#8 - Bombay Bad Boy Pot Noodle

• Brand: Pot Noodle
• Flavour: Bombay Bad Boy
• Cost: £1.00
• From: Tesco
• Description: Noodles in an incredibly HOT CURRY flavour sauce with vegetables and a little sachet of hot fire Chilli sauce.
• Weight: 90g (305g when prepared)
• Allergies: None listed
  
  
                                                Leaves me guessing...

So it's finally time to put Pot Noodle to the test. We were both born in 1978, me by my mum and Pot Noodle by Golden Wonder, a brand which was taken over by Unilever in 1995. In 2006 the Golden Wonder brand was sold to Tayto, an Irish food producer, but Unilever held on to Pot Noodle - they must be on to a good thing?

First thing to say is "Well done Unilever", the packaging is almost entirely recyclable save for the sauce sachet, and the preparation is as simple as pour, leave, stir, leave, stir, add sachet. The packaging makes a couple of references to the fact that there are no artificial colours or preservatives, another plus. This does of course require a quick view of the ingredients - here we discover that the noodles contain the firming agents Potassium Carbonate (E501) and Sodium Carbonate (E500), both heavily used in the production of glass.  The sauce contains Maltodextrin, a thickening agent derived from starches of corn, wheat, potatoes or rice, and there is also the ambiguous ingredient found in both the sauce and the sachet - "Flavouring" - what could that be? The only other thing to mention is that the sauce contains Citric Acid and the sachet contains Spirit Vinegar which would typically contain between 5% and 20% acetic acid.

“How do they taste?” The answer is I'm not sure. You see your palette is immediately bombarded with this 'hotness' but looking at the ingredients my guess (and it is a guess) would be that they're doing a bit of a con. There really isn't enough chilli listed in the ingredients to have the effect that this does so how do they manage it? My guess (still guessing) is that it's the Citric Acid which has a sourness index of 0.46 (Hydrochloric Acid being the benchmark at 1.0) that somehow stimulates the heat and pain receptors on the tongue as capsaisin (the heat producer in chilli) does. Also, I'm a bit of a chilli fan and it's not the heat that I love, it's the taste. The issue with this pot is that all you get is the sensation and none of the taste.

“Do they remind me in any way of a hot / spicy curry?”  The answer is no, well not a good one anyway. Living very close to Bradford and growing up by the Curry Mile in Manchester means I've been somewhat spoiled with my curry endeavours over the years. I do have to qualify this properly and say I did once have a curry that this Pot Noodle reminded me of but that was a ready meal during my poor student days and probably purchased from a bargain supermarket.

“How do I feel now I’ve finished it?” The answer is not bad at all, pretty satiated and no grumbling from the belly region. However, my tongue feels like it's had a mild chemical burn (still guess it's the acids) which isn't uncomfortable but a little annoying.

Conclusion – It's a Pot Noodle, it's a classic we've been enjoying in the UK for 35 years but this isn't their best offering. The peas and sweetcorn floating about are a nice touch but I think their prep instructions leave it all a bit too soupy / flavoured watery. Well done on the packaging and the lack of artificial colours and preservatives though.

Need 4 Noodle Rating: 5/10

#7 - Batchelor's Chicken Flavour Deli Box Noodles

• Brand: Batchelor’s Deli Box Noodles
• Flavour:Chicken Flavour
• Cost: £1.00 (3 for £3 deal, normally £1.19 each)
• From: Tesco
• Description: Noodles in a tasty chicken flavour sauce
• Weight: 75g (255g when prepared)
• Allergies: Milk, Egg, Wheat and Gluten
  
  
                                                    Not big enough in stature or flavour...

Well it's back to Batchelor's Deli Box Noodles and I've got to reiterate that I really do enjoy the packaging of this brand. An entirely cardboard box that contains just noodles and a sachet of flavouring, plus there's enough room to stir your creation and get flavour through every fork full.

The Mild Curry flavour that I tried earlier in the week boasted 75% less fat than a pot noodle, these are only 60% less fat but that still seems to appeal. However, they are nearly 17% lighter.

