Instant Fun

I bought some instant curry udon noodles the other day from Mitsuwa. This one is soup based (versus the sauce covered noodles). I had never had instant udon, only fresh or dry noodles. As I opened the packaging, I was fascinated by the design of the bowl so much so that I had to share! I neglected to photograph the underside of the lid which had the cut out for the foil. Amazing! The thought and engineering that went in to a mere bowl of noodles! There were three packets in the bowl: the curry powder with dessicated scallions, a liquid seasoning pack (soy mix of some sort), and a pack with tempura balls, dessicated carrots and pork "jerky". Yes! Real meat!

I had high hopes for something tasty as this packet seemed quite elaborate! At the very least, there are more steps than the casual cup o' ramen. As it turned out, the 'instant' udon was actually 'fresh' but sealed in a plastic bag. In order to get the stove-like preparation of other fresh or frozen udon, boiled water was required to heat up the noodles and which was then subsequently removed through the included foil strainer that caught the noodles like a kangaroo pouch. It worked like a charm and was incredibly effective at preventing spillage. Afterwards, I removed the foil strainer, added the 3 included packs and fresh hot water.

Straining the Noodles

Time to Eat!

The verdict? Well, the soup was thick...too thick really and the curry flavor was inferior in but passable. Strangely, the noodles had a slight sour note to it...no doubt partly due to the preservatives to keep it fresh yet unrefrigerated. I wouldn't buy it again, but it was definitely a fun experience nevertheless! =)