heritage dishes have been modified so much that what is served today is just a pale image of the original. The tastes of home-cooked dishes have not been faithfully reproduced from one generation to the next. Similarly, street- food and restaurant recipes have not been faithfully passed from a retiring chef to his successor. This book preserves the Penang heritage food from days of yore, covering home- cooked food, street food and restaurant dishes. Meticulously researched, every recipe is prefaced with heritage information and, together, they trace Penang heritage food to its Thai, Hokkien, Hainanese, Indian and Malay roots. Penang Heritage Food won a national award for best culinary history in the World Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

During our trip in early October, we spent much of our time in Georgetown, Penang. This video shows some of what it looks like there, but it is no substitute for the sights, sounds, and people of Penang in person. I have been bitten by the travel bug and hopefully we’ll be able to return someday. I would say Penang was truly paradise.

The post #1545: Nanyang Chef Penang Asam Pedas Hot & Sour Instant Noodle appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

I thought it was about time to re-review this one. When people ask me about hot and spicy instant noodles that they can possibly find at a local Asian grocery, I usually steer them towards Teumsae Ramyun. Many consider this one to be the ultimate spiciest, although I have had one or two I think that have been hotter. That’s not to say that this stuff won’t challenge even the staunchest of spicy fans. This is mean. Real mean. If you ate a spicy pepper, the best thing to get rid of the heat would be a crunchy chip – when you chew, it scrapes the heat off your palate. Or milk, or sugar. The last thing would be beer or water. Well, this is soup. It sinks that spicy heat right down into your taste buds even deeper! Let’s revisit this spicy Paldo Teumsae Ramyun again and see why it’s been on the Top Ten Spicy List since the list’s inception.

Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, add noodles and sachet contents to 500ml boiling water and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir and enjoy!

The large noodle block.

A soup base sachet.

A very spicy scent.

A vegetable sachet.

Cabbage, green onions, red peppers and mushroom.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added mung bean sprout, beef sauteed with soy sauce, kimchi, spring onion and egg. The noodles are quite nice – very full and chewy with that great ramyun gauge. The broth is so spicy; it’s like a freight train of spiciness. Mere words can’t describe how spicy Teumsae Ramyun is. The vegetables hydrated very well. 3.5 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 648436100613.

If you’re up to the challenge of a super spicy bowl of South Korean noodles, buy some here!

 A pretty epic video from the makers of Teumsae Ramyun, Paldo.

The post Re-Review: Paldo Teumsae Ramyun Noodles With Soup Mix appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

In my spare time, I like to search hashtags on Instagram – and one day I decided to look up sambal. Sambal is a spicy mix which is a very popular condiment in Southeast Asia. I found a company I’d never heard of and asked if they could provide a sample for me to use in reviews.

Here are Megah Sari’s normal and extra hot sambal bakso offerings. They’re located in Indonesia, but their products are available here in the United States. So: how is it? Well my friends, I couldn’t resist waiting until a noodle review and so I opened the original sambal bakso and thought maybe it’d go alright on a burrito I was having for dinner. It’s probably one of the spiciest condiments I’ve ever come in contact with – not only fiery hot but quite tasty as well. I can’t even imagine the heat potential from the extra hot – especially as I’d consider the original to be quadruple mega hot! Wow!

The post Ultra Spicy Megah Sari Sambal Bakso Samples appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

Today is my wife Kit’s birthday! I thought I’d do up a post about the new restaurant I took her to.

Chi-Mc N Hot Pot
19400 36th Ave W #101
Lynnwood, WA 98036
425.678.8475

The birthday girl!

Ready to try something new.

They have a large menu of what I understand is a fusion of Japanese and Korean foods.

This is quite possibly the best new thing I’ve tried in a long time: cream cheese topokki! This blew our minds!

I got the spicy ramyun – had a nice taste and good noodles.

Kit got the seafood yakiudon. She’s been a fan of udon for a while now. If you’re in the area, definitely check this place out! Happy birthday, Kit!

The post My Wife’s Birthday At Chi-Mc n Hot Pot – Lynnwood, WA appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

This is one I’ve seen on spicy lists before but it’s been a long time since I sampled it. Those two big peppers on the front look foreboding! I’m sure it was spicy, but how spicy? I guess we’ll have to see! Let’s have a look at Ottogi Yeul Ramen!

Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge). Contains beef. To prepare, add noodles and sachet contents to 500ml of boiling water and cook for 4 minutes. Stir and enjoy!

The enormous noodle block.

The soup base powder sachet.

Has a very spicy scent.

The vegetables sachet.

Looks like maybe green onion and mushrooms.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added mung bean sprout, egg and white onion. The noodles are very nice – your garden variety thick South Korean ramyun. There’s a ton of them as well! The broth had a spicy and beefy kind of thing going on, typical profile of a South Korean ramyun. The broth was quite spicy, but definitely haven’t been neglecting this one for the Top Ten Spiciest Instant Noodles Of All Time list – however, it’s really spicy. The vegetables were a nice touch and of good quality and quantity. 3.75 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 645175521013.

