Childhood Guilty Pleasures

There is just something about instant noodles that makes them just so irresistibly delicious. I used to eat them everyday (post-ED), loudly slurping up the springy noodles, and gulping down the spicy, salt and MSG-laden soup with great gusto and appetite. Given the option to choose between a fancy dish (say, lamb chops with truffled cream sauce or sashimi or something) and a cup of steaming, al dente ramen noodles with an egg nestled on top, I would always pick the instant noodles, no hesitation required. I’m ashamed to say that if I didn’t have ED, I’d probably pick the same thing even now. Refined gourmet, I am not.

I know ramen noodles are one of the most unhealthy junk food out there, but perhaps that is why they are so freaking good! Gosh, why are all junk food so good? I blame the sacks of MSG and artificial crap they use in them. It’s like a drug or something, some kind of chemical addictive that makes our taste buds go “high” and crave for them even more.

Actually, I haven’t had instant noodles in the longest time…ever since ED. And I’m not about to start incorporating them into my daily menu…not ever. No matter how good they taste, I find the idea of putting fried, dehydrated, refined flour noodles into my body even more unappetizing.

But today…I was in the supermarket, and I saw a packet of curry-flavored instant noodles on sale. And found my hands itching towards it. Curry…curry sure sounded good! All of a sudden I really wanted that MSG taste of the soup mix packet you get in instant noodles. So I made a compromise. I’ll have the instant noodles, but I’ll “healthify” it and forego the noodles. It’s the soup mix that makes the noodles tasty anyway.

So for today’s lunch I introduce to you…Curry-flavored MSG porridge.

I used the curry soup mix from the instant noodle package to flavor my porridge of rye flakes, added some tomatoes for sweetness, a spoonful more garam marsala for extra spice, and a spritz of fresh lime juice to liven up the whole dish. For the protein, I added some chicken hotdogs and two sunny-side fried eggs on top.

 

Need I say how utterly delicious it was? With all the MSG crap in there, it better taste good! I remember when I was little, I used to eat a whole packet of ramen noodles, uncooked, like crackers for snack everyday. I enjoyed the crunchy, dry snack solely for the addictive spicy soup mix flavor. Even though I didn’t use the noodles, I really felt like I was taking a trip back to those little childhood pleasures.

But still, I’m really glad my tastes have changed quite a lot since I was a child. I used to detest every kind of vegetable and fruits. I wouldn’t even touch them. But now I don’t know how I would live without my daily servings of fruits and veggies. I love my broccoli, I love my fresh salads, I love the sweet natural nectar and different miraculous flavors of all varieties

of fruits.

On that note, let me ask you all a question: What are some foods you refused to try as a child but now love?

My answer:

1. Broccoli! (I literally threw up when forced to eat this, but now it’s my all-time favorite vegetable! Weird, huh?
2. Nuts (Never did appreciate the taste, but now have to practically pry myself away from them or I’ll polish of the whole 1lb bag. No kidding, I used to eat 3-4 lbs of nuts a day and suffered severe digestive consequences, so now am trying to stay away from them for the time being)
3. Fish (Didn’t enjoy them unless they were battered and deep-fried, but now crave the occasional juicy grilled salmon or mackerel or halibut or…all fish!)