“How do they taste?” The answer is not very flavoursome. The noodle mixture you're left with is a great consistency and I love seeing the peas and sweetcorn kernels rehydrate into full size. The only problem is that they are a bit watery and this is a little off putting as you can't see any water as you aren't left with any kind of soup. The smell, surprisingly, is very chickeny and this may confuse the senses into thinking they taste chickeny too, but there just isn't enough of that flavour in there.

“Do they remind me in any way of a chicken dish?”  The answer is no. The reason for that may be that they only contain 0.17% of chicken powder and this appears to be the only chicken flavouring in the box, this is disappointing. There is MSG in this pot along with Disodium 5'-ribonucleotides (also known as E365). E365 is used in products that contain natural glutamates* (the 0.17% of chicken powder will have them in there) and when combined with MSG (98% MSG / 2% E365) it is supposed to enhance the flavour by 4 times. I like chicken a lot but I like it quite heavily seasoned and this I'm afraid barely tastes seasoned at all.

“How do I feel now I’ve finished it?” The answer is not bad at all, if not still a little hungry. The overall taste left on the palette is actually a little bit chickeny, almost like crispy (unseasoned) chicken skin. I think I will definitely be snacking before dinner time.

Conclusion – Needs two things, more in the pot and more chicken flavour. If they crack that these will be an absolute winner, if they don't then I might have to start adding to the pot to sustain myself (see Noodle News - 30/01/13). These would go lovely with a bit of shredded, left-over, roast chicken and a good dose of salt and pepper.

Need 4 Noodle Rating: 5.5/10

*Glutamate is either glutamic acid, its anions or salts. Glutamic acid is an amino acid.

#6 - Go! Noodles Spicy Curry Flavour

• Brand: Go! Noodles
• Flavour: Spicy Curry
• Cost: £0.55
• From: Tesco
• Description: Dried noodles, soya mince and vegetables in a spicy curry flavour sauce, with a separate  sachet of spicy mango chutney
• Weight: 90g (300g when made up as per instructions with the spicy mango sachet)
• Allergies: Wheat Gluten, Barley Gluten, Egg, Soya (May contain: Peanuts, Other Nuts and Sesame Seeds)
  
  
                                              Non-Recyclable! Not Impressed!

This test has not started well, despite looking like a Pot Noodle this particular brand doesn't mention anywhere on the packaging that the packaging is recyclable - in this day and age that is just ridiculous. I'd happily pay a little but more for something I knew wasn't going to end up in landfill. On top of that, the sauce sachet doesn't have a little tear in the side to get you going. I didn't think this would be a problem with something as gooey as a chutney, but alas, the chutney is as gooey as sugar water and I got half of it down my hand as oppose to in the pot. This did of course give me the opportunity to try the "spicy mango chutney" (which certainly isn't a chutney), there is a slight taste of mango and no discernible spiciness - it's just a bit sweet

It's your typical preparation story, remove lid, add water to easily distinguishable line, leave, stir, add sachet, leave, stir - simples. So why then does it say in step 7 (the most steps I've seen thus far) that you can add more water if desired. Surely the boffins at the food factory have already worked out precisely the optimal amount of water  - why would I need to add more???

“How do they taste?” The answer is not bad, they're a bit sweet and sticky which is nice. You get the odd crunch from a piece of carrot but the peas just seem to disappear. It's that kind of flavour that makes you want to go straight back into the pot as soon as the fork hits your mouth but having seen the ingredients list I'm going to assume that's just the MSG as there really isn't a distinctive flavour in there at all.

“Do they remind me in any way of a traditional spicy curry?”  The answer is no, not at all, not even a little bit. I've had curries from all over the world and this doesn't taste like any of them. In fact hold on, the first word is spicy so I'll deal with that first - it isn't spicy. OK back to the curry flavour, or lack of. It's more sweet than anything although a hint of spice does start to come through after a while.

“How do I feel now I’ve finished it?” The answer is not terrible. The feeling is like after you've been to an all you can eat Chinese style buffet at 3am and realised why it only costs £10 so you left before you ate very much - that's the only way I can describe it. My stomach isn't overly happy and neither is my palette.

