I wasn't kidding when I told you I'd be eating packaged noodles this week to recover from the overpriced meal I had at Via Veneto.
Some of you may already know that I'm partial to the Nong Shim brand of Korean packaged noodles. Their chajang-myun are a quick, easy (but sodium and calorie packed) meal, made even better with a little kimchee on the side. Another Nong Shim favorite of mine is their Neoguri Spicy Seafood Flavored Udon. I met this "friend" back in college (everyone's best instant noodle days!) and I've been a fan ever since. Like those in the chajung-myun, the noodles in these spicy seafood noodles are the thicker variety making for a more substantial meal. The spicy, red peppery soup base is sinus-clearing; the dried "seafood" package contains bits of dried mystery seafood whose identity I don't know of to this day as well as small dried squares of seaweed that make the meal much more interesting. All for about three minutes of cooking time and oh, fifty cents or so. My finances (but probably not my health) will be back on track in no time!
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11 comments:
Hmm, has anyone tried those Paldo? brand Kimchee noodles that they advertise during the commercial segments for the Mandarin news hour on LA TV 18 btw 6-7PM, and also for the nighttime soap that follows? Funny they market this for the Chinese audience, cause they don't run the commercial during the Korean programing. Still, isn't a prepackaged, dry kimchee noodles soup ( that a Korean-looking? young woman is slurping down) somewhat of an oxymoron? Kimchee-noodles, WTF is that?
Sinus clearing, oh really Pam? I tried the habanero sausage samples at the BH farmer's mkt last Sunday (sold by these Hispanic guys, representing Candy's Gourmet Meats in Marina Del Rey). They told me that it was very hot, it was going to electrify me, and make me jumpy (they even have a whole orange Habanero put into the package with the shrink-wrapped package of sausages). Yeah right, sure; I ate the sliced sample, kept talking to the guys about the other sausages, and meats. A bit of a burn, but canned/sliced jalapenos would have provided the same level of heat, lol. It had that instantly recognizable habanero burn pattern, just very weak, needed 3-5 times more of the amount of hanbanero added to the meat to give a proper 'fire in the hole!' effect.
LOL, when I was in college, I never ate any noodles that I can remember...such a white boy am I ;). Back then, with youthful metabolism, I could eat just about anything and not gain a pound, which is a good thing considering all the pints if B&Robbin's IC I consumed at the end of the day on campus.
You know I was thinking, just a few of my little Chiltecpin bird peppers, 3 or 4 of these baby pea sized pods into that soup would definitely clear out your sinuses, and cause you to use up half a box of Kleenex. :devil: ;-) Then again, when I was in my 'colon blow' phase, riding (or maybe I should say sitting down on the bowl afterwards,,,hey, now that Korean/Japanese craze for the Lotus and other brands of squirting jets of water toilet seats make more sense, lol) the early hot pepper craze of the 1990's; if it did not make your arse bleed, it wasn't hot enough (Yeah, sure I was young and impetuous...foolish and insane... once upon a time), ;)
Hi Pam - Isn't it funny, first evening back from Yuma I had packaged noodles as well!
ooh, yum. i like neoguri a lot. but in my first year of college i ate a variation of instant noodles and udon everyday, sometimes even twice for lunch and breakfast, and consequently got sick of them pretty much forever. the last time i had packaged ramen was about a year ago but spicy korean ones are the way to go, esp with egg & sausage! :)
LA Cheese-dude,
Obviously you have a much higher tolerance for spicy than I do!!!
Kirk,
It's occasions like this that I keep a stash of these in the pantry...they sure do come in handy!
Yoony,
Funny, I actually took a break from these right after college as well 'cause like you, I got sick of them. But now that I'm crazy busy, we've been reunited! LOL!
I'm a 3rd year college student, but i don't think i can ever get sick of these because i live at home! HAHA. Yes, i'm spoiled with homecooking. But, Nong Shim makes my favorite noodles. My dad noticed that I liked the kimchi and hot/spicy noodles, but when he bought me noodles, he bought a couple of kimchi flavored noodles from a Thai company. And yes, it was NASTY.
I love how you can prepare instant noodles because it's kinda like how you'd make fried rice. Just toss in any left over meats and add whatever veggies you've got!
Have to say that we have had the noodle dinner more than once and M always seems satisfied. He always says that I make it super fancy by adding an egg and some frozen potstickers (the kind that come in a big bagful in the frozen section at the k market) right after you add the noodles and it makes for a much more substantial and aesthetically pleasing meal.
A side of kimchee and/or daikon and we are good to go.
Pam, this is one QUALITY site! You are hilarious! Plus, I completely relate to your stories about your Chinese parents. I am so glad that I found your site last week, and I am going to be coming back for seconds. . . And thirds!
pam, in college i lived off the kimchee bowls, also made by nongshim. that stuff was WAY BETTER than dorm food haha.
M&H, i love editing my instant noodles as well. i'll also put dumplings, spam or seaweed. another good thing to do is, IF YOU'RE STILL HUNGRY after finishing the noodles, add two scoops of rice. and you've got round 2 of grub.
Christine,
Kimchee noodles from a Thai company??? Sounds sketchy to me!
M&H,
Yeah, those noodles are always better with sides!!! Tell M that he's lucky to have you making it super fancy like that!!!
Passionate Eater,
Thank you so much for the compliment! Yeah, my parents don't mean to be funny; they just are!
Dylan,
Anything was better than dorm food! =P
You dont add anything to the noodles? How bland.
The Neoguri noodles get 10x better with the addition of a simple can of .70c tuna packed in water.
You wont believe how awesome the noodles taste after that addition. Dump the tuna water in there with the noodles, the fishier the better.
The spices and flavors of the neoguri are deisgned to complement and enhance seafood.
Great reading youur blog
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