Instant Noodles

In the year 2000 Japan was asked what its greatest invention of the twentieth century was. They had a LOT to choose from. The Walkman. The bullet train. Digital Cameras. Pokemon. But the winner was Instant Noodles.

Today Dallas learns about Momofuku Ando, the inventor-cum-tax-evader who invented instant noodles. Listen to Dallas’s chat with Barak Kushner, author of “Slurp! A Social and Culinary History of Ramen”, to discover:

Who invented the original ramen dish that these noodles are based on;

What America’s preparation for a land-invasion of Japan in WWII has to do with the story;

and Dallas’s recipe for a curry Pot Noodle sandwich!!!

Produced by Freddy Chick, edited by Anisha Deva, Senior Producer is Charlotte Long

For more History Hit content, subscribe to our newsletters here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store