Conclusion – Not impressed, yes they've filled a small hole but not in a good way and why isn't any of the packaging recyclable? You may have seen my post on Naked Noodle Hot & Sour where I was also unimpressed by the packaging and I've discovered that they're both produced by the same company, Symington's in Leeds. Now I live in Leeds and try to support my local industries as much as possible but I have to say that I'm really unimpressed with these guys. On top of that there's more stabilisers and regulators than I've seen in any noodles before; we're talking sodium carboxymethylcellulose, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate and MSG. I understand the price point at £0.55 but I won't be paying for this one again any time soon.

Need 4 Noodle Rating: 2/10

#5 - Batchelor's Mild Curry Deli Box Noodles

• Brand: Batchelor's Deli Box Noodles
• Flavour: Mild Curry
• Cost: £1.00 (3 for £3 deal, normally £1.19 each)
• From: Tesco
• Description: A tasty and satisfying light lunch
• Weight: 75g (255g when prepared)
• Allergies: Milk, Egg, Wheat, Gluten, Mustard and Celery
  
  
                                                Not quite big enough....

These come in quite nice packaging which is just a cardboard box. When you get inside you find loosely packed noodles and a sachet of flavouring. One thing I hadn't expected to see was the advertising on the pack stating that this little box contains 75% less fat than a Pot Noodle - seems like the noodle war is starting to get personal...

I've got to admit that up to this point I like them, the packaging is considerate to the environment (aside from the flavour pouch) and the instructions are clear. There's an easily distinguishable line on the inside of the box to tell you where to fill your hot water up to and once you've done that there's just a couple of stirs over the next 4 minutes and you're ready to go. There's no need to cover again, nothing, just pour, stir, leave, stir, leave, eat - excellent!

“How do they taste?” The answer is not bad at all. When you start the whole pour, stir process you look like you're going to be left with a soupy concoction but not at all. The water is soaked up into the noodles and powdered flavouring and you're left with a great noodley snack. The flavour isn't too strong but it's good and not too sweet. The addition of peas is a great idea because they pop in your mouth and add a great variety of texture.

“Do they remind me in any way of a traditional mild curry?”  The answer is yes. There is more than a hint of Chinese curry flavour and I like it. As previously mentioned the peas are a great addition too. I think one of the benefits this pot has over others is the ease with which you can stir the ingredients together when you're preparing it.

“How do I feel now I’ve finished it?” The answer is pretty good. I've not got any taste taking over my palette, the noodles are sitting well in my stomach and they've given me the energy boost I need to get on with an afternoon's work, whether they'll keep me going all afternoon is another question.

Conclusion – I'm quite impressed with these. OK, so there's no great exploration into the cuisine of another continent but they're honest. The flavour is mild curry and it's a good flavour. The packaging is excellent and preparation is easy. They're not the biggest snack portion I've seen though and this could be a concern...

Need 4 Noodle Rating: 6.5/10

#4 - Naked Noodle Chilli Beef Ramen Noodle Soup

• Brand: Naked Noodle
• Flavour: Chilli Beef
• Cost: £1.00
• From: Sainsbury’s
• Description: Instant beef flavour soup with noodles, dried vegetables and chilli powder
• Weight: 55g (355g when made up as per instructions)
• Allergies: Wheat Gluten, Soy
  
  
                                                Got no beef...

If you want to know my general reaction to Naked Noodles in terms of packaging and such stuff please see my earlier review of their Naked Noodle Hot & Sour Ramen Noodle Soup. Actually, I'll summarise here; pretty but incredibly thoughtless.

I've done a bit of digging on the heritage of these noodles and I've discovered that they are part of a range of brands that are supported by a  company called Symington's in Leeds, UK. They recently acquired brands like Ragu and Chicken Tonight from Unilever, they're involved with chefs like James Martin for his Bakery Range and they even supply to the giant Nestle. Anyway, let's get on with it.

