Cup noodles

Cup Noodles is a brand of instant ramen noodle snack manufactured by Nissin, packaged in a XPS foam or hard plastic cup. The product is known for being inexpensive and easy to prepare. Other brand names are used in specific countries, such as Cup Noodle (not plural) in Japan.

History

Instant noodles were invented in 1958 by Momofuku Ando, the Taiwanese-born founder of the Japanese food company Nissin. He used Chikin Ramen (Chicken Ramen) as the first instant ramen noodles. In 1970, Nissin formed the subsidiary Nissin Foods (USA) Co. Inc, to sell instant noodles to the United States. Nissin recognized that the bowls traditionally used to package instant noodles were not common in the U.S, so they instead turned to the paper cup; in 1971, they introduced instant ramen packaged in a foam cup. Nissin subsequently introduced this to Japan.

Today, instant noodles in Japan are often sold in foam bowls, sometimes with plastic utensils. Foam bowls are easily portable; they are very convenient for outdoor activities. Foam bowls are also inexpensive, disposable, and light, and thus convenient as an "on-the-go" meal.

Supermarket chain Lidl also uses the "cup noodle" name on their version of the product.

Cooking

A container of Cup Noodles includes a pre-cooked (fried) block of noodles that requires only the addition of hot water and sometimes flavoring, usually included in small packets. Cooking time is usually around 3 minutes; boiling water is preferable to cold water and microwave cooking.

Flavors and Statistics

In the United States, there are 13 flavors of cup noodles; common ones include shrimp, chicken, and beef. New additions include spicy picante flavors and spicy cheese variants. Recent news says that the beef, chicken and shrimp flavors of cup noodles will become all 100% natural around this summer, removing monosodium glutamate and other regular flavor enhancers in favor of all-natural flavor enhancers.Fact|date=July 2008

Different flavors are available in other parts of the world, such as tom yum in Thailand, curry in Japan, crab in Hong Kong, Bolognese sauce in Brazil, and so on. [Japanese [http://www.cupnoodle.jp/ Cup Noodle] official website has the section "The Cupnoodle in the world" under the "Library", which lists Cup Noodles flavors all over the world.]

List of Cup Noodles flavors by country

Brazil

*Cup Noodles
**Galinha Caipira; Chicken
**Bacon
**Camarão; Shrimp
**Carne; Beef
**Legumes; Vegetable
**Tomate a Italiana; Italian Tomato
**Frango com Requeijão; Chicken & Cheese
**4 Queijos; Four Cheese
**Calabresa; Smoked Sausage
**Bolonesa; Bolognese sauce

China

* _zh. 合味道 ("Héwèidào / Hàhpmèihdòuh", Cup Noodles), marketed in Guangdong
** _zh. 五香牛肉味; Beef
** _zh. 海鲜味; Seafood
** _zh. 香浓叉烧味; Char siu Pork
** _zh. 虾仁原味味; Shrimp Original
** _zh. 香辣海鲜味; Spicy Seafood

* _zh. 合味道 ("Hàhpmèihdòuh", Cup Noodles), marketed in Hong Kong
** _zh. 什錦; Vegetable
** _zh. 雞肉; Chicken
** _zh. 蟹柳; Crab
** _zh. 冬菇雞肉; Chicken Mushroom
** _zh. 五香牛肉; Beef
** _zh. 香辣海鮮; Spicy Seafood
** _zh. 海鮮; Seafood
** _zh. 咖喱海鮮; Seafood Curry
** _zh. 香辣牛肉; Spicy Beef
** _zh. 蝦; Shrimp
** _zh. XO醬海鮮; XO sauce Seafood

* _zh. 开杯乐 ("Kāibēilè", Cup Noodles), marketed in Shanghai
** _zh. 五香牛肉面; Beef
** _zh. 海鲜面; Seafood
** _zh. 意大利牛肉面; Italian Beef
** _zh. 虾仁原味面; Shrimp Original
** _zh. 香浓叉烧面; Char siu Pork
** _zh. 咖喱牛肉面; Beef Curry

Germany

*Cup Nudeln
**Huhn; Chicken
**Rind; Beef
**Garnele; Shrimp
**Huhn & Champignons; Chicken & Mushroom
**Huhn & Curry; Chicken & Curry
**Tomate; Tomato
**Brokkoli; Broccoli
**Süss-Sauer; Sweet-Sour
**Tom Yum; Thai-Style
**Spicy; Hot/Spicy
**Kartoffelbrei; Mashed Potato;

India

*Cup Noodles
**Spicy Vegetable
**Tangy Chicken
**Mast Masala

Indonesia

*Cup Noodles
**Rasa Ayam; Chicken
**Rasa Udang; Shrimp
**Rada Daging Sapi; Beef
**Tominapple

Japan

"See Japanese article for the discontinued flavors."
*カップヌードル ("Kappu Nūdoru", Cup Noodle)
** _ja. カップヌードル; "Plain", equivalent to "Shrimp" in other countries
** _ja. シーフードヌードル; Seafood
** _ja. カップヌードル カレー; Curry
** _ja. カップヌードル チリトマトヌードル; Chilli Tomato
** _ja. カップヌードル 欧風チーズカレー; European Cheese Curry
** _ja. カップヌードル Kimchi
** _ja. カップヌードル SiO; Salt Ramen
** _ja. カップヌードル MISO; Miso Ramen
** _ja. カップヌードル クリーミーチキン; Creamy Chicken
** _ja. カップヌードル 辛口カリビアンシーフード; Hot Caribbean Seafood
** _ja. カップヌードル ベーコン旨タレ醤油; Bacon Soy Sauce
** _ja. カップヌードル MILK; Cream Sauce
*In The Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum, Ikeda, Osaka, a visitor can mix their own flavor by choosing ingredients and a soup. [http://www.nissin-noodles.com/club_n/mycupnodle.html]

