Mama Oriental Kitchen Salted Egg Noodles Review

I will always accept noodles as gifts with open arms over chocolates and flowers any day. Hasina is a dear friend and a fellow foodie and she got me some noodles and ice tea (another love of mine) from her trip to Thailand. One of the instant noodles was Mama Oriental Kitchen Salted Egg Noodles. The unique choice of flavour caught my eye. My friend Hasina truly understands how I love noodles and also have a curiosity for trying new flavours and this was perfect in both ways. 

I like the packaging. It's not crazy shiny like most and has a very sophisticated, fancy feel due to its matte finish. The design is also quite cool and the emphasis on OK from the Oriental Kitchen is notable. Mama Instant noodles have a variety of flavours but this one, in particular, seems to be unique. I also searched a little about it and apparently it is mostly available in Thailand. Must be due to demand I suppose. Every Country has its preferred variants. For instance, we have Masala or Chatpatta noodles which is what masses prefer in Pakistan.

Let's first dive into the origin of Salted Eggs so you have a better understanding of this dish. As per Wikipedia: "A salted duck egg is a Chinese preserved food product made by soaking duck eggs in brine, or packing each egg in damp, salted charcoal. In Asian supermarkets, these eggs are sometimes sold covered in a thick layer of salted charcoal paste. The eggs may also be sold with the salted paste removed, wrapped in plastic, and vacuum packed. From the salt curing process, the salted duck eggs have a briny aroma, a gelatin-like egg white, and a firm-textured, round yolk that is bright orange-red in colour."

Mama Oriental Kitchen Salted Egg Noodles packet does not have any readable instructions so I had to search the net, lost in translation. These moments make me want to learn all Asian languages, someday maybe. The packet contains the instant noodles along with Seasoning chilli oil and seasoning powder. The noodle's quality actually looks good too.

I boiled the noodles in 400ml boiling water for 4 minutes at which point they were nice and firm. Added the seasoning powder, chilli oil, and some add ons of my own too like stir-fried mushrooms, boiled egg, and chopped green onions. The overall portion is good enough for a mid day light lunch but not recommended for dinner unless you eat light.

Let's talk about flavours! I was actually nervous before taking my first bite but the burst of umami made me raise my eyebrows in the most delightful manner possible. The seasoning is very rich and has a great depth of flavours. The salted egg taste is definitely there, the chilli oil adds richness though is not very spicy and does not overpower the actual egg flavour. I was doubtful how "salted egg" can be interpreted as a flavour in anything else but its original form but I was wrong and these noodles are proof. To explain the flavour a little further it tasted like cured egg yolks, salty, umami, rich in texture. A very different variant from the usual ramen noodles but definitely comforting, flavorful, and something I am willing to have again, yes. I am also tempted to make some salted eggs myself but perhaps with Chicken eggs as Ducks are not very common in our country, pfft.

Overall, I enjoyed Mama Oriental Kitchen Salted Egg Noodles and if I ever come across this variant I will be buying a few packs for myself. Currently, I was only able to find it on Amazon in case you are interested. Pack of three costs $15 so I was right I suppose when I said these were Fancy Instant noodles but totally worth it!