Ippei-Chan Yakisoba Japanese Style Noodles
Instant noodles are the perfect way to fill an empty stomach when you have two brain cells left after a hard day. And that's exactly the headspace I have been in this entire week. So, let's dig in!
I think I picked these up at Hung Voung, but it could have been H-Mart. They've been in my pantry for a while, so I don't really remember, and admittedly...these are past the expiration date. But, I would argue that instant noodles are shelf stable and dry, so they're probably fine.
Inside the tray are a brick of dried noodles and 4 packets. There is dried veggies, sauce, mayo/mustard, and a seasoning packet. To make the noodles, you remove peel back part of the lid, remove the packets, add in the dried veggies, pour boiling water to the line at the top, and let sit for 3 min. Use the handy peel-back drainage in the corner to remove the water, top it with the seasoning, sauce, mayo/mustard and it's ready to eat. I don't love all that trash, but it is convenient.
It doesn't look all that impressive once put together, even less so when mixed, but it tastes good. Especially for instant noodles. The little cabbage bits rehydrate and give you some crunch, the noodles absorb the sauces making it easy to eat cleanly, and it's flavor, though a little weak, it very enjoyable.The sauces are savory in that umami kind of way, with a hint of sweetness. Kind of like a hoisin soy sauce. While the mustard/mayo packet adds a bit of tang and a creamy texture. The noodles absorb all the sauce making it a little dry, and the overall flavoring is a bit salt-heavy. But, since I'm the kind of person who rarely eats this stuff and needs to have something to sip on while I eat, I don't mind it all that much.
As I ate I found myself seeking out cabbage bits, and wishing there were more of them, but you could easily chop some up and add it in yourself to elevate this already affordable, and tasty, meal.It's yummy, but I don't think I would buy it again. It's convenient, but the packaging is wasteful, and as an imported item it's not as cheap as it would be overseas. A pack of 12 on Amazon is still $42.00. So at $3.50 per pack, I rather use this as inspiration to jazz up homemade noodle dishes.
Using a cheap brick of ramen noodles, a bit of cabbage, mayo, mustard, hoisin and soy sauces, you can make the same thing at home for a similar if not cheaper price point. So, while this was fun, and yummy, this is a one and done for me.
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