Michelin Star Instant Ramen by Nakiryu & Nissin from 7-Eleven Japan

This pack of Nakiryu Dan Dan Instant Ramen (better known as the Michelin Star Instant Ramen) was a present from a friend who just returned from a trip to Japan. One-star Michelin ramen restaurant Nakiryu is famous for their ‘dan dan mian’ 担担面. They have collaborated with instant cup noodle maker Nissin to produce an instant ramen version of their noodles. These are sold in Japan at 7-Eleven stores. How does the one Michelin star instant ramen taste like? There is only one way to find out.

The Nissin Nakiryu Dan Dan Instant Ramen is sold in a styrofoam bowl, larger than the usual Nissin cup noodles. All the cooking instructions are in Japanese which I cannot understand. The only clues were the “3 分” and 440 ml near the barcode. It suggests a cooking time of 3 minutes. I guess we have eaten enough of instant cup noodles to guess what needs to be done.

Opening up the pack revealed a cake of dried noodles and three packs of seasoning. It was clear that all that was needed is to add hot water and add in the ingredients. The only uncertainty was the sequence.

Here is a clear view of the three packs of seasoning and ingredients. I subsequently discovered that the large pack on the left contains desiccated minced meat and spring onions and some dry seasoning. One of the smaller packs contained the soup base and the other contained the oils.

Since we had the luxury of preparing the pack of Michelin Star Instant Ramen at home, I thought it deserved a nice bowl rather than using the styrofoam one. We used a bowl that looked most suitable for Japanese ramen. It was about the same size as the packing bowl so that the quantity of water would be approximately the same. We added boiling water incrementally to ensure we did not use too much water.

I then added the two small packs of seasoning. The thinking being that the dry toppings should be sprinkled on top at the end. My subsequent internet research revealed that this was the wrong sequence. The dry pack should go in first so that the dessicated items can re-hydrate first. The oil pack should be last. But it all turned out well in the end, so this Michelin Star Instant Ramen is quite fool-proof.

This was what the Nakiryu Dan Dan Instant Ramen looked like after the seasoning was stirred. It was beginning to look like ramen.

I only realised I might have made a mistake when the clumps of meat appeared when the dry pack was spinkled on the ramen. Fortunately the ramen needed more water and another dose of boiling water was added to soften the dried items. The dried instant ramen was hardy enough to withstand the abuse.

Michelin Star Instant Ramen – The finished product

This was how the final product looked like. With all that fumbling the total ‘cooking’ time was more than 3 minutes. It was closer to 6 minutes. But everything was ok. The ramen tasted just right – the same texture as the medum hardness we would specify when eating at Ippudo. The broth was mildly spicy but extremely rich. We would not have guessed that this was prepared as an instant noodle pack if no-one told us that. The spring onions and minced meat provided the finishing touch.

The Michelin Star Instant Ramen from Japan by Nakiryu and Nissin impressed us. With additional toppings such as egg and more vegetables, it will make a very authentic Japanese ramen dish. I think it is only sold in 7-Eleven stores in Japan for around 300 yen (around S$4.00). It will make a great gift from a Japan trip.

Nakiryu Dan Dan Instant Ramen by Nissin
Sold at 7-Eleven Stores in Japan

The Ordinary Patrons | Real Dining Experience of Ordinary People
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