How to slurp ramen

That said, I think restaurant sized packages of plain ramen noodles are likely better than the individual BPA laden ones. Moderation I guess?

At most once a week, educational videos say. :slight_smile:

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How about a taco?

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This theory sounds like itā€™s from a food blogger whoā€™s trying way to hard to find a scientific reason behind a cultural habit.

Iā€™m Asian. I grew up eating noodles all my life. I slurp my noodles because thatā€™s how I observed the people around me eating them since I was a baby. I donā€™t slurp my noodles to cool them down. I cool my noodles down by picking them up and blowing on them, like every other human being that eats noodle soup. Someone was even goofy enough to invent a fan designed for this sort of thing.

I slurp my noodles because thatā€™s how Iā€™ve been raised to eat soup noodles. Maybe the first guy or gal to slurp their noodles did so because soupy noodles are easy to slurp because thereā€™s soup on the noodles. Itā€™s pretty hard to slurp fried noodles like pad thai. Maybe the first person to slurp noodles did so because it just tastes better that way, like how eating barbecue chicken with your hands just tastes better than eating it with a fork and knife.

But I highly doubt it cools the noodles down.

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My wife is from Japan. That was the reason she told me why they do it. Cultural differences may come into play here.

I have tried it on a practical level. I live about 3 blocks from a ramen joint and it is the go to ā€œnot in the mood to make dinnerā€ place for us. Slurping really does work well for hot noodles.

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And half my family believe in fan death. People rationalize their cultural habits all the time. Doesnā€™t make those rationalizations true.

I mean everyone regardless of culture blows on hot food (including noodles) because it actually does reduce heat. If slurping actually does cools down noodles, wouldnā€™t soup slurping also be a western cultural habit? Why this method work for noodles but not for soup in general?

Weā€™re both going by anecdotal evidence here but Iā€™ve never felt like slurping my noodles has cooled them down. Thatā€™s what blowing on them is for. Iā€™ve also never seen a scientist weigh in on slurping cooling noodles down which puts this theory squarely in old wivesā€™ tale territory for me.

Iā€™m gonna stick to my assumption that slurping noodles became a thing in Japan because ramen is very easy to slurp. The noodles are thin and covered in soup, therefore, super easy to slurp. Da xiao mian is regularly used in soups and you donā€™t see Asians slurping them. Theyā€™re way too thick and flat to.

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What I do is let my noodles cool for about ten minutes before I eat them. Eating boiling hot food is quite damaging to the tissues of the mouth and esophagus. If your noodles break down too much after a few minutes, then switch to a heartier kind of noodle. I am waiting for some ramen to cool even now as I type this. My stomach is growling, but it will need to wait.

These days, when I still eat ramen (less than I used to), I usually get the Thai varieties, such as MaMa or WaiWai. They are smaller portions than most other varieties, they digest well and seem slightly more substantial than typical fried instant noodles. I just cooked some MaMa ā€œArtificial PA-LO DUCK FLAVOURā€ with scallions, pea pods, bok choy, shittake, and two dropped eggs.

As for that video above showing noodle digestion - FFS, chew your food! I donā€™t doubt that fresh noodles are far preferable. But anything is easier to digest if you take a few seconds to properly chew your food before swallowing it.

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Arnood is the bestest!




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And half my family believe in fan death. People rationalize their cultural habits all the time. Doesnā€™t make those rationalizations true.

But it does explain the mindset of culturally based activity. Like say, slurping oneā€™s noodles.

If slurping actually does cools down noodles, wouldnā€™t soup slurping also be a western cultural habit? Why this method work for noodles but not for soup in general?

Western soups seldom have bits in them that donā€™t fit on a spoon. Asian noodle soups are nigh impossible to eat with just a spoon and require chopsticks.

Weā€™re both going by anecdotal evidence here but Iā€™ve never felt like slurping my noodles has cooled them down. Thatā€™s what blowing on them is for.

Its all good. Whatever floats your boat :smiley:

Da xiao mian is regularly used in soups and you donā€™t see Asians slurping them

You also donā€™t see it very much in Japanese noodle soups either. I donā€™t speak for what all Asians do. But I know what I have observed with the Asians I am related to.

i could watch brad pitt eating all day long.

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Erm, I thought he was criticisng how New Yorkers eat noodles? The message I took away was that the Tokyo slurp-your-ramen-in-four-minutes method was the approved one.

Heh, not that he cares!

(Tbf, heā€™s clearly not eating ramen noodles.)

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Was this an Asian restaurant you were in?

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We use Hakubaku organic ramen noodles, which are not pre-fried like the cheap packets bought by students. Also, no powdered soup packet (which I think is really where the problem is).

Ingredients: Organic Wheat Flour, Salt, Mineral Salts, Water.

The packaging is a different type of plastic, too, so I donā€™t think BPA is a factor. Theyā€™re made in Australia. Amazon has a good price for 8 packages (each package has two bunches).

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What about the ā€œDonā€™t talk with food in your mouthā€ rule, eh?

I have not actually had real, freshly made noodles. Itā€™s definitely something iā€™d like to eat sometime, but the quality of noodles in most restaurants is generally acceptable. Thus far i think the best iā€™ve had were of the japanese variety and some vietnamese ones too.

I have had fresh, homemade pasta. Was served in a soup and it was simply divine.

Why am i spending this much time typing about food? Iā€™m hungry nowā€¦

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Which leaves one wondering why the product is adulterated? Next time Iā€™m in Fort Lee Iā€™ll get the real thing so I can really go for it. I have also contemplated that quick cooking Dashi could be substituted for stock in many western recipes.

Since my family doesnā€™t eat pork I need to come up with a good substitute for that garnish, maybe smoked turkey.

But then it wouldnā€™t be ramen soup, which is dashi based, it would be miso soup. Yummy, but not the same.

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Yes! MaMa Tom Yum is my late night sin. Usually 2 packages with dropped egg, half a small onion sliced very thin, and chopped cilantro if I have it. You inspire me to try mushrooms in it. I used to try slicing some frozen fish fillet and dropping it in, but the slicing was too much work.

Fresh noodles are surprising easy to make if you have a breadmaker to knead them and an italian style pasta maker to roll and cut them. Made fettuccine with grilled salmon & zucchini in a garlic, butter and white wine reduction sauce for my wifeā€™s birthday last month.

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