Penang White Curry Noodles

As a kid, I loved it when Mama let us have Maggi for lunch/dinner (re: Maggi is actually the BRAND but its a norm to hear people calling instant noodles as Maggi here.. no matter what brand it is). My favourite then was Assam Laksa which graduated into Tom Yam once the flavour was introduced around the time I entered secondary school, thus, hostel life.

As I settled in secondary school, I realized I didn't actually like instant noodles that much so I seldom ate them eventhough I always brought the big packet to the hostel everytime I went back home. My friends would happily 'help' me finish them up and I didn't mind since I don't love them as much as I once used to. The only time you could see me actually eating them was on occasions when we didn't have much to do in the hostel on weekends so we'd boil a huge kettle of water and sit in a circle with our own bowls of hot instant noodles in front of us. It was more talking and laughing than eating so before I knew it, I actually managed to finish my own bowl.

This also happened during the uni years where I'd only eat if we were doing it as a group thingey. I never even bought any combo packs of Maggi, and instead opted to buy them at the L-Shoppe (hostel co-op) whenever the occasion arises.

I gradually stopped eating it altogether.. which is a good thing.. I think!

Anyway, around 2 years ago, I had to support myself with only the money I got from teaching tuition to schoolkids. During that time, I faced quite a lot of money problems while trying to support my studies at the same time.

One day, I realized  had nothing to cook and had little money to buy anything. Browsing through the nearest grocers, I noticed the packets of instant noodles sold individually and I promptly bought one packet.

It tasted like heaven.. well, heaven for me who was really hungry at that time.

After that, I started eating those noodles again, but only once in a while, not even once a month but, yes, I don't mind eating them anymore.

It so happened, while waiting for my notes being photocopied, I crossed the street to the local grocers to buy a drink. While paying, I noticed this packet of instant noodles sold at RM2. I was curious on why it was so expensive compared to the usual maggi sold (usually around RM0.80~RM1.20) so I bought one to try.

It took me a few days to make it since I wasn't really in the mood for anything instant in those first few days. When one day, since I was getting ready to go to class and needed something quick to prepare, I decided to make the said noodles..

..and I fell in love! So much that 3 days ago I went to buy the combo pack (sold at RM6.90 for a pack of 4, instead of the usual 5)

The gravy was thick enough to make you believe it is NOT instant at all.. and the flavour was so, err, robust (?) that you could imagine yourself cooking it from scratch. There was almost no trace of 'instant noodle' in it.. well, aside from the obvious curls of the noodles themselves.  And I, who almost never finishes she soup from those instant noodles, finished every drop of the thick and delicious gravy.. slurrrppppp~~

The name is My Kuali's Penang White Curry Noodles.

The picture doesn't do justice to the dish. The gravy is as thick as a non-instant curry mee consistency. I lie to you, not! I added some crabsticks and one egg in the gravy s it simmered.

As you can see, you are given some sambal-like paste which looks exactly like something you would have made yourself (Ok, my sambal DOES NOT look like this laaa.. more buruk haha..), some seasoning powder and some non-dairy creamer (which is what makes the gravy oh-so-thick).

The cooking part is just the normal cooking style.. NOT the hostel style la, tapi! The normal masak-atas-api style.

I've really fallen in love this time, thats why I'm sharing this. So please, if you see this at your nearest grocers, TOLONG LA try.. you won't regret it, I guarantee =)