Instant noodle jars!

Have you ever had one of those days when work is driving you mad and you wish you could have a quick Tequila shot that would take the edge off, or in lieu of the alcohol an indulgent meal at lunch which will provide the mental sustenance to get through the rest of the day? I have at least one of these days every week and would love to not grab that bar of chocolate to overcome the frustration.

Jini and I got to talking about this one day and realised  we both think there is something so comforting about a bowl of hot, spicy, soupy noodles; its like a hug in a bowl. In addition to the fact that these are upliftingly yummy and have actual magic powers, they can be pulled together effortlessly the previous night and you can grab and go the next day.

These are not just a make ahead lunch, they could also satisfy your 4pm craving or better still be your companion for watching midnight marathons of your favourite shows. Healthy, yummy and truly satisfying!

I think I have sold this enough, though lets be honest, a steaming bowl of instant noodles hardly needs any selling so lets get to it.

What you need:

So this is really more a blue print than an actual recipe and there are tonnes of different things you can do to personalise it to your taste. We are just going to give you a framework and some suggestions based on what makes us drool.

• Boiling water
• An airtight jar

Flavour Base	Vegetables	Protein
Chicken soup base	Carrots	Sausages
Thai green/red curry paste	Peas, Corn kernels	Boiled shredded chicken
Miso paste	Beans	Tofu/paneer
Horseradish paste	Spinach	Mushrooms

Noodles	Garnish
Rice noodles	Coriander/Parsley
Pad thai	Lemon
Glass noodles	Pickled ginger
Vermicelli	Spring onions

How we stir:

Super duper easy. Choose one or more from every column based on your preferences.

• Spread as much of the flavour base as you want on the bottom of the jar
• Top with chopped vegetables
• Next, throw in the protein
• Next, as much noodles as the jar can take
• Finally, top with a garnish of your choice
• Pop this into the fridge the previous night. We found it keeps well for upto three days so you can make a few for the week over the weekend.
• When you are ready to eat, pour in hot water to fill the jar, close the lid and let it steep for five minutes.
• Open the jar and enjoy!

These are the ones we made

1. Kimchi, assorted chopped veggies, mushrooms and glass noodles topped with finely chopped spring onions.
2. Thai red curry paste, coconut milk, sausages, mushrooms, rice noodles topped with coriander sprigs and some pickled ginger

One that I have dreamed about but not yet made

1. Continental Jar: Mustard, horseradish, balsamic glaze, mushrooms, shredded chicken and topped with pad thai and caramelized onions.
2. Indian jar: Tomato/Chicken/ Shrimp pickle, blob of cream, diced paneer, peas and spinach with some par cooked instant noodles.

Its really that easy, close your eyes and imagine what you want in your jar, find it in your fridge, throw it in and that’s it!