[Ottogi] Yeul(hot) Ramyun / Ramyun, Ramen, Korean Instant Hot Noodle Soup

A TV commercial for Ottogi Yeul Ramen.

The post Re-Review: Ottogi Yeul Ramen Asian Style Instant Noodle appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

This one has been a little tricky to figure out. A lot of the time, distributor stickers aren’t all that helpful; they might say the flavor, but the true name can be elusive. After looking around, I found ‘boiled fish’ and ‘spicy fish’ and ‘hot fish’ (hot fish being the one on the sticker). I think however Sichuan might be in there somewhere, so I included it. As for the lady on the package and the folks on the back, I’m pretty sure they’re involved in some kind of television program in China. Anyways, let’s have a look!

Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge). Guessing it contains fish. To prepare, add noodle block and liquid sachets to 500ml boiling water and cook for 4 minutes. Stir and enjoy!

The noodle block.

Dry base sachet.

Dry powder and vegetables.

The first of two liquid sachets.

A thick paste.

A spicy liquid sachet?

Definitely has a Sichuan chilli scent.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added sliced fish cake, mung bean sprouts, white onion and coriander. The noodles are plentiful and of good quality. The broth has a spiciness that is unmistakably Sichuan pepper. Definitely has a Chinese fish dish flavor to it as well. The smattering of supplied vegetables came out alright as far as hydration goes. 3.75 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 6920208934287.

Here’s Master Kong’s Braised Beef big cup – this is excellent stuff!

Looks like some kind of video about blind testing Master Kong bowls and figuring out which kind is which! Looks like fun!

The post #1714: Master Kong Sichuan Hot Spicy Fish appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

The last time I had one of these, I found something fascinating inside. The sachets all say Mexi Ramen on them, a brand I have reviewed once in the past (actually it was my 500th review). The package said it was MexiRamen. This one is clearly mentioning mi goreng, a Southeast Asian delicacy, and Bento, a Japanese style meal. Let’s crack this box open and have a look inside.

Here’s the bottom of the cardboard outer (click to enlarge).

The tray under the cardboard outer.

A little card with preparation instructions from inside (click to enlarge). To prepare, remove all sachets. Add in 200ml water and microwave 5 minutes uncovered. Replace lid and use drain spout to drain off water. Add in powder and liquid sachet contents and stir well. Garnish with Lingam’s sauce. Enjoy!

The noodle block.

A dual sachet of dry seasonings.

Chilli powder atop the seasoning base.

A liquid sachet.

Oddly smells a little like salsa.

A vegetables sachet.

Looks like peas and other things.

Finally, a little sachet of Lingham’s chilli sauce. I’ll leave it unopened for now and use it to garnish.

Finished (click to enlarge). Added coriander. The noodles were a little on the gorged side, but all in all not too bad. The flavor without the Lingham’s sauce was very dull – a little spicy, but otherwise very bland. The addition of the Liungham’s sauce was a sweet and spicy smack in the mouth – a hard one at that. This is definitely one of the spicier varieties I’ve have. The vegies were nice in theory, but peas just didn’t seem to feel at home here in this Mlaysian-Japanese-Mexican jumbled oddity. 0.25 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 850248004137.

Lucky Peach Presents 101 Easy Asian Recipes

A clip having to do with giving out samples of Mexi-Ramen.

The post #1917: IbuRamen Mi Goreng Bento Noodles In A Box Hot, Sweet & Sour Flavor appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

I’m pretty sure this is the first Baijia bowl I’ve reviewed. For the longest time, I was extremely leery of these; I have a couple Baijia products I really disliked. However, after some time, I found that my tastes have really changed (especially after tring different things overseas and reviewing hundreds of instant noodles) and now I’m keen on giving them a new look. Well, let’s check this one out!

Detail of the distributor/import sticker (click to enlarge).

Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, add in sachet contents and 500ml boiling water. Cover and let steep 5-6 minutes. Stir and enjoy!

Detail of the lid (click to enlarge).

An included fork!

The vermicelli, made from sweet potato.

The dry soup base.

Beans and veggies with a copious amount of MSG.

The liquid sachet.

Thick and oily.

Finished (click to enlarge). Added thin sliced beef, spring onion, crushed red pepper and star anise. The vermicelli has a kind of sliminess on the outside with more of a chewiness inside. It’s easier to eat if you use a pair of kitchen scissors and make a couple snips through all of it. The broth has a nicely spicy taste to it. The vegetables hydrated well – the beans went surprisingly well in this one. 3.5 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 6926410321136.

The pack version – Sichuan Baijia Instant Sweat Potato Thread/Noodle Hot Spicy Flavor 3.70 Oz (Pack of 8)

A corporate video from Sichuan Baijia.

