Cup Noodles

Cup Noodles is a brand of instant ramen noodle snack manufactured by Nissin, packaged in a polyethylene foam, hard plastic or paper cup. The product is known for being inexpensive and easy to prepare. Other brand names are used in specific countries, such as Cup Noodle in Japan.

Contents

History

Instant noodles were invented in 1958 by Momofuku Ando, the Taiwanese-born founder of the Japanese food company Nissin. He used Chikin Ramen (Chicken Ramen) as the first instant ramen noodles. In 1970, Nissin formed the subsidiary Nissin Foods (USA) Co. Inc, to sell instant noodles in the United States. Nissin recognized that the bowls traditionally used to package instant noodles in Asia were not common in the U.S, so they used the paper cup; in 1971, they introduced instant ramen packaged in a foam cup. Originally, the product was known as Cup O' Noodles in the United States;[1] this was changed in 1993 to its current name.

Today, instant noodles in Japan are often sold in foam bowls, sometimes with plastic utensils. Foam bowls are easily portable; they are convenient for outdoor activities. Foam bowls are inexpensive, disposable, light, and easy to hold, since they insulate heat well and are convenient as an "on-the-go" meal.

Cooking

A container of Cup Noodles includes a precooked (fried) block of noodles that requires only the addition of hot water and in some cases flavoring that is included in small packets. Cooking time is around three minutes.

Flavors

In the U.S., there are 20 flavors of cup noodles; common ones include shrimp, chicken, and beef. Additions include spicy picante flavors and spicy cheese variants.

Different flavors are available in other parts of the world, such as tom yum in Thailand, curry in Japan, crab in Hong Kong, Bolognese sauce in Brazil, and so on.[2]

List of Cup Noodles flavors by country

Brazil

Cup Noodles

Hong Kong

合味道 (Hàhpmèihdòuh)

China

合味道 (Héwèidào / Hàhpmèihdòuh, Guangdong)
  • 五香牛肉味; Beef
  • 海鲜味; Seafood
  • 西红柿; Tomato
  • 香浓叉烧味; Char siu Pork
  • 虾仁原味味; Shrimp Original
  • 香辣海鲜味; Spicy Seafood
开杯乐 (Kāibēilè, Shanghai)
  • 五香牛肉面; Beef
  • 海鲜面; Seafood
  • 意大利牛肉面; Spicy Beef
  • 香辣牛肉面; Beef Curry
  • 虾仁原味面; Shrimp Original
  • 香浓叉烧面; Char siu Pork
  • 咖喱牛肉面; Beef Curry

Finland

Cup Noodles

Germany

Cup Nudeln

India

Cup Noodles

Indonesia

Cup Noodles

Japan

Cup Noodle (カップヌードル Kappu Nūdoru?)

In The Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum, Ikeda, Osaka, a visitor can mix his own flavor by choosing ingredients and a soup.[3] Nissin has a similar exhibit at the Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum in Yokohama.

Malaysia & Singapore

Nissin Cup Noodles or Myojo Cup Noodles

Mexico

Cup Noodles

Philippines

Cup Noodles

South Korea

Cup Noodle (컵라면|Kupramyeon)

Thailand

คัพนูดเดิล (Kap Nutdoen, Cup Noodles)
  • Tom Yam Goong; Prawn Soup
  • Minced pork
  • Seafood
  • Spicy duck
  • Garlic Pork Chicken
  • Tom Yam Minced Pork
  • Mushroom Jey; Mushroom & Vegetable
  • Tom Yam Chicken
  • Tom Yam Jey; Vegetable Soup
  • Tom Yam Goong Creamy
Cup Noodles (for export)
  • Prawn
  • Chicken
  • Mushroom Chicken
  • Seafood
  • Spicy Seafood
  • Tom Yam Seafood
  • Curry Seafood
  • Chilli Crab
  • Tom Yam Veg
  • Laksa
  • Sour Chicken

United States

Cup Noodles[4]

Popular culture

See also

References

  1. ^ http://www.nissinfoods.com/company/history.php
  2. ^ Japanese Cup Noodle official website has the section "The Cupnoodle in the world" under the "Library", which lists Cup Noodles flavors all over the world.
  3. ^ http://www.nissin-noodles.com/club_n/mycupnodle.html
  4. ^ "Nissin Foods - Cup Noodles". Nissin Foods. Archived from the original on Feb 19, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070219034019/http://www.nissinfoods.com/cupnoodles/. Retrieved 2 January 2012. 
  5. ^ http://www.nyc-architecture.com/MID/MID-TimesSquare.htm

External links