Creative dishes from instant noodles
Images adapted from: Brent Hofacker and Inspiralized
Cooking is a great way to relieve stress and keep your anxieties at bay while stuck at home during the pandemic. Some of you might have also stocked your pantries up with lots of instant noodles – but just how many bowls of MAMA noodles can we take?
Here are 10 unique and fun dishes you can make with a packet of instant noodles that just might impress Gordon Ramsey.
1. Crunchy noodle nuggets
Image credit: FoodTravelTVChannel
Homemade chicken nuggets are better for your health because you will know exactly what it’s made from. Moreover, to coat it with instant noodles, your nuggets will become more crispy.
Everybody loves chicken nuggets. But these aren’t the healthiest snacks around, so why not make your own so you know exactly what goes into it? Plus, coat your nuggets with bits of instant noodles instead of breadcrumbs or flour to give it that extra crunch.
Ingredients:
- 1 pack of instant noodles
- 200g minced chicken
- 150g tempura flour
- Water
- Oil for frying
Steps:
- Crush the instant noodles into bits
- Mix noodle seasoning with minced chicken
- Form minced chicken bite-sized nuggets
- Prepare the tempura flour by mixing it with water
- Dip the nuggets into flour mixture
- Coat the chicken with crushed instant noodles and fry in hot oil until golden brown
- Serve with tomato sauce or a cheese dip
2. Joke Mama
Image credit: @nuammie
Joke is the Thai word for porridge, and MAMA is basically a Thai staple. This dish might sound strange, but it’s one of the easiest things to prepare. Plus, it’s bringing 2 comfort foods together: porridge and instant noodles!
If you’re looking for a quick cost-saving meal that will save you both time and money, here’s the recipe even those who can’t cook can whip up:
Ingredients:
- 1 pack of instant noodles
- 1 cup/pack of instant porridge
- Vegetables and meat for toppings
Image credit: a day magazine
Steps:
- Cook your instant noodles and mix it with seasoning powder (with no soup)
- Cook your instant porridge
- Combine both in a bowl
- Add more toppings as you’d like – we recommend boiled vegetables like cabbage, and minced pork for some protein
- Extra: Drizzle some sesame oil or Maggi seasoning for extra flavour
3. Instant noodle fried rice
Image credit: GOODLIFEupdate
If Joke MAMA is possible, then so is any other combination of dishes. Fried rice is one of the simplest wholesome dishes to make at home, so why not make it more special with some extra texture from instant noodles?
Ingredients:
- 1 pack of instant noodles
- 1 cup of rice (overnight cold rice recommended)
- 1 egg
- Diced garlic
- Chopped spring onion
- Soy sauce
- Pepper
Image credit: GOODLIFEupdate
Steps:
- Boil your instant noodles and keep them aside
- Prepare a hot pan with oil
- Once the pan is hot enough, cook the diced garlic until fragrant
- Add in your egg and scramble
- Add in your cooked egg and rice and stir till combined
- Season with soy sauce and pepper. If you want, you could add in a little seasoning powder from the noodles too.
- Garnish with spring onions and serve!
4. MAMA noodle pizza
Image credit: Eat The Pizza
Prepping pizza dough can be a challenge for some, so if you’re craving for some pizza and would like to try something new in the kitchen, this one’s for you.
Ingredients:
- 2 packs of instant noodles
- 2 eggs
- Pizza sauce (or any tomato-based sauce)
- Mozzarella cheese
- Oregano
- Oil
- Toppings of your choice, like: sausages, crab sticks, ham, mushrooms, bell pepper
Image credit: The Vegetarian Ginger
Steps:
- Mix boiled instant noodles with your eggs
- Heat oil in a frying pan (non-stick is highly recommended)
- Add your noodles in and flatten it into a circular pizza shape
- Cook well on both sides, or till edges crisp up
- Plate your noodles and top with pizza sauce and toppings
- Top it with mozzarella cheese and oregano
You can also bake your “pizza” in the oven at 200°C for 10 minutes. Frying it will result in a crispier texture akin to thin-crust pizzas, while baking it will make it slightly chewier.
5. Cheesy noodle omelette
Image credit: CP Brandsite
Here’s a great meal even the kiddos can help prepare using some of their fave ingredients, like eggs, cheese, noodles, and bacon.
