SELECTIVE

With the exception of ba zhang and sushi, I don't really like rice. I know I know, rice is THE staple food of Asia; but I'm just sooo sick of eating rice and grains for almost every other meal for the past 20-odds years; so much so that nowadays, I would usually eat the 料 and discard away half a pack of 菜饭.

Sans laziness to chew and a general tendency not to eat outside, I have quite a healthy appetite for other things, though. Tapoica chips, for one. Chocolates, coffee buns, ba zhang, sushi, milk tea, Old Chang Kee's gu cai, Swensen's fries, Subway's cold cut trio, kangkong, prawn, crab, topshell, sotong sotong and more sotong, ham, noodles, instant noodles.

This reminds me, I had instant noodles for breakfast this morning. This is the second meal of instant noodles for the week. NOT healthy, definitely!




Anyway, I really like instant noodles.

Usually, I would firstly cook and soften the noodles in boiling water. After which, I would drain the noodles and cool them down by washing in normal, drinking water. This step is something personal, something akin to a strange habit; although it is kind of redundant. I'm aware that all the ruckus about the supposedly wax in noodles is just a bunch of hoax. Somehow, despite this knowledge, I STILL prefer to wash the noodles in clear, drinking water. Strangely, it just feels healthier (remove oil, hopefully?). In addition, it also prevents the noodles from being all too soggy. I don't know about you, but I hate limpy noodles. Noodles are supposed to be Q and bouncy. Toooiii!

I like the curry seasoning. Apart from the seasoning, I would also usually add in a dash of sesame oil, a generous dose of black pepper (don't add this if you're not an arrant chilli/spicy lover), and a little of tomato sauce and chilli sauce. Yes, preservatives overload; but hey! I don't eat instant noodles every single day!

Occasionally - if I remember - I would throw in shiitake mushrooms, or enokitake mushrooms (金针菇!!! 一级棒!!!), or an egg. The end result? It is always fabulous (at least, to me, it is)! Not only is the colour pretty (a nice orangey-red), but the noodles is springy and Q as well; bringing along with it a fiery dash of hot spiciness, masked with a tangible - but yet mild - tinge of delightful sweetness (thanks to the tomato sauce!). I always take special care when it comes to the chilli sauce and tomato sauce though, because I would not like the noodles to get too creamy or gelatinous.

Eat me! I am Q!

Ok, this morning's shall be the last packet of instant noodles for this week.