Okay, guys, I was a bit naive back then thinking that I'd come up with The Best Recipe to replicate the flavour of the classic lazy-day treat. In fact, I was basing the recipe off of the ingredients on an old packet that my then-housemate had in the back of his cupboard. I didn't taste test it, hence why I screwed up. I depended on my partner to tell me whether it tasted like the real thing, but he wasn't very helpful because he liked what I produced, even if it was different to what I was looking for. It resulted in a sweet, not-so-spicy, noodle, that, while delicious, was definitely not what the masses are wanting when they're trying to hunt down an MSG-free and/or vegetarian version. Especially a super cheap one that they can whip together in a mere few minutes.
I've actually been indulging in Indomie's or Supermi's Mi Goreng, though sometimes I also go for Aldi's dupe. The ingredients aren't exactly non-vegetarian, but I haven't gotten around to finding out whether the artificial flavour is from a vegetarian source, let alone the flavour enhancers. I want to remove the commercial ones out of my diet and make my own when the mood strikes because then I know exactly what ingredients are in there. It's also a lot cheaper to make my own from scratch than it is to buy it in sets of five.
This uses six simple ingredients that are mostly found in the cupboard, though you may have to do a bit of sleuthing to find the crispy fried onion bits. If it doesn't matter to you, omit the onion bits as they are only there for a bit of crunch. You could use onion powder or flakes, but vegetarian stock usually has onion powder in it. I prefer to use sesame seed oil, but vegetable oil works just as well as anything else (except olive oil). Sweet soy sauce is also known as kecap mani.
This recipe is vegan and MSG-free.
Ingredients:
1 packet plain instant noodles
1 teaspoon sesame seed oil
1/2 teaspoon sweet soy sauce
1 teaspoon stock powder of choice (I use Massel Beef-Style Stock powder)
Scant 1/4 teaspoon chilli powder or 1/2 teaspoon chilli sauce
1 teaspoon crispy fried onion bits
Directions:
1. Boil the noodles according to packet instructions. Drain, retaining half a teaspoonful of water.
2. Meanwhile, add the seasonings to a small bowl. When the noodles are cooked and drained, add them to the bowl with the reserved water and mix to combine. Serve.
I had a bowl of this for lunch as I needed to take pictures for this post, but now I am craving a second bowl. In fact, as soon as I finished writing my last sentence I just went and made another bowl. I know, I've got a problem. I really need to cut down on this deliciousness before it goes ahead and adds a few grams to my ass. I also use a variation of this recipe to make a stir fry, with vegetables, tofu or mock meat, and Singapore noodles. I'll post that recipe when I get the chance.
This recipe isn't perfect, I may need to adjust it a little to properly match the deliciousness that is the commercial product, but part of me thinks that is largely due to the fact that I use sesame seed oil instead of palm oil. I'm trying to avoid palm oil, and it's not easy but I'm taking it one step at a time, and I make changes when and where I can. After all, the lives of all the animals are at sake due to the palm oil industry.
Is there an instant dish that you just cannot resist, like Mac n Cheese?
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