I thought I would revisit this topic to mention a few things that have now become desk staples for emergencies.
My favorite is Myojo Ippeichan Yakisoba Japanese Style Noodles. These are somewhat similar to ramen except they're not soup. They come in a rectangular plastic tub. You remove the wrapper and the lid and take out four little packets. One of these is dried veggies that you sprinkle over the noodles in the tub. Pour on boiling water, snap on the lid, wait 3 minutes. Pour the water out through the holes in the perforated lid. Then stir in the contents of the other three packets (spices, soy/oil, mustard/mayo). Very fast, very easy, not messy, surprisingly good and rather close in flavor to yakisoba I've had in restaurants (except for being meatless).
On the ramen soup front, I've developed a favorite whose name I don't know, since the package labeling is all in Japanese, but there's a JAS in a circle on the side and a picture of a pig on top. They come in a bowl. A paper label slapped on says they're distributed by Hosoda Bros. Inc. They come in a couple of flavors. Inside, along with the regular ramen noodles, there are some dumplings, and some noodles shaped like pigs.
Both of these are available at a variety of Asian groceries.
I've also tried several kinds of shelf stable Indian meals, and for my purposes, I'd say the best are Patak's Original brand. These come with rice in their own microwavable container, so you just nuke and eat. I've bought them at Meijer's, Woodman's and Cost Plus. I agree with the other posters who found other brands too much trouble for an office microwave, but the Patak's (pink box) I've tried have been fine, considering.
OK for a change, now and then: canned stuffed grape leaves, but I always think they'd be better with a squeeze of fresh lemon. Tonight I tried Bulgarian imam bayaldi (fried eggplant) from a jar; judged for the dish alone, it was decent, but I quickly decided it was too oily to make a meal of without bread, salad and the other things I normally have with this dish.
Edited to fix typo.
Last edited by
LAZ on April 11th, 2005, 6:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.