Transformation of instant noodles

Feb 6^th, 2025 Thursday Sunny

As a passionate cook enthusiastic about eating nourishing food, I do have a guilty pleasure – instant noodles.

When I was little, instant noodles, particularly those came in a paper bowl, was trendy. The famous brand had an artificial beef stew flavor that, even to this day, could be smelled from afar. Despite the fierce competition in the market, this flavor dominated the sales. Yet my parents deemed – justifiably – instant noodles unhealthy and would not allow me to indulge myself.

“That is junk food. Kids who are still growing should not eat them.” said my mom, who rushed to prepare me a tasty, balanced meal after a full day’s work.

Then I went to college. Unlike public schools with designated lunch break time, the college class sessions are scheduled throughout the day, with only thirty minutes’ interval between the second morning class and the first afternoon class, and between the last afternoon one and the evening one (even shorter in between if both sessions are in the morning or in the afternoon). While most students could arrange their own timetable so they can eat with more leisure, or go back to dorms for a nap, I had to fill up almost all the sessions due to taking an unusually high credit load in my last two years (to finish a double degree).

I am a fairly slow eater. The need to transport between different campus buildings and cafeterias often left me only five minutes to eat, if at all. But attending to a one-hundred-and-ten-minute lecture with an empty stomach sounded no fun either. What could be the solution?

Instant noodles.

It used to be my once-per-semester shopping spree to a large supermarket, when I stocked up on all the instant noodles I would devour for that semester (yes, I counted), picked all the varieties that looked interesting or appetizing, then lined them up under my desk. On the days I had a full agenda, I brought one with me. Once I reached the destination of my next class, I poured in hot water that was readily available in every building, then sat on my chosen seat, waiting for my lunch/dinner to finish cooking, reviewing my notes for class in the meantime. Fortunately, none of my professors found my slurping noodles offensive (it helped that I also tend to eat quietly 😛 ).

Nowadays, I am rarely under the same time pressure as I did in college. And our kitchen is well-supplied with exotic ingredients and spices from all over the world, as well as fresh produce all year round. We make detailed meal plans each week, to ensure a wholesome and delicious diet.

Though, every now and then, I still crave an instant noodle. Technology having advanced, most kinds today require boiling on the stove top, so I take the opportunity to give my noodles an upgrade: I add greens, mushrooms, some soy bean products (tofu puffs or pouches), fish balls or similar seafood nuggets, thinly sliced meat, and to top it off, an egg that I poach in the noodle broth as it is simmering. All these fixings would be heated alongside the noodles, according to the duration they need (harder ones go in earlier), so in the end I have a one-pot meal that meets all nutritional requirements, packed with yummy bits, and I am ready to dig in.

As I savor this self-invented “deluxe ramen” while watching my favorite anime show, the same one that has been running since my teenage years, I get to enjoy a moment of peace and relaxation.

The instant noodles, transformed from their humble beginning, continue to carry a unique dining experience for many in the same generation as me.