Nissin Cup Noodles Mazedaar Masala
I was quite excited to try a to me unknown Indian masala/curry flavor called “Mazedaar Masala”, but turns out that the word “mazedaar” simply means delicious, so the whole name of the cup noodle just means delicious masala, just as it says as subtitle to the main name. At least I learned a new word, even though at the expense of some excitement for this cup noodle.
I have tried Indian instant ramen in the past an they were always quite flavorful and fun to eat, even though their noodle quality is not the best. But it is clear that the Indians love their bold and strong flavors with lots of spices, so you probably will not end up with something boring.
With this simply masala flavored cup, I am expecting a very generic masala curry flavor, but maybe Nissin manages to surprise me here.
Content
This Nissin cup noodle is filled in the classic cup noodle way, a brick of pre-seasoned fried noodles is topped with freeze dried veggies. One thing to note is that there is no real protein here, as the instant noodle cup is specifically kept vegetarian for the Indian market.
Preparation
The preparation is quite straightforward and nicely printed on the top of the cup on the lid.
Pour hot water up to the inside line.
Close the lid, wait for 3 minutes.
Stir well and enjoy.
Review
Once you open the lid, a distinct masala aroma fills the air, but not as strongly as with other Indian instant ramen I have tried before. From the first moment, I have to point out the whole corn kernels and peas, which I really appreciate in terms of consistency and texture. Often we don’t get enough of that with instant ramen. In general, the amount of veggies feels quite generous. On the side of the cup it even says “Extra Veggies, More Fun”.
On the other hand, there is no protein in the toppings, as the whole cup is made to be vegetarian. It should even be vegan, based on my surface level assessment. But just be aware to have some protein on the side, or you will probably end up hungry quite fast again after this instant noodle cup.
I would describe the flavor profile as the most basic masala curry flavor out there, from which all more specialized and regional masala variants branch off from. It’s hard to pick out any spice which is dominant, but it feels like this that is the point of this cup. The ingredients list includes the following spices: Red chili, turmeric, coriander, black pepper, cumin, fenugreek, ginger, clove, nutmeg and green cardamom. The cup itself is not very spicy, just enough to not be 0 out of 5 on my spiciness scale. While the flavor profile is not too exciting, it is also not bad in any way. Maybe I have just had too much curry recently and would have wished for something more unique.
One interesting thing seems to be that the noodles are engineered to suck up as much liquid as possible. There was almost no liquid at the end of my meal. I remember hearing some time back that Indian people are not the biggest fans of soups, so maybe that has something to do with it. Surprisingly, I liked the noodles quite a bit.
Overall, I thought it was a quite good cup of instant ramen, but nothing really special. I guess this is the cup you grab if you want a comforting and easy flavor that does not challenge you too much and does not bring a lot of spiciness to the table. Just a quick meal without too much impact.
6.0 out of 10