Who's heard of Potassium Chloride? Used a salt substitute despite its lack of a salty taste it is also used in lethal injections. Plus, say you were for example performing heart surgery, once you'd bypassed the heart you'd need it to stop beating so guess what you'd inject it with, that's right, potassium chloride. I'd love to know why there's more of it in this pot than soy sauce powder!

“How do they taste?” The answer is I'm not sure, there doesn't appear to be any discernible flavour, certainly not of beef. There is a chilli-like sensation running through my palette but it also tastes peppery. A quick look at the ingredients explains all - there is no reference to any thing containing beef or beef flavour or even essence of cow fart - NOTHING!

“Do they remind me in any way of traditional chilli beef?”  The answer is no. Based on the fact that there's no beef flavour at all how can it? In the ingredients list you find onion powder, garlic powder, soy sauce powder, chilli powder, ground black pepper and Chinese five spice [salt, aniseed, sugar, onion powder, black pepper, cinnamon, clove, fennel seed, ginger, garlic] but considering that the five spice is the last listed ingredient you have to wonder just how much of the constituent parts are in there, you certainly can't taste any of them which brings me back to my earlier comment about the peppery / chilli taste. There's clearly more pepper and chilli powder in here than anything else and that, unfortunately, is the over riding flavour.

“How do I feel now I’ve finished it?” The answer is, again, aaaallllll riiiight but a little heavier than I expect to be after a light lunch. I've also got a lot of pepper floating around my palette which is a little over the top.

Conclusion – Of the two flavours I've tried from Naked Noodle I like this less than the Hot & Sour and that wasn't great.

Need 4 Noodle Rating: 3.5/10

#3 - Naked Noodle Hot & Sour Ramen Noodle Soup

• Brand: Naked Noodle
• Flavour: Hot & Sour
• Cost: £1.00
• From: Sainsbury’s
• Description: Instant hot and sour soup with noodles, dried vegetables and chilli powder
• Weight: 55g (355g when made up as per instructions)
• Allergies: Wheat Gluten, Celery, Soya
  
  
                                           Lovely, from the outside...

 

No Need Naked Noodle!

I've never been to New York but whenever I see a New Yorker on tele have an Asian meal it always comes in these cute little cardboard boxes. This is the style of packaging which from the outside made me smile but on the inside made me a bit cross. You see inside the box is an almost plastic type cardboard cup containing a plastic wrapped noodle block, a sachet of the seasoning (you know that kind of metallic paper) and a plastic wrapped fork. WHY??? There has to be a more ecologically sound way of packaging these ingredients and why is there a fork in there at all? a) These tiny, two piece plastic forks are useless; b) If you want packaged noodles, bring your own fork!

So then it comes to preparation following the 6 part (yes 6 part) instructions on the box. They are essentially the same as any other instructions with a couple of exceptions. The first of these is when it says "Fill to 20mm from the brim of the cup". Now then, there are a lot of us out there who will be able to estimate this without any trouble but I know there are also a lot of people who will have no idea what 20mm looks like. The second exception comes when you have to fold the cardboard box up while the boiling water does its thing, it's just different and therefore I like it.

“How do they taste?” The answer is pretty sweet which isn't that surprising when the top ingredient in the seasoning is sugar. When I've enjoyed hot and sour soup in the past (like this one here with chicken for example) it's because it has been, well, hot and, you might find this hard to believe, sour. This was neither. Yes I can pick up the chilli but it's certainly not hot and I detect nothing sour in there. I'm not saying that it's a bad flavour, it's just not what I expected.

“Do they remind me in any way of traditional hot and sour soup?”  The answer is no. At least they use wheat noodles but that's about as far is it goes in respect of tradition. If I had to approximate it to another similar dish I'd say it was closer to a Beef & Tomato Pot Noodle than anything else - just with a hint of chilli coming through.  A quick look at the ingredients tells me why, the hot and sour ingredients - citric acid, malt vinegar extract powder (really??) and chilli powder - are 3 of the 5 bottom listed ingredients which means they are amongst the smallest by percentage ingredients in there.

“How do I feel now I’ve finished it?” The answer is aaaallllll riiight but a little heavier than I expect to be after a light lunch.