Mexico

*Cup Noodles
**Chicken
**Tapatio
**Beef
**Crab
**Pork
**Shrimp
**Shrimp & Lemon
**Shrimp Picante
**Tlalpeño (caldo tlalpeño); Chicken Vegetable Soup
**Mariscos; Seafood
**Cheddar Cheese
**Tomatoe
**Hot Sauce Chicken
**Hot Sauce Shrimp
**Hot Sauce Beef
**"Japanese noodles"; ramen

Philippines

*Cup Noodles
**Beef
**Seafood
**Chicken
**Spicy Seafood
**Batchoy; Pork Soup
**Bulalo; Beef Marrow
**Sotanghon - Chicken
**Sotanghon - Seafood

Singapore

*Nissin Cup Noodles
*Myojo Cup Noodles
**Chicken
**Chicken Abalone (available only in bowl)
**Chicken Curry
**Laksa (available only in cup)
**Mee Soto Ayam (available only in bowl)
**Seafood
**Thai Tom Yam
**Lor Mee (available only in bowl)
*Koka Cup Noodles
**Beef Pho
**Chicken
**Chicken Abalone
**Chicken Pho
**Chicken Satay
**Crab
**Curry
**Laksa Singapura
**Mushroom
**Pepper Crab
**Prawn
**Seafood
**Spicy Black Pepper
**Spicy Marinara
**Spicy Sesame Chicken
**Spicy Singapore Fried Noodles
**Stir Fry
**Tom Yam
**Vegetable
**Vegetarian Curry
**Crab
**Lobster
**Tomato
**Zingha La La

Thailand

* _th. คัพนูดเดิล ("Kap Nutdoen", Cup Noodles)
**Tom Yam Goong; Prawn Soup
**Minced pork
**Seafood
**Spicy duck
**Garlic Pork Chicken
**Tom Yam Minced Pork
**Mushroom Jey; Mushroom & Vegetable
**Tom Yam Chicken
**Tom Yam Jey; Vegetable Soup
**Tom Yam Goong Creamy
*Cup Noodles (for export) [http://www.nissinthailand.com/cup.html]
**Prawn
**Chicken
**Mushroom Chicken
**Seafood
**Spicy Seafood
**Tom Yam Seafood
**Curry Seafood
**Chilli Crab
**Tom Yam Veg
**Laksa

United States

*Cup Noodles
**Beef
**Chicken
**Roast Chicken
**Shrimp
**Chicken Vegetable
**Cheddar Cheese
**Creamy Chicken
**Hearty Chicken
**Spicy Roast Beef
**Spicy Roast Chicken
**Shrimp Picante Style
**Spicy Chile Chicken
**Spicy Keesh Vegetable
**Salsa Picante Beef
**Salsa Picante Chicken
**Salsa Picante Shrimp
**Natural Beef (coming soon)
**Natural Chicken (coming soon)
**Natural Shrimp (coming soon)
**Chile con Limon (only in Southern California)

Popular culture

*From 1996 to 2006, a 60-foot (18 meter) Nissin Cup Noodle sign was installed in Times Square, New York City. It was located prominently near the top of the One Times Square building, the location of the Times Square Ball drop on New Year's Eve. The sign was the most recent example in a tradition of steaming signs in Times Square, which started with an A&P "8 O'Clock Coffee" cup in 1933. [http://www.nyc-architecture.com/MID/MID-TimesSquare.htm]

*In the South Park episode Make Love, Not Warcraft, a Cup Noodles cup is seen on Stan's computer desk.

*In Cowboy Bebop The Movie, a cup of noodle is seen where one can just "pull the string and it's ready to eat". Spike also complains of having to eat cup of noodles day after day.

*In the OVA series Freedom Project, Nissin Cup Noodles are displayed prominently in several scenes, as the food distributor is the main sponsor of the series.

*As a part of Project X, Akira Imai and Tadashi Kato's manga tells the story of how the original Cup Noodle was created. [ [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/releases.php?id=6086 Project X - Cup Noodle (GN) - Anime News Network ] ]

*In episode 19 the anime Negima!?, Evangeline A. K. McDowell and Professor Takahata argue over how long it is best to keep water boiling in cup noodles. Takahata claims that boiling them for longer makes them taste better, whereas Evangeline does not care how long they are cooked for. Later in the episode, it is seen that they were left boiling for too long, and the cup expanded because of the fattening of the noodles.

*In a scene in the movie Click, Adam Sandler's character's assistant is seen eating cup noodles when he first arrives.

*In the U.S. version of The Office, Cup Noodles is a popular lunch among the characters of the show.

*In the Playstation 3 game Metal Gear Solid 4, Cup Noodles are an item used to replenish health.

ee also

*Maruchan; another well-known producer of instant noodles in a cup.
*Frozen noodles
*Pot Noodle
*Instant noodles
*Noodles

References

External links

* [http://web.archive.org/web/20060118133209/http://japanscan.com/market-report-cup+noodles.htm Cup Noodles and Instant Noodles Market in Japan]
* [http://www.nissinfoods.com/cupnoodles/ Cup Noodles official website (U.S)] en icon
* [http://www.cupnoodle.jp/ Cup Noodle official website] ja icon
* [http://sc-smn.jst.go.jp/8/bangumi.asp?i_series_code=B990601&i_renban_code=047 Science Channel's "The Making" Series: #47 Making of Cup Noodles] (video in Japanese)