Today’s review is a new release this year as part of the 40th anniversary celebration of the Shin product line: Nongshim Shin Ramyun Sweet & Spicy Kimchi Stir Fry. I just reviewed the Shin Rosé flavor a couple of episodes ago, which was also part of the 40th anniversary rollout. There have been a couple of other anniversary products besides the rosé and this one: a version of Shin Gold exclusive to the Korean market, plus a new Shin Kimchi soup variety. But I’ve had some requests for this one, so I wanted to get to it right now.
The Verdict:
| Product: | Nongshim Shin Ramyun Sweet & Spicy Kimchi Stir Fry |
| Origin: | South Korea |
| Noodle Quality: | 9/10 |
| Spice Level: | 6/10 |
| Overall Score: | 8/10 |
This variety appears to be the same in every market from what I can tell, meaning it’s manufactured in South Korea for global export, just with different packaging depending on the region in which it’s being sold. You should be able to buy this in Asian markets, supermarket chains, and online storefronts, including Amazon, which is actually where I found it originally. I don’t buy a lot of noodles off Amazon, but every once in a while, they surprise me with a good price for something I hadn’t seen before.
Inside, we’ve got a block of Nongshim stir fry noodles. They appear to be the same as normal Shin Ramyun noodles, maybe a hair thinner, and they only need 3 minutes to cook. Then we’ve got a flake packet and a very generously sized liquid sauce packet. The sauce has things like sugar, kimchi paste, MSG, sesame oil, chili pepper, black pepper, and soy sauce. The flakes are dried napa cabbage kimchi and bok choy. It’s worth noting that the kimchi in this recipe, both the flakes and the sauce, appears to be vegan, so it isn’t a traditional kimchi recipe that would contain fish sauce or shrimp paste. In fact, the whole thing looks to be vegan. But of course, check for yourself in case I’m wrong about all regions having the same recipe for this flavor. The sodium for the whole pack is 1600mg.
Stirring the sauce into the cooked noodles and flakes, it’s got a very good aroma. The sweetness is obvious, but there’s a strong savory element that I got a whiff of, definitely soy-based. It doesn’t smell strongly of kimchi and isn’t as fermented in aroma as I was expecting given that it’s a kimchi product. I feel like there’s going to be a lot of other flavors in the sauce, but that might be a good thing.
Noodles:
I do believe these are the same noodles I saw in the last Shin Ramyun stir fry I reviewed. They have an excellent firm chew, and they cling to the sauce very well. This is exactly what I want from a stir fry noodle.
- 9/10
Spiciness:
This is, of course, a spicy kimchi sauce, and it’s part of the Shin Ramyun product line, which is known for varying degrees of heat. So don’t think this is going to be mild. Your typical basic Asian market kimchi, like Jongga or one of those brands, is around a 3 or 3.5 out of 10 for me, depending on the batch. But not only does this have kimchi paste, there’s additional chili and black pepper in it. That increases the heat more than you might expect if you’re only used to refrigerated kimchi. It’s lingering on my tongue and lips pretty sharply, and I think it’s a strong step up from other kimchi-flavored noodles I’ve had. It’s pretty hot.
- 6/10
Overall:
I really like this sauce. It’s got a very nice balance between sweet, sour, savory, and spicy. Those of you who don’t like sweet foods, I don’t think this veers too far in the sweet direction. It’s certainly nowhere near the level of something like Buldak Swicy or Tangle Bulgogi Alfredo. It’s really well balanced. In fact, I don’t know that I’d call it any sweeter than your standard batch of supermarket kimchi. Maybe at the beginning there’s a little sugary burst, but then it gives way to this hot and sour umami flavor underneath it. I really like that about it.
You can definitely taste the soy sauce in here. It’s not shy about being a little more soy-based than kimchi-based. I’m missing some of the fermented flavor that goes along with kimchi. It’s got a nice cabbage flavor, but that little bit of extra funk I’d associate with kimchi isn’t coming through, at least not for me. That’s not to say it’s bad. I actually think it’s really darn good. There’s a good amount of sauce, the noodles are all well coated, and the consistency is nice. The additional crunch from the bok choy and cabbage kimchi is very nice. I think I would have liked larger pieces of kimchi; they’re kind of delicate little bits. But I’m going to add my own kimchi to this after the review, and I’d expect a lot of other people to do the same, so it’s not a total dealbreaker. I like the sauce and the crunch of the veggies. It’s a little hotter than I was expecting, but certainly well within my tolerance, and the balance of flavors is solid. It’s a really nice mix of flavors in here. It’s good.
- 8/10
Final Thoughts
I don’t think this delivers on the sweet aspect of sweet and spicy as much as I’d expected, but I think that’s a good thing. It makes this a little more accessible to folks who like kimchi and spicy things in general. Think of it as a hot and sour sauce with a little sugar on the front end and a nice cabbage flavor from the kimchi. You can make a nice meal out of this with additional kimchi, plus maybe an egg, tofu, or Spam, some sesame seeds, and green onions. It’s a nice hot stir fry, and I think Nongshim did a nice job balancing the flavor profile. Definitely worth checking out if you’re a fan of kimchi or just hot and sour stir fry in general.
Continuing the Journey:
- For a soup version from the same brand, check out Nongshim Kimchi Noodle Soup.
- Try Samyang Buldak Kimchi Ramen for another spicy kimchi stir fry.
- Want more kimchi and vegetable texture? Take a look at Ramen Bae Kimchi Mix.
