Instant Noodles

Instant noodles are noodles sold in a precooked and dried block along with flavoring powder or seasoning oil, meant to be prepared by cooking or soaking briefly in boiling water. The dried blocks were originally made by flash-frying cooked noodles, a method still common in Asia, while Western manufacturers more often air-dry them instead. The term ramen, originally a Japanese take on Chinese noodle soup, is sometimes used by Japanese manufacturers for instant noodle flavors and has become broadly associated in America with instant noodle products generally.