Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Accessorize, Accessorize - Spicy Prawn Noodles


I never buy the "less is more" concept, and I fell head over heels in love with Nigella Lawson for saying "too much of a good thing can be wonderful"

Now..do you remember these instant noodle packets I've bought in Penang?

I am very particular about the way I like my instant noodles (I think everyone has their own weird instant noodles related thingy too. Do share ^_^).

These are some instant noodle principals I follow religiously:
- It HAS to be springy and chewy
I loathe overcooked, mushy, limp noodles. I literally dip my noodles in hot water and immediately take it out, my friends told me not to even bother dipping the noodles at all. LOL
- I like to keep it tasty
I put just enough water to be able to slurp, but it can't be too soupy, or all the tastiness will just get washed away
- I love it creamy
The trick is to crack and egg and immediately stir it. It jazzes up the soup base instantly
- Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize
I love adding loads of my favorite things into the noodles. Namely, Justin Timberlake. Oppsssss joking. No, seriously. No, joking. Hehe. OK, my all time instant noodle accessories, they are classic and never go out of style: mini cheese hot dogs, taiwanese mushroom porkballs, fish shao mai, and I meant LOADs of them. The more, the better. For special occasions, I add nicely marbled, thinly sliced beef, or shrimps. and eggs, and cheese, and potato chips, deep fried fish skin...more more more!

I could never ever EVER have instant noodles with nothing else. Call me ruining the whole point of instant noodles convenience, but freak it. I wanna enjoy every pound I gain!

So here's what I added to the already wonderful
Spicy Penang Prawn Noodles

Serves 1 (myself):
- 1 packet of Penang Prawn Instant Noodles (cook according to instructions on the packet)
Accessories
- a handful of shrimps, deveined, deshelled, sauteed in butter, salt and pepper, set aside, throw on top of the noodles later
- a bunch of finely chopped fresh corriander
- 2 pieces of fish shao mai
- 4 mini cheese dogs
- fried shallots

Cook fish shao mai and mini cheese dogs in boiling water for about 3 minutes, add noodles, prepare the sauce in a bowl, pour noodles and just enough water into the bowl after about 2-3 minutes, add freshly chopped corriander, shrimps and fried shallot. Slurp away.

Sharing this with Presto Pasta Nights gang, hosted this week by Hillary of Chew On That

Boy. I was THIS close to throwing my sous chef into the noodles. LOL

26 comments:

  1. FinlaJune 25, 2008 at 1:24 AM

    I do have the same pack of noodles here whichibought from the chinese shop here.
    I never had too much water as u say then it is a waste.
    Love your additiong of the prawns will try next time.

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  2. Wandering ChopsticksJune 25, 2008 at 4:59 AM

    Cheese dogs lady? I haven't heard that one.

    But yeah, I add an egg to my noodles too.

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  3. Ruth DanielsJune 25, 2008 at 5:11 AM

    LOL - and I too, can never have too much of a good thing...make that things! Thanks for sharing with Presto Pasta Nights. I'm drooling already.

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  4. Peter MJune 25, 2008 at 5:11 AM

    Rita, I can see liking that crispness of the noodles like in a Catonese chow mein. You've really snazzed-up a package of noodles.

    Here's the deal...you cook, I eat & sous chef does dishes, Um-k? lol

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  5. Susan @ SGCCJune 25, 2008 at 9:22 AM

    I love this! I buy lots of instant noodle packets to keep in the house for a quick lunch, snack, etc. What great ideas to spiff them up! :D

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  6. test it commJune 25, 2008 at 9:35 AM

    Instant noodles are a great way to start a quick and tasty noodle dish. I often use them to make ramen. I tend to add some meat and lots of vegetables.

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  7. daphneJune 25, 2008 at 3:09 PM

    haha. A simple packet of instant noodles can do WONDERS! Especially with ALL sorts of "accessories"!

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  8. tigerfishJune 25, 2008 at 6:44 PM

    Yum yum! You have just the right accessories for the noodles! I hope to try the noodles if I see them around.

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  9. SIGJune 25, 2008 at 11:26 PM

    Hahaha, I also like to add less water so it's tastier if I have cup noodle or soup version. And I love the chewy kind. I love kongzai meen sesame flavour but you can't get them here, only in hkg. I did spy it once long time ago at Cold Storage but don't see them anymore. I love love love those. My all-time favourite is Indomie Mee Goreng. That is dry as you should know. I add a little garlic chilli sauce to it to spice it up a notch, add two crabsticks, and a poached egg. Poached egg cannot have the yolk broken before it is done or else my mood will be spoiled and I don't like the taste of the noodles after. It always has to have runny yolk but not runny white (cos I hate that) so that when you break it open, the yolk will just flow through and it is so yummy mixed into the noodles. *big slurp*

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  10. dewi ayinJune 26, 2008 at 3:52 PM

    my fave instant noodles? same same as yours... maximalist... hehehe, but lose the coriander...

