Onion Flavour Noodles

Wei Lih Food Industrial is one of Taiwan's long-standing instant noodle makers, best known for Wei Lih Men, the fried bean sauce packet it launched in 1973. Its plain, unfussy bags are a fixture in Taiwanese kitchens and have barely changed in design for decades.

Taiwan has a thriving instant noodle culture influenced by both Japanese and Chinese traditions. Taiwanese brands often use real meat and premium ingredients, and the island's night markets have inspired many instant noodle flavours.

A light soy broth that takes almost all of its character from the oil sachet. Fried shallot, garlic and sesame oil go in at the end and sit on the surface, and that shallot aroma is the whole point of the packet. Savoury and mild rather than spicy.

The noodles in this bowl are crafted to complement the broth style perfectly. The texture, thickness, and cooking time are all calibrated so that the noodles and soup work together as a complete experience rather than separate elements sharing the same bowl.

The Chinese name on the bag reads rou zao mian, or minced pork noodles, a Taiwanese staple of savoury braised pork over rice or noodles. The English label says onion, which is closer to what you taste: fried shallot, the backbone of Taiwanese home cooking.

Nothing about this packet is trying to impress you, which is exactly why it earned a spot. Mild, savoury, unfussy, the kind of thing you eat standing up at eleven at night. Every Taiwanese kitchen has a stack of these somewhere.