Conclusion – Not my favourite, I love the packaging from the outside but when you open it up you really get the impression that ecology was not at the top of the list. The flavour is OK but it isn't hot and sour. I don't think I'll be coming back to these until I see something saying "New and Improved" on the lovely box.

Need 4 Noodle Rating: 4/10

#2 - Kabuto Chicken Ramen Noodles

• Brand: Kabuto Noodles
• Flavour: Chicken Ramen
• Cost: £1.49 (20% off - normally £1.99)
• From: Sainsbury's
• Description: A fresh tasting noodle dish with chicken, ginger, chilli, coriander & spring onion
• Weight: 85g (450g when rehydrated)
• Allergies: Gluten, Egg, Soya, Milk
  
  
                                                             Pretty Good!

My new favourite brand, Kabuto Noodles come in a lovely tall recyclable cardboard cup which is really rather splendid in appearance.

To make them you simply add boiling water to an easily distinguishable line on the inner of the cup, replace the foil lid and wait for 3 to 4 minutes. Then stir, wait another minute and dig in.

"How do they taste?" The answer is better than I expected. Don't get me wrong they aren't what you'd expect from Wagamama but for a quick lunch time snack I'm pretty happy with the taste.

"Do they remind me in any way of traditional chicken ramen?" The answer is no. For me a ramen is a bowl of  steaming wheat noodles topped with a variety of chunky garnishes that could be mushrooms, bean sprouts, fresh chilli, even a fried egg. These are egg noodles in a broth with some rehydrated flavourings. As this is the standard way of buying these snacks I wasn't disappointed I just wouldn't ever compare them to a ramen. Some of you many be shouting "But ramen is used to describe instant noodles", no it isn't 'instant ramen' is used to describe instant noodles and I'm a pedant like that.

"How do I feel now I've finished it?" The answer is pretty good. I don't feel over heavy or ready for nap. I've got ginger and chilli on my palette and I'm raring to go.

Conclusion - Not bad at all, I like the eco-friendly packaging, the overall flavour is good and they're super simple to prepare. My tip would be to pour the whole thing into a bowl though as the noodles tend to get in the way of being able to stir the flavourings evenly into the entire pot.

Need 4 Noodle Rating: 7.5/10

#1 - Kabuto Beef Pho Noodles

• Brand: Kabuto Noodles
• Flavour: Beef Pho
• Cost: £1.49 (20% off - normally £1.99)
• From: Sainsbury's
• Description: A fresh tasting noodle dish with beef, soy, garlic and ginger
• Weight: 85g (450g when rehydrated)
• Allergies: Gluten, Egg, Soya, Milk
  
  
                                                              Nice Packaging

Reminiscent of the Pot Noodle variety these Kabuto Noodles arrive in a tall cup, however these are made of cardboard and not plastic which immediately resonates with my 'must recycle' mentality.

To make them you simply add boiling water to an easily distinguishable line on the inner of the cup, replace the foil lid and wait for 3 to 4 minutes. Then stir, wait another minute and dig in.

"How do they taste?" The answer is pretty good. I wouldn't substitute a pot for a meal at Tampopo but when you combine the ease of making them with the lovely aroma and ratio of noodle to flavourings I'm quite happy with them.

"Do they remind me in any way of traditional pho bo (beef pho)?" The answer is, a little bit. Pho bo is an aromatic dish that usually contains star anise. This pot doesn't but they have made a good effort to include pepper, ginger, cinnamon, chilli, garlic, coriander leaf and mint. The ginger content is 0.4% but it comes through quite heavily.

"How do I feel now I've finished it?" The answer is pretty good, they certainly filled a little hole. I've got a nice hint of chilli dancing around my palette and I'm ready to crack on with the afternoon's workload.

Conclusion - Not bad at all, I like the eco-friendly packaging, the flavours are certainly indicative of the region all be it not smacking of Vietnam and they're relatively filling. The egg noodles soften up really well. My tip would be to pour the whole thing into a bowl though as the noodles tend to get in the way of being able to stir the flavourings evenly into the entire pot.

Need 4 Noodle Rating: 8/10