"Healthy" Instant Noodles From Taiwan Are Becoming New Favourites Among Enthusiasts
A trend is emerging among instant noodle lovers: sun-dried and air-fried noodles.
By Tang Ruxyn — 25 Jul 2018, 07:17 PM
Instant noodles. They're the go-to meal when you're just too broke… or when you're too lazy to head out for food. :p
Instant noodles are often cheap and easy to cook, and they have even become a staple for people to survive during times of crisis following a natural disaster.
Unfortunately, instant noodles have a reputation for not being the healthiest of food.
However, things are about to change as more manufacturers are producing "healthier" instant noodles to meet customers' demands for fresher and healthier food.
What sets these "healthy" instant noodles apart from regular instant noodles is how the noodles are made and preserved to improve shelf life.
It is said that the raw noodles are naturally sun-dried or dehydrated using air-drying technology, which are supposed to be "healthier" than those that are made using the traditional method of frying.
In the past year or so, instant noodle manufacturers, particularly those from Taiwan, have found great success in producing and marketing "healthy" instant noodles.
Their instant noodles have been selling out not just in Taiwan, but also in neighbouring territories such as Hong Kong and Singapore.
"Healthy" instant noodles from Taiwanese brands such as Little Couples Q Noodles, Tseng Noodles (also known as Zeng Noodles), and KiKi Noodles, have been extremely popular
Among the three brands, KiKi is probably the most well-known as it shot to mainstream fame after it was endorsed by popular Taiwanese celebrity Shu Qi
KiKi Noodles is produced by a restaurant chain in Taiwan of the same name. The restaurant chain specialises in Sichuan cuisine, so it's no surprise that one of its best-selling noodles is the 'Szechuan Pepper' noodles.
Usually, “healthy” instant noodles are served dry as opposed to the usual MSG-laden soup broths, and KiKi Noodles is no different. The noodles are tossed with savoury sauces depending on the flavour.
The availability of such "healthy" instant noodles in local markets in Malaysia is still quite scarce, but selected brands and noodles have already made their way into on-ground fairs at shopping malls and e-commerce sites.
Previously, KiKi Fine Goods Singapore told The Straits Times in September 2017 that there are plans to make the KiKi Noodles available in Malaysia.