First Draft:

• Technical Description Poem

         Hunger

I sit rigid on your shelf, waiting for you, calling to you.

I am of no use to you sitting in this dehydrated state.

I am thirsty, not just for boiling water, but for

your lips to meet my long, tender strands.

But..what is that I see? Have you come to eat me in more ways than one?

Opening the drawer, he grabs me with his firm, muscular hands.

“Oh yes! Just like that!”

He puts my packaging in his mouth and tears my clothes right off.

“Oh daddy!”

He lays me naked into a circular bowl.

“What are you going to do to me now?” I remark.

Ripping open the spice packet, he pours it over my body.

“OHH, the pain!”

Pouring over hot water on me, I have succumbed to his will.

He gets a metal pronged tool and inserts it into me.

Twirling me over the tool, he slurps me up making sure no drop of liquid is left on me.

I am but your submissive tool, to satisfy your needs of hunger.

Introduction

Instant ramen noodles have become a ubiquitous food item in households across the globe. With over 96 billion servings of instant noodles being served worldwide in 2011, instant noodles have become an everyday norm (World Instant Noodles Association, 2011). As common as it is, its origins only date back to 1958, where it was invented by a Japanese man by the name of Momofuku Ando. It was then that he invented the world’s first instant noodles, known as “Chikin Ramen”, made through a process of flash frying the seasoned noodles after they have been steamed. Mass production of these instant noodles was made possible after he made public the process of making the instant noodles: noodle-making, steaming, seasoning, and dehydrating in oil heat (WINA, 2018).

It is evident by these facts that instant noodles have become a global phenomenon. They have been adapted to match the palettes of the country of the people that are consuming them, and flavor profiles have never been so much more varied. Instant noodles have become a symbol worldwide for cheap, delicious, and convenient food. In the following sections, the basic foundations of instant noodles will be described, followed by a in-depth technical description of a specific type of instant noodle, Korean Spicy Ramen, known as  “Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen” by Samyang.

Description Of Parts

In the following technical description of instant noodles,  Samyang’s “Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen” was used as the instant noodle for analysis. Samyang’s “Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen” has been made notorious for its extreme spiciness, becoming a viral trend across the internet (TheRamenRater, 2017).

In the description that follows, the four major components of Samyang’s “Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen” was analyzed: packaging , noodles, sauce packet, and finally, the flake packet.

Packaging

In Samyang’s “Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen”,  a foil packaging was used in order to house the contents of the noodle, liquid sauce packet, and flake packet. The purpose of the packaging being of aluminum foil is that foil is widely used in food packaging because of its application in food safety. In the research paper “Aluminium Foil as a Food Packaging Material in Comparison with Other Materials” by Manuela Lamberti and Felix Escher, Lamberti and Escher state “ (Aluminum foil) …Its barrier function against the migration of moisture, oxygen and other gases, and volatile aroma, as well as against the impact of light is generally higher than any plastic laminate material..” (Lamberti & Escher, 2007). In this quote by Lamberti & Escher, it is evident why a foil aluminum packaging was used in order to house the contents of the instant noodle, because of its food preservation qualities.

Another key feature about the packaging would be the aesthetics of the large usage of black and red in order to garner the consumer’s attention. This use of colorful marketing captures the consumer’s attention, thus leading to more sales.

Dehydrated Ramen Noodles

The main component of Samyang’s Hot Chicken Flavor ramen noodles would be, of course, the crinkle cut ramen noodles. The primary composition of instant noodles consist of: wheat, flour, salt, and kansui, an alkaline water that adds elasticity to the ramen noodles (KidsWebJapan, n.d.). These ingredients make up Samyang’s instant ramen noodles, which then is brought to a specific cutting machine, thus contributing to the wavy formation of the ramen noodles.

In regards to the texture and feel of the instant noodles, they are hard in texture and also shaped in the form of a block, largely due to the dehydration process. This dehydration process is unique to every ramen noodle producer, which can vary from flash frying or even blow drying the noodles until they are dry and hard. The dimensions of the block of noodles measure approximately 5.0 by 5.0 inches.

