My nephew stopped me as I extended my hand towards the shelf to pick up the attractive yellow and green packet with the golden brown corn and red and green vegetables drawn on it luring me to no end. “It’s tasteless and insipid’” My nephew remarked into my ears so that the other buyers in the Food Bazaar would not be unnecessarily biased by his opinion. I meekly surrendered to his worthy evaluation for the time being. But something in the words “Atta Noodles” tempted me so much so that next time when I went to the departmental store without my nephew I picked up one pack to try out for myself.
Before I proceed further, I must confess that I am a MAGGI fan. Whenever I do not feel like cooking an elaborate breakfast, especially on weekends, the twin pack of instant Maggi Noodles comes in very handy. But lately I have been finding the regular maida noodle a little cumbersome to digest, once taken for breakfast, it does not leave any appetite for lunch and the heaviness persists throughout the day. The atta noodles therefore seemed a better option. And it is. It is lighter, easier to digest, reasonably priced, cooking time and procedure being the same as that of ordinary maida noodles and contrary to what my friends, colleagues and nephew claim, I find it not so bland to taste. Yes of course it is different. But variety is spice of life. Isn’t it?
Having this bad habit of reading over leaf – I devoured whatever’s written at the back of this packet too. Manufactured, as we all know, by Nestle India Ltd., the pack of Atta Noodles comes in the solo Masala Treat flavour. It is more nutritious containing whole grain and vegetable which add up to its rich dietary fibre (5.5g per 100 gm.). As a result, it is not only digestion-friendly but also satisfies the taste buds at the same time. The pack says and I quote that “one delicious serve (85gm) of MAGGI Vegetable Atta Noodles provides dietary fibres equal to 3 rotis.” Its protein content is 10.6g per 100 gm and energy content (kcal) 383. However, the carbohydrate and fat contents are a little on the higher side being 56.6g and 12.7g per 100 gm respectively. But we have got to remember that the product is essentially targeted for the children and youth. Since the product is of a famed consumer goods manufacturing company, the nutrient information given at the back of the pack is, I take, as authentic. In case found otherwise, the telephone number and email address of their Consumer Service is also printed therein for anyone to communicate their displeasure or grievances, if any, about the product.
I can see the red eyes and the disapproving look on my nephew’s face if he chooses to read this review. So for all those who find the atta noodles tasteless I’ll suggest a small tip to garnish it up (recipe for a single pack):
Take two spoonful of oil in a deep pan, warm it up, throw in two table spoonful of diced onions, chilies and ginger, a tea spoonful of garlic paste, a few cubes of sliced tomatoes along with few other chopped vegetables (if readily available), sauté the ingredients sprinkling salt, pepper, cumin seed powder, chaat masala, garam Masala as per taste and a dash of tomato puree. Stir the ingredients till dry , break in the noodles with the taste maker, add water and let it boil for two minutes till the water is dry and your tangier, spicier, tastier, chillier noodles is ready to eat.
The busy housewives may complaint that the ready “instantness” of the product is lost by this process but my humble submission to that would be, “Madam! How much time does the entire exercise take? Mushkil se just ten minutes. And what you get in return of that extra toil is a healthier khana for your child. Think about it. And don’t all good things in this world come with a little bit of hard work?”
I see the eyes getting redder and angrier and the dislike getting stronger. I foresee my untimely end. But as Galileo at the guillotine, when granted a death wish, proclaimed for the last time that the earth revolves round the sun and not the other way round, before promising not to repeat the truism ever after in his life time, I at the cost of being assassinated by all and sundry, who I know hate it, speak out not for the last time that I like MAGGI Vegetable Atta Noodles. It is really “taste bhi and health bhi” as the tag line goes.
Au Revoire