Indomie Soto Mie Flavour Instant Noodles

Made By:  Indofood
Tools Required:  Saucepan & Range, Bowl & Utensils
380 calories per package

(available online through Amazon.com)

Today's noodle is from Indomie; they are better known for their "Mi Goreng" line of brothless noodle products, but this one is a noodle soup.  When I picked this one up, I wasn't actually familiar with what a "Soto Mie" actually is, but a quick Google search reveals that it is a type of traditional Indonesian noodle soup.

The package includes a block of fairly standard-looking ramen, a packet of seasoning oil, and a foil double-packet with powdered soup base on one side and chili powder separately in the other.  We boil 400 ml (or roughly 1-3/4 cups) of water and simmer the noodles for three minutes; meanwhile, we are supposed to mix the seasoning oil and powders into a paste in our bowl.  I still don't completely get the point of pre-mixing the seasonings for a soup product, honestly, I suspect those directions are left over from the Mi Goreng products, but for the sake of science I follow the directions faithfully.  We add the cooked noodles and water into the bowl, and I am treated to a nice curry-like aroma.  I have a good feeling about these!

The noodles themselves are pretty average, a little firmer but also a little stickier than normal; they aren't off-putting, but they aren't the selling point.  The broth has a very nice flavor; with the full chili packet added, it is just spicy enough to be interesting, and there is a nicely sweet, citrussy curry flavor.  I think I actually prefer the flavor of this one to the Chicken Curry flavor; the flavor of this one is actually much more reminiscent of what I think of as curry.  With the fairly mild spice level, it sort of feels like a comfort food to me.  I wish the noodles had a more appealing texture, but otherwise this one was very enjoyable!  :)