KOCHI: Noodles, the quintessential comfort food of the modern era, are essentially long, thin strips made from flour. Whether soupy, dry, saucy, spicy, or mild, with any toppings available at hand, noodles offer a quick fix for sudden hunger pangs. Going beyond, it can also be presented as an exotic treat.
In India, noodles were once synonymous with Maggi’s “two-minute” variety. However, thanks to the influence of K-pop/dramas/movies, and the widespread reach of social media reels, noodles have come to mean much more. From Hakka noodles to Pad Thai and Japanese ramen, many versions of East Asian noodle dishes are now available across restaurants, ranging from spicy to mild, with toppings like eggs, spring onions, beef, pork, chicken, and veggies.
Some eateries even offer curated dishes for anime lovers, visually crafted to match the aesthetics of their favourite shows. Despite this variety, the love for packet noodles endures, largely due to their convenience. Noodle experiments are common among foodies, especially if they have more than 10 minutes to spare in the kitchen.
From Indian classics like Maggi, Yippee, and Top Ramen to Korean brands like Samyang and Nongshim, Indonesian brands like Indomie, and Singaporean Koka, the market is flooded with options. The origin of noodles dates back millennia, and there is an ongoing dispute between Italians and Chinese over who first discovered this starchy treat. Many historians trace the first recorded instance of noodles to .