Tuesday, September 15, 2009

My downfall

I generally try to eat well, and these days, because I'm not working and can get out to the shops frequently, I buy lots of fresh food. The covered market may be a bit touristy and some of it pricey, but I've found I can manage pretty well on our one-income budget there. I buy veggies from the greengrocer (they are very good about having local produce and it's easy to see at a glance what's in season- and when stuff is in season, it's cheap; I was buying kilos of broad beans for less than £1/kilo); meat from the butcher (there's actually an organic butcher in the market! And again, easy to see what's available and in season); seafood from the fishmonger; bread from the baker; I try to stay away from the cheese stall (spendy), but The Limey loves it.

Having said all that, there is one packaged food I will not give up. I know it's terrible and barely counts as edible food, it's bad for me, it's basically petroleum by-products and chemical flavouring, but...instant noodles. I have a big salt tooth...well, let's face it, it's an MSG addiction, really...and instant noodles are satisfying in a way almost nothing else is: starchy, salty, soupy goodness. I have tried lots of brands from that one aisle in the Asian market- you know the one, lined with random brightly-coloured rectangular packets with lettering in scripts you can't even begin to read. The best- the absolute best- instant noodle on the market is the Korean Shin Ramyun "Hot & Spicy". I used to buy it by the 20-packet box. If you don't like spicy, then I can't help you. (Pic taken from Amazon.)
I add whatever I have in the fridge to the ramen. Asian greens such as bak choi or gai lan are obvious choices, but green beans, mange tout- anything with a bit of bite or crunch. If I have tofu, especially cubes of the fried stuff, I'll toss that in. If I'm really hungry, I'll stir in an egg as well. If I happen to have frozen potstickers (a kind of dumpling) I'll add a few of those. The Limey prefers his potstickers cooked properly- steamed and browned in a skillet- but that would involve using another pan, which is so not the point of packaged noodles.


All this takes five minutes, and then I can get back to the couch with my Agatha Christie or trashy romance. (Those may be more elements to my downfall.) Oh yeah.

6 comments:

darlene mcleod said...

Oh, Korean ramyun: so delightful and so dangerous! For me, though, it's the fried tofu cubes that are even more dangerous. I'll eat those things by the dozen, cold out of the fridge.

Leah said...

I applaud your efforts to upgrade your ramen -- your meal looks downright wholesome! My latest ramen favorites are Nong Shim Kimchi flavor and Paldo Udon noodle soup (not ramen, but still packaged and sooo good).

Lien said...

I used to eat heaps of instant noodles! In particular the one that you mentioned. It's so bad but so good at the same time. I chuck in a heap of potstickers as well. Another satisfying quick dinner which I make for myself if I'm eating alone is the white rice noodles, instant tom yum paste, whatever vegies are in the fridge at the time and stick that in a pot.

Sinéad said...

I have been known to eat a packet of noodles on their own in front of the telly just coz I couldn't be bothered cooking anything else. mmm.
I must see if I can get that brand of noodles here, me love the spicy!

allen said...

i think these are way better

http://www.theschlock.com/daily/ramen/mama_shrimp.jpg

Unknown said...

delicious!