The post #2008: Sichuan Baijia Hot Spicy Flavor Instant Vermicelli appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

Every year, I review a ton of instant noodles – and every year I come out with quite a few lists. This list tends to change the least of all my lists – I’ve had a lot of spicy instant noodles in my time and just seems like nobody’s getting any spicier products to market. Could be that they don’t want to melt people’s faces off perhaps. Anyways, here’s this year’s list – the spiciest varieties out of over 2,100 reviews. Enjoy – if you dare!

A video presentation of The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Spiciest Instant Noodles Of All Time 2016 Edition.

#10: Nongshim Jinjja Jinjja – South Korea

While still not available in the United States, Jinjja Jinjja is back in South Korea! This one packs a serious punch of heat along with pork, peanut and black sesame seeds. Original review here

#9: JML Emperor Instant Noodles Spicy Chicken – China

I wasn’t expecting this one to be extremely spicy at the outset and then was in for a ride. Very very hot – augmented with a large sachet of coarse chilli peppers. Original review here

#8: emart Dare You! Habanero Jjamppong – South Korea

Extreme heat is paired with nice bit of seafood broth and lots of bits of seafood. All the fire and flavor melded together with thick ramyun noodles make it hot as well as delicious. This one comes in at 1,960 SHU (Scoville Heat Units). Original review here

#7: MyKuali Penang White Curry Noodle – Malaysia

MyKuali’s new recipe added a big punch of heat to their already amazing and groundbreaking Penang White Curry Noodle. Thick almost saucelike broth fires up the palate and includes a generous amount of garlic this time. Original review here

#6: Ching’s Secret Hot Garlic Instant Noodles – India

When I found this one at a local Indian market, I was very enthused. I thought to myself ‘hey, I like garlic!’ I kind of expected a salty, buttery and almost fettucini kind of thing. But no – this innocuous looking plate of noodles was violently spicy! Super hot garlic spiciness just builds and builds! Original review here

#5: Mi E-Zee Perisa Kari Mi Segera – Malaysia

The noodles plumped up well and were nice and springy. The broth – ah, the broth. Here’s the improvement! The curry taste is much stronger (the old version called for 450ml water and this one calls for 400ml) – not only that, the little sachet of chilli pepper flake just puts it over the top. It’s hot – real hot – like walking around the living room as my mouth and lips are burning saying ‘ooh’ repeatedly hot. Original review

#4: Paldo Teumsae Ramyun – South Korea

On the list for four years now! Another South Korean ramyun with serious kick to it. This isn’t to be trifled with!  Teumsae has restaurants in South Korea which serve up some seriously spicy fare. I really like the text underneath the word Teumsae which reads, ‘Flavor. Culture. Human’ Original review here

#3: Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyeon – South Korea

I would say that I’ve seen dozens of videos on YouTube showing people competitively eating this one. This stuff is extremely hot. Another brothless variety and it really packs a punch as well as has a nice taste to it. Thick ramyun noodles round everything out nicely and will transmit the spicy sauce to your tongue. Original review here

#2: Paldo Bulnak Bokkummyun Spicy Fried Octopus Ramyun – South Korea

See that little octopus on the package with the smile on his face? He’s laughing. Laughing as he watches you sweat as you eat this ultra spicy ramyun! I’m not kidding this one was over the top spicy! Bring a fire extinguisher. Original review here

#1: emart Dare You! Habanero Ramyun – South Korea

For the fourth year running, this stuff tops the list. Despite a packaging design change, you should still heed the warnings; habanero pepper top right corner, temperature gauge and screaming person, black packaging… Yeah – it’s not one to underestimate; this is violently hot. The broth just keeps delivering the heat and it’s just insane. Try licking a lit candle – I swear this stuff is hotter! Original review here

The post The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Spiciest Instant Noodles Of All Time 2016 Edition appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

Here’s one that’s been lingering in the hamper a little – sent by a reader named Colin who sent a ton of varieties a few months ago – thanks again! So this is hot and sour – kind of surprised that his even exists as all the Raoh varieties I’ve tried in the past were traditional – shoi, miso, shoyu , tonkotsu et al. Let’s give this one a try!

Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Unsure whether it contains meat. To prepare, add noodles to 500ml boiling water and cook for 4 minutes. Add in sachet contents. Stir and enjoy! Mentions to make it better with some scrambled eggs!

The noodle block.

The liquid sachet.

Thick and dark.

Finished (click to enlarge). Added Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, spring onion, scrambled egg and shichimi togarashi. The noodle are great – excellent chew and backbone. The broth is serious business – oily, rich in color and has a nice hot and sour taste. Unique and different! 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4902105900680.

Nissin – Raoh Japanese Instant Ramen Hot and Sour Noodle Soup (For 5 Servings) by Nissin

A Nissin Raoh TV commercial from Japan.

The post #2185: Nissin Raoh Hot & Sour Ramen appeared first on The Ramen Rater.