Which do you like best? Maruchan or Top Ramen?

[proteus_lives]

I've loved ramen for years and I'm definitely a Maruchan-man. I love chicken flavor the best. I'm not a college kid anymore but I still have a case on top of the fridge. It tastes good, it's filling and it costs 16 cents a pack! How do you beat that?

I've experimented with different crackers and bread (You cannot eat soup on it's own, travesty.) I prefer either Ritz crackers or a short loaf of day-old sandwich bread(25 cents) from a local sub shop. I also like to add cayenne red pepper to the mix. Sometimes if I'm extra hungry, I'll cook a couple chicken fingers and chop up into the mix.

Then you finish it off by drinking the broth. The only correct way to finish ramen.

So, which is your favorite?

[Brigid]

1. Do you have any idea how much sodium is in those things?

x(

[Chan790]

2. Less than the average serving of pasta served in a restaurant...

really. Ever wonder why pasta served in restaurants tastes better? (It's not better pasta, the most common pasta used in restaurant kitchens is plain old off-the-shelf Barilla)

No, it's because one of the first things you'll learn in any cooking class or training for restaurant work is that pasta water should have a salinity equal to sea water. Minimum. It makes the pasta taste better. That's why I can't help but laugh when people comment that the Barilla boxes say "A low-sodium food." (Given, we're cooking pasta for the dinner rush in giant pots 20 or so pounds at a time but one pot gets about a quarter of your average can of salt.)

Also, you can reduce the sodium in ramen by using less of the seasoning packet and replacing it with spices and herbs from the kitchen cabinet.

[rcrush]

23. like what kinda spices and herbs?

[Chan790]

25. Whatever you've got lying around...

basically, think what you'd put on {chicken, beef, shrimp, etc.} and use those spices.

I only eat the noodles but I use soy sauce (it contains a good amount of salt but less than the seasoning packet), scallions, garlic, tofu (it's neither an herb or a spice but it does add some texture), onion powder, chili oil.

Chicken would go well with parsley, maybe some thyme, just a touch of paprika.

[proteus_lives]

26. You should try cayenne pepper with chicken.

It's delish.

[Chan790]

28. I'm a vegetarian.

and about half-the-time I'm animal-free completely so it's not for me. It's a good suggestion though.

[proteus_lives]

5. Yeah, a lot.

But I love them anyway. ;-)

[Bryan]

3. Isn't that like asking the difference between Bud and Coors?

n/t

[carlyhippy]

4. I LOVE chicken raman

I eat that stuff for lunch all the time, I don't know about the other flavors, I haven't tried them yet, stuck on the chicken

[Goblinmonger]

6. Maruchan is the only one with a meat-free spice packet

My son love their mushroom variety. Top Ramen used to have an Oriental flavor that was sans meat but no longer.

[soleiri]

9. what? No! say it ain't so!

I have a ton of them in the cupboard.

:-(

I loves the Top Ramen Chili.

[Goblinmonger]

14. Chili may be meatless.

Haven't seen that variety and the chili is meatless in an off brand.

[sakabatou]

7. Haven't eaten that stuff in years

[dorkulon]

8. Weird. I just made some Maruchan Roast Chicken flavor.

Haven't had the stuff in years.

EDIT: I mean I JUST made it; it's still too hot to eat.

[proteus_lives]

11. I had my chicken flavor ramen a few hours ago.

It was goooood.

[slay]

13. Same thing with me and the Beef flavor!

Maruchan as well! how weird..

[Mojambo]

10. I like it with sriracha and hoisen sauces

A handful of frozen stir fry veggies and maybe a few frozen potstickers.

Makes a good, really cheap, filling meal.

[slay]

12. I don't drink the broth due to the sodium

however i do keep it pretty thick so there isn't a whole lot left when i'm done. in fact i had some beef flavor Maruchan a couple hours ago. yum yum. :)

[hobbit709]

15. Neither

I get my own noodles and cook them up in the broth of my choice. Much tastier and healthier.

[old mark]

16. I like a brand called Ichi-Ban, with the little guy on the label.

Has a pepper oil packet inside hot enough to melt your nose hairs, and some have sesame oil, too.

The instructions are in Japanese - and cartoon for the rest of us.

mark

[HopeHoops]

17. Top Ramen Oriental - only one that's vegetarian - Maruchan doesn't make one.

If you throw out the seasoning packet, there's no difference.

[SacredCow]

18. I can't tell the difference, honestly...

But I rarely eat it anymore. When I was a poor college student, it was a staple of my diet (sometimes breakfast, lunch AND dinner) so I am more than a little sick of it (even after 15ish years).

[KamaAina]

19. Whichever one's on sale for ten for a buck

actually, on the rare occasions when I touch the stuff these days, I tend to go for the more upscale versions like yakisoba.

[pinniped]

20. Top Ramen has something in it that upsets my stomach.

This does not happen with Marachun.

I don't drink the soup anymore.

[Kali]

21. guess I need to do a taste test

:P
I get whatever is on sale, and it pisses me off that they never have oriental flavor on sale. I like the chicken - it is like the cheapo version of the old "is it soup yet?" lipton chicken noodle soup we used to take camping when I was little kid.

But to make a good bowl of ramen with extra onion, veggies and scrambled egg, I prefer oriental style.:mad:

[JTG of the PRB]

22. Maruchan Ramen ALL the way.

Top Ramen sucks. x(

[proteus_lives]

24. I'm right there with you!

:fistbump:

[kwassa]

27. It is such healthy stuff

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant_noodles

A single serving of instant noodles is high in carbohydrates but low in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Noodles are typically fried as part of the manufacturing process, resulting in high levels of saturated fat and/or trans fat. Additionally, if served in an instant broth, instant noodles typically contain high amounts of sodium. The current U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowance of sodium for adults and children over 4 years old is 2,400 mg/day. Some brands may have over 3,000 mg of sodium per package in extreme cases. Instant noodles and the flavoring soup base also contain high amounts of monosodium glutamate.