Maggi, Indomie, Current and Wai Wai: instant noodles compared

The four instant noodles that South Asian and African expats look for in Poland come from three countries: Maggi from India, Indomie from Indonesia, and Current and Wai Wai from Nepal. Maggi is mild and comforting, Indomie is savoury, Current is the very hot one, and Wai Wai is the noodle many Nepalis also eat dry as a snack. In Polish, instant noodles are "makaron instant", and many Poles call any packet noodle soup "zupka chińska".

The four brands side by side

Maggi: the Indian classic

Maggi 2-Minute Noodles are the taste of an Indian hostel room or a late evening at home. The flat yellow block comes with a sachet of "tastemaker", the masala powder that gives the familiar flavour. Indians usually cook Maggi with just enough water to leave a thick, spicy coat on the noodles, not a soup.

The Maggi 2-Minute pack of 560 g holds several blocks for a household. There is also a Maggi veg atta noodle made with whole-wheat flour (atta).

Cook it the Indian way: boil 1½ cups of water with a little chopped onion, tomato and green chilli, add the noodles and the tastemaker, and cook for about two minutes, stirring, until most of the water is gone.

Indomie: the Indonesian noodle

Indomie is an Indonesian brand that is also very popular in West Africa, so you will find Nigerian and Ghanaian students in Poland looking for it too. The noodles come with more than one sachet: seasoning powder, oil and often a chilli or soy sauce. Little India sells several flavours, for example Indomie shrimp flavour; the full range is on the Indomie brand page.

Many people add a fried egg on top, or cook the noodles, drain them and fry them for a minute with the sauce and some vegetables.

Current: the hot noodle from Nepal

Current is a Nepali brand that is known for one thing: heat. The Current double spicy noodles are a dry-style noodle. You boil them, drain off almost all the water and stir in the chilli paste and seasoning. If you know Korean fire noodles, Current is in the same family of very hot instant noodles; our guide to Buldak noodles covers the Korean side.

If you are not used to strong chilli, use half the chilli sachet first. A glass of milk or a spoon of yoghurt next to the bowl helps more than water.

Wai Wai: the noodle you can eat raw

Wai Wai is the other big Nepali brand. Its noodles are pre-cooked and seasoned, so many people in Nepal and North-East India crush the packet, open it and eat the noodles dry with the spice mix, as a snack. You can also cook them as a soup in about two minutes. Try the Wai Wai instant noodles.

How to make any instant noodle taste better

• Cook with less water than the pack says if you prefer a thick, saucy result.
• Add vegetables in the last minute: frozen peas, spring onion, spinach or grated carrot.
• Add an egg: crack it into the pot in the last minute, or fry it and put it on top.
• Squeeze lime or lemon over a spicy noodle to lift the taste.

Where to buy Maggi, Indomie and Current in Poland

Little India sells all