A Hurriedly-packed dabba for school, a midnight snack in the hostel, a novice’s entry into the kitchen — the humble pack of instant noodles has come to our rescue at some point or the other. And now, amid the lockdown, Delhi-based writer Varud Gupta has started a #30DaysofInstantNoodles series, digging into his stash of instant noodles and eating one daily. “I’ve been gathering packs of instant noodles from all over the world for four years. When a friend goes on a trip, I ask them to get me a couple of packs from there,” he laughs, adding that he likes to add his twist to the bowl when he’s cooking for himself.
Varud Gupta
Like Gupta, there are many who prefer to jazz up their two-minute noodles to turn it into pasta, ramen or even lasagne. While everyone may not have access to a stash like Gupta’s, there are a lot of people, including this writer, who’ve been swearing by instant noodles to get through this time. Three noodle-heads tell us how to upgrade a pack of Maggi, Yippie, Ching’s or whichever brand you can lay your hands on.
Desi Bolognese
Desi Bolognese noodles
Twenty-seven year old assistant writer Bhargabi Das turned to instant noodles after she moved away from home in 2016. “It’s so convenient, but since it tends to get boring, I started experimenting with it,” she says.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Yield: Two people
Ingredients
100 gm chicken kheema
1 big onion
6 garlic cloves
3 tomatoes (puréed)
1/2 tsp each of thyme, basil and oregano
Salt, sugar and pepper
Olives, sweet corn and broccoli
Cheese
2 packs of instant noodles
Method
Blend the tomato purée with some chopped onion, two garlic cloves, salt, sugar and water. Temper 1 tbsp oil with garlic; add the onion and some sugar to caramelise it. Once it’s brownish, add the kheema and vegetables. Stir it and add the purée. Throw in the herbs and pepper; give it a stir, close the lid and let it cook it for 10 minutes. Add water if it looks too dry. Then add grated cheese and stir some more. Add one-and-a-half cups of water and bring it to a boil. Now, add the instant noodles without breaking them for the spaghetti-like texture. You can add the instant noodles masala, too, if you like. When the noodles are almost cooked, take a bowl. Spread one layer of the kheema-noodles and then top it with some grated cheese. Now, spread another layer of kheema-noodles and top it with more cheese. Microwave this for 30 to 60 seconds, or till the cheese on top melts.
Double masala Maggi
“As a kid, my grandfather spoilt me with my favourite food, one of which was noodles. He used to add a twist to things, which led to my craze for Maggi with butter and a dash of black pepper powder,” says Samantha Noronha, a private sector employee, who claims she can make 10 varieties of Maggi.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Yield: One person
Ingredients
1 packet Masala Maggi
1 tbsp butter
6 garlic cloves (chopped)
2 green chillies (chopped)
1 onion (chopped)
1 tsp red chilli powder
Half a tomato (chopped)
1 tbsp ketchup
1/2 packet Maggi magic masala
Some green peas, sweet corn
cheese
Method
Melt the butter in a deep-bottomed non-stick vessel. Sauté the garlic and green chillies for two minutes, add the onion, and cook until its translucent. Toss in the sweet corn and peas; cover it for two minutes. Add the tomato, salt and stir well. Sprinkle chilli powder and add ketchup. Cook until there is a thick consistency. Add the Maggi masala (from the pack and the magic masala). Pour a cup of water and bring to a boil. Cook the instant noodles and before turning the gas off, add cheese. Serve hot with oregano. You can experiment with some fried noodles on top. Noronha suggests that the dish goes well with some sausages, and an omelette.
Midnight ramen
For 26-year-old Neha Tyagi, instant noodles was the closest she could get to satiating her ramen cravings. “I grew up watching anime and was fascinated by ramen. Instant noodles was an easy way to enjoy the ramen that I saw my favourite characters eat. Eventually, it became the perfect midnight snack.”
Preparation time: 8 to 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Yield: One person
Ingredients
1 pack of your favourite instant noodles
1 small onion (chopped)
Half a carrot (chopped)
Small portion of cabbage (chopped)
4 garlic cloves
Method
Sauté the onion, carrot and cabbage in 1 tsp oil. Pour four cups of water and add the taste maker. Let the water boil and add salt. Put the noodles in. If you like a creamy soup, pour half a cup of milk before adding noodles. You can add a cheese slice or egg after the noodles are cooked and cover it for a minute for a thicker soup. Deep fry the chopped garlic and sprinkle it on top with chilli flakes. Tip: Add a spoon of mustard on top for some zing.
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