Nissin UFO Yakisoba Review - Square 130g Big Size

Nissin UFO Yakisoba is an old classic of Japanese instant noodles that simulates having stir-fried noodles.  The original UFO comes in a pie-pan shaped package that resembles the classic saucer-shaped UFO, but these days there are bigger packages of these noodles in square trays.  These noodles actually replicate the experience of fried noodles pretty good once the sauce is mixed in because the noodles themselves are deep-fried like most instant noodles.  The people that thought of doing this were pretty inventive and this is a popular type of instant noodle in Japan.  This isn't an unusual instant noodle and is very common, like Cup Noodle.

I was reviewing some of my older noodle posts and was actually suprised I hadn't really reviewed the regular, non-special edition, UFO noodle before.  I'm now making up for it by reviewing the larger size of UFO noodle in 130 grams of noodly goodness.  UFO is often available at T&T or H-Mart, but it is hit and miss to find it.

The top of the package shows a standard picture for UFO noodles with the big bright techie-looking red UFO letters surrounded by silver trim.  The packaging is a nice red on black and yellow lightning.  A very tasty looking dish of fried yakisoba noodles is shown with bits of cabbage and pork. 

Bottom of the package with nutritional, manufacturing, and ingredients information.

Side of the package with the noodles shown to show what you're buying.

Best before date and manufacturing info.

After you strip off the outer wrap, you see the actual lid for the noodles.  Lots of directions on how to prepare them are shown.  Also, there is a little satchet of ground up seaweed for seasoning.

Closeup of the directions with 6 easy steps. 

To prepare these noodles, open the package at the corner labelled 1.  Peel it back no more than about 1/3 of the way to the line marked with a 2.  Take out the sauce packet.  There are dried cabbage and pork pieces under the noodle block inside. Then fill the tray with boiling water.  Make sure you put enough boiling water in to completely submerge the noodles and then some.  Close the lid and let it sit for 3 minutes to rehydrate the noodles.  You will then peel off the black tab marked with the 3.  This will reveal drain holes in the lid (quite clever).  Go to the sink and pour out all the water via these drain holes.  These noodles are not to be eaten with water in the tray (NOT SOUP).

Lid peeled back to the 2 line and the sauce packet removed.

Closeup of the noodles and some of the dried cabbage and meat.  The noodles are thicker than your normal instant noodle.

Noodles with lots of boiled water in the package.

After 3 minutes I pour out all of the water.

The lid is now peeled away.  I pour the sauce packet all over the noodles to help mix the sauce in.

After the noodles are rehydrated and the water drained, you pour in the sauce slowly over the surface of the noodles.  The sauce needs to be completely mixed throughout the noodles to coat them all.  After some vigorous stirring you can sprinkle the seaweed flakes on top.  Now you just have to sit back and enjoy some yakisoba noodles!  The yakisoba sauce is a sweet, savoury, and tangy sauce that most people enjoy.  I get the craving for yakisoba every so often myself and usually keep some kind of yakisoba noodle in the house, but I'm completely out at the moment.  These noodles are firm and tasty and you can eat them in a hurry as they aren't sitting in boiled water.  I just wish there was more cabbage and pork in these.

The finished yakisoba noodles.

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