Ingredients:
- 1 pack of instant noodles
- 2-3 eggs
- Toppings like bacon, ham, sausages, carrot, spring onion
- Oil
- Cheese (cheddar or mozzarella recommended)
Image credit: CP Brandsite
Steps:
- Boil the instant noodles
- Once the noodles have cooled, combine with eggs
- Add toppings like meat and veggies
- In a hot pan, pour the mixture and fry till golden brown
- Sprinkle crispy bacon, pepper, or paprika on top and enjoy!
6. Instant noodle lasagna
Image credit: EasyCooking
Ingredients:
- 1 pack of instant noodles
- Ham
- 50g minced pork
- Chopped onions
- Tomato sauce
- Mozzarella cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Parsley
- Oregano
Image credit: EasyCooking
Steps:
- Soak instant noodles in water to make it soft in order to use it instead of lasagna sheets
- Cook the sauce by mixing minced pork, tomato sauce, chopped onion, and oregano in a hot pan
- Season it with salt and pepper to taste. Once sauce thickens, set aside.
- Set the “lasagna” layers in a tray starting with a noodle base, sauce, ham, cheese – and repeat for around 2-3 layers!
- Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200°C for 6-7 minutes
Tip: Those who wish to use a microwave can do so in “grill” mode.
7. Instant noodle cheese burger
Image credit: Brent Hofacker
I usually steer away from burgers as I’m not a huge fan of buns, but this instant noodle burger just might be the perfect solution.
Ingredients:
- 2 packs of instant noodles
- 2 eggs
- Meat to make your patty – you can use anything from minced pork/chicken, a fillet of fish, to vegan “meat”!
- Vegetables – lettuce, onion, tomatoes recommended
- Slice of cheese
Image credit: สมาชิกหมายเลข 1738964
Steps:
- Cook your instant noodles. Once done, combine it with an egg
- Shape it into 2 circles to act as your “buns”. Using a cookie cutter mould or even a cup as a base can help. Place in the fridge to cool and set for 5-10 minutes
- Prepare your meat by seasoning it with salt and better. Wrap it in plastic and place in fridge until ready to cook.
- In a hot pan, cook your patty and noodle buns until nice and golden brown.
- Prepare your extra toppings like egg, bacon, and veggies.
- Build your burger stack and enjoy!
The noodle buns are chewier and can have a better crunch depending on how much you fry them, making this quite an interesting dish.
8. Crispy snack mix
Image credit: Easy Cooking
Have you ever enjoyed munching on uncooked MAMA noodles? That was my favourite snack as a child. I used to crush it, put in the seasoning powder, shake it, and eat without boiling it.
If you’d like to try this super easy-to-make old school Thai snack for yourself, here’s how to prepare it.
Ingredients:
- MAMA noodles in your flavour of choice (Tom Yum is our pick!)
- Crispy snacks: Pork skin, crackling, fried fish skin, nuts
Steps:
- In the packet, crush your noodles to bite sized pieces
- Combine with crunchy snacks
- Pour in your seasoning powder and mix well. Voila!
9. Chocolate noodle pancakes
Graphic designer Nannicha Sriwut said that this dish was inspired by her friends who used to eat noodles as a dessert
Image credit: a day magazine
People might think about instant noodles as a savoury snack, but here’s how to level up your MAMA Masterchef game and turn in into a yummy dessert!
Ingredients:
- 1 pack of instant noodles
- Chocolate milk
- Unsalted butter
- Ice cream
- Whipped cream
- Icing sugar
- Fruits
Steps:
- Cook instant noodles in chocolate milk – make sure not to overcook it so that it doesn’t turn mushy
- Divide the noodles and fry into pancakes in unsalted butter
- Let them cool for 2-3 minutes
- Top with icing sugar, ice cream, fruit, whipped cream, – whatever you’d like!
Noodle pancakes taste just as yummy and offers a unique texture of stringy and chewy noodles.
Image credit: Inspiralized
Tip: You can find other types of noodles like sweet potato noodles and apply this recipe into it.
Stay at home and discover new recipes
Instant noodles are some of the best quick meals around, so switch them up by trying out this fun and creative recipes!
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