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  11. AnonymousJune 26, 2008 at 6:17 PM

    That looks delicious! How wish I had a bowl of that right now!

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  12. AnonymousJune 26, 2008 at 7:58 PM

    "I wanna enjoy every pound I gain." hahaha... Words to live by. Some people like to pimp their car while others like to pimp their instant noodles. I see nothing wrong with that. :-)

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  13. AnonymousJune 27, 2008 at 12:17 AM

    I share a lot of similar values when it comes to instant noodles! :) I hate when I overcook them...and I definitely need some flava!

    Nice dish - I can't wait to post it in tomorrow's Presto Pasta Nights roundup!

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  14. A.GJune 27, 2008 at 12:20 AM

    kyk tom yum ya.... :) slurup... noodle is de best ^o^

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  15. Little Corner of MineJune 27, 2008 at 12:40 AM

    Yummy yum yum! I love this brand of Har Mee too. I brought some back here too...hehehe...I also bought the mee goreng version, haven't tried it yet.

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  16. Salt N TurmericJune 27, 2008 at 5:44 AM

    Less is more sure doesnt work when it comes to food. lol. Like u, i like more vege in my noodle. and egg. and prawn. ;)

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  17. CynthiaJune 27, 2008 at 11:13 AM

    I am totally in love with your accessorized noodles!

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  18. ThistlemoonJune 28, 2008 at 5:21 AM

    Sounds so good - especially with the mini cheese dogs - would have never thought of that!

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  19. Ruth DanielsJune 28, 2008 at 7:02 AM

    I'm not sure about the cheese dogs , but everything else sounds truly awesome. Thanks so much for sharing with Presto Pasta Nights.

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  20. LisaJune 29, 2008 at 4:17 AM

    Waaah! I want that bowl of noodles right away! I must admit, the mini-cheese dogs threw me there for a minute. But now I'm into it. ;) Sous chef would've been good in there, too.

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  21. AnonymousJune 29, 2008 at 11:33 PM

    I remember a time I lived on these noodles! haha

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  22. AnonymousJune 30, 2008 at 7:44 AM

    wooohhh...looks mouth watering! gile, makan mie instant embel2nya seabrek ya Rit? itu "ho liao" di kantong mie apa artinya? apa sama dg ho cia?

    udah lama gak blogwalk, foto2 & resep2mu makin canggih nih...

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  23. Happee MonkeeJune 30, 2008 at 8:29 AM

    I love Har Mee. It's a Malaysian through&through and I miss it like hell. That instant noodles is also wickedly addictive. It'll make your hair drop out (from MSG) but it's still too good to stop.

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  24. UnknownJune 30, 2008 at 9:55 AM

    hi happy cook! gosh...lucky u..i cant find these noodles here in hk, i'll hv to buy these from penang bloggers maybe..hehe

    hi wc, yeah mini cheese dogs, they are very happening here in hk ;)

    hi ruth! yeah! the more the merrier :)

    hi peter, i love ur suggested arrangement, and sous chef disagreed lol

    hi susan, yeah...always spice it up ;)

    hi kevin, yeah..some of them could mimic the texture of hand made ramen (unless they are overcooked)

    hi daph, viva instant noodles hehe

    tigerfish, hehehe yeah and you can mix and match! :)

    sig, hahaha wow u're very particular abt ur indomie eh? no worries, same here! hohoho

    dewi, dasar pemakan daging

    hi joanne, try it, u'll love it :)

    zenman, yeah i've been enjoying it toooo muchhhh

    hi hillary, yeah nothing's worse than limp, mushy instant noodles

    ayin, wah kowe yo doyan instant noodles toh

    hi ching, any ideas where i can buy these outside malaysia? hehe

    hahaha s&t, i think some people love simplicity, i remember living with minimalists who like their food unseasoned and just steamed hehe

    cyn and jenn, glad you like it

    ruth, yeah many people werent so sure abt the cheese dogs too haha

    hi lisa, yeah, if the sous chef wont get into the bowl, the bowl will get onto sous chef, aye? LOL

    maryann, me too, me too

    liz, aku juga ga jelas tuh, rasanya itu bahasa hokkien yah kekeke

    hi monkee...yeah too addictive! i can hear my hair dropping even as i think abt the noodles

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  25. CK LamJune 30, 2008 at 11:33 PM

    Looks like all your effort carrying the Har Mee from Penang all the way back home is really worth it.
    You did great giving the instant noodle a new twist with all the ingredients.

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  26. Little Corner of MineJuly 3, 2008 at 12:09 AM

    Hi Rita,

    The online store MYTOA (can see the link at my blog) does sell this Har Mee.

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