The color of the noodles are a slight tinted yellow, due to the color of wheat used in the dough of the noodles.Liquid Sauce Packet

The defining characteristic of the liquid sauce packet is its notorious spice with a scoville rating of 4,404 (TheRamenRater, 2017), rendering it extremely spicy and causing it to be a viral internet trend to those who dare attempt to eat the noodles across video streaming sites such as Youtube.

The sauce itself is pungent in odor, with a smell of chili and spice perforating the nose. The color is almost blood red, due to the amount of chili used to enhance the spice of the liquid sauce packet. The sauce is also very viscous and thick, most likely to ensure that it can coat itself evenly throughout the noodles and can linger on the taste buds.

Dehydrated Flakes

And lastly, the final component of Samyang’s Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen is the dehydrated flakes of dried laver and sesame seeds. These dehydrated flakes are approximately 2.0 mm by 2.0 mm and are added to the noodles after the sauce is added to the cooked noodle. They provide a slight pleasant earthy flavor to the noodles that add to the overbearing spice of the noodle.

Conclusion

Instant Ramen Noodles have been one of the most prominent inventions of the twentieth century due to their convenience, flavor, and overall, affordable pricing. In today’s day and age, Instant Ramen Noodles have expanded to a plethora of varieties, from Samyang’s Hot Chicken flavored Ramen to even more inventive cheese flavored options.

One particular result of this evolution of Instant Ramen Noodles has evidently been Samyang’s Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen, notorious for its extremely spicy flavor. Its many nuances and unique qualities that have been covered in this technical description has contributed to its spiciness and earthy flavor that make it both an enjoyable meal and interesting item to review indepthly and analyze.

Final Draft:

*Added more information to the Introduction, Conclusion, and Sauce Packet Description.

• Technical Description Poem

         Hunger

I sit rigid on your shelf, waiting for you, calling to you.

I am of no use to you sitting in this dehydrated state.

I am thirsty, not just for boiling water, but for

your lips to meet my long, tender strands.

But..what is that I see? Have you come to eat me in more ways than one?

Opening the drawer, he grabs me with his firm, muscular hands.

“Oh yes! Just like that!”

He puts my packaging in his mouth and tears my clothes right off.

“Oh daddy!”

He lays me naked into a circular bowl.

“What are you going to do to me now?” I remark.

Ripping open the spice packet, he pours it over my body.

“OHH, the pain!”

Pouring over hot water on me, I have succumbed to his will.

He gets a metal pronged tool and inserts it into me.

Twirling me over the tool, he slurps me up making sure no drop of liquid is left on me.

I am but your submissive tool, to satisfy your needs of hunger.

Introduction

Instant ramen noodles have become a ubiquitous food item in households across the globe. With over 96 billion servings of instant noodles being served worldwide in 2011, instant noodles have become an everyday norm (World Instant Noodles Association, 2011). As common as it is, its origins only date back to 1958, where it was invented by a Japanese man by the name of Momofuku Ando. It was then that he invented the world’s first instant noodles, known as “Chikin Ramen”, made through a process of flash frying the seasoned noodles after they have been steamed. Mass production of these instant noodles was made possible after he made public the process of making the instant noodles: noodle-making, steaming, seasoning, and dehydrating in oil heat (WINA, 2018).

Instant noodles have boomed in popularity since the 1950s, mainly due to their convenience and notoriously cheap prices, some variants can even being bought for .50 cents a serving (Hollar, 2018).  However, instant noodles today have deviated from the original soup base instant noodles coined by Momofuku and can be found prepared in many different styles. In Indonesia, for example, a dry instant noodle where the noodles are blanched in boiling water and seasoning is added to it, popularized by a company known as “Indomie”. These dry fried noodles can be found in an assortment of different flavors, such as Barbeque Chicken, Satay, Hot & Spicy, and the most popular, Mi Goreng (Indomie, 2018). In Korea, Koreans have adapted instant noodles.

It is evident by these facts that instant noodles have become a global phenomenon. They have been adapted to match the palettes of the country of the people that are consuming them, and flavor profiles have never been so much more varied. Instant noodles have become a symbol worldwide for cheap, delicious, and convenient food. In the following sections, the basic foundations of instant noodles will be described, followed by a in-depth technical description of a specific type of instant noodle, Korean Spicy Ramen, known as  “Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen” by Samyang.

