MAMA Ramen Artificial Duck Flavor

Made By:  Thai President Foods, Ltd.
Required to Prepare:  Saucepan & Range, 1-1/2c water
220 calories per package


The Ramen Butterfly is back by popular demand!  Whoa, has it really been over four months since I did one of these?  I guess time flies when you get sidetracked, sometimes.  Thanks to the supportive commenter who reminded me I need to eat some noodles!

So, today I had these Artificial Duck Flavor "Oriental Non-Fried Instant Noodles" from MAMA; I figured the Thailand-style small serving was good for an afternoon snack.  I like most of MAMA's products quite a bit, but I'm also not sure what to expect from a non-fried noodle, so we'll just have to see what these are like!

Inside the package is a loosely-formed block of semi-translucent noodles, along with three flavor packets; we have a seasoning powder and a seasoning oil, along with the usual (for Thai noodles) small packet of optional chili powder.  We are supposed to bring 1-1/2 cups of water to a boil, add the noodles and cook for 3-4 minutes, and then stir in the seasoning powder--naturally, I add the entire packet of chili powder too.  The instructions tell us to put the seasoning "oil" (which is more of a paste) in the bowl and add the noodles on top, which I do, although why it matters how you add it to the soup is beyond me.  Give everything a stir, and we are ready to serve!

The main aroma I detect is of five-spice seasoning, not duck.  I wonder if that is a traditional seasoning for duck in Thailand?  In any case, the broth has a nice flavor of both duck and five-spice.  With the entire chili packet, I'd rate the heat level at around a 3/5, and of course that can be tailored to your preference by adding less or none of the packet.  The noodle texture is very different from MAMA's other noodle products; instead of being dark, firm, and flavorful, these 'non-fried' noodles are pale, quite soft, and don't seem to have much flavor of their own aside from what they pick up from the soup--a lot like the noodles in a domestic Top Ramen.  I wouldn't call them bad, exactly, but I do rather prefer the normal MAMA noodles.  Would I have them again?  Honestly, probably not, when I could probably find the same flavor with the nicer noodles for a similar calorie count.  I did like the flavor though. :|