Description Of Parts

In the following technical description of instant noodles,  Samyang’s “Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen” was used as the instant noodle for analysis. Samyang’s “Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen” has been made notorious for its extreme spiciness, becoming a viral trend across the internet (TheRamenRater, 2017).

In the description that follows, the four major components of Samyang’s “Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen” was analyzed: packaging , noodles, sauce packet, and finally, the flake packet.

Packaging

In Samyang’s “Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen”,  a foil packaging was used in order to house the contents of the noodle, liquid sauce packet, and flake packet. The purpose of the packaging being of aluminum foil is that foil is widely used in food packaging because of its application in food safety. In the research paper “Aluminium Foil as a Food Packaging Material in Comparison with Other Materials” by Manuela Lamberti and Felix Escher, Lamberti and Escher state “ (Aluminum foil) …Its barrier function against the migration of moisture, oxygen and other gases, and volatile aroma, as well as against the impact of light is generally higher than any plastic laminate material..” (Lamberti & Escher, 2007). In this quote by Lamberti & Escher, it is evident why a foil aluminum packaging was used in order to house the contents of the instant noodle, because of its food preservation qualities.

Another key feature about the packaging would be the aesthetics of the large usage of black and red in order to garner the consumer’s attention. This use of colorful marketing captures the consumer’s attention, thus leading to more sales.

Dehydrated Ramen Noodles

The main component of Samyang’s Hot Chicken Flavor ramen noodles would be, of course, the crinkle cut ramen noodles. The primary composition of instant noodles consist of: wheat, flour, salt, and kansui, an alkaline water that adds elasticity to the ramen noodles (KidsWebJapan, n.d.). These ingredients make up Samyang’s instant ramen noodles, which then is brought to a specific cutting machine, thus contributing to the wavy formation of the ramen noodles.

In regards to the texture and feel of the instant noodles, they are hard in texture and also shaped in the form of a block, largely due to the dehydration process. This dehydration process is unique to every ramen noodle producer, which can vary from flash frying or even blow drying the noodles until they are dry and hard. The dimensions of the block of noodles measure approximately 5.0 by 5.0 inches.

The color of the noodles are a slight tinted yellow, due to the color of wheat used in the dough of the noodles.Liquid Sauce Packet

One of the most unique and attractive features of Samyang’s Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen is the liquid sauce packet used to flavor the ramen noodles. This exists in sharp contrast to the typical soup packet found in the majority of instant ramen noodles.

The defining characteristic of the liquid sauce packet is its notorious spice with a scoville rating of 4,404 (TheRamenRater, 2017), rendering it extremely spicy and causing it to be a viral internet trend to those who dare attempt to eat the noodles across video streaming sites such as Youtube.

The sauce itself is pungent in odor, with a smell of chili and spice perforating the nose. The color is almost blood red, due to the amount of chili used to enhance the spice of the liquid sauce packet. The sauce is also very viscous and thick, most likely to ensure that it can coat itself evenly throughout the noodles and can linger on the taste buds.

Dehydrated Flakes

And lastly, the final component of Samyang’s Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen is the dehydrated flakes of dried laver and sesame seeds. These dehydrated flakes are approximately 2.0 mm by 2.0 mm and are added to the noodles after the sauce is added to the cooked noodle. They provide a slight pleasant earthy flavor to the noodles that add to the overbearing spice of the noodle.

Conclusion

Instant Ramen Noodles have been one of the most prominent inventions of the twentieth century due to their convenience, flavor, and overall, affordable pricing. In today’s day and age, Instant Ramen Noodles have expanded to a plethora of varieties, from Samyang’s Hot Chicken flavored Ramen to even more inventive cheese flavored options.

The process of creating Instant Ramen Noodles has also evolved dynamically throughout its first conception by Momofuku Anko and has blossomed to create better testing and more efficient models of dehydrating the noodles to create a more refined product.

One particular result of this evolution of Instant Ramen Noodles has evidently been Samyang’s Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen, notorious for its extremely spicy flavor. Its many nuances and unique qualities that have been covered in this technical description has contributed to its spiciness and earthy flavor that make it both an enjoyable meal and interesting item to review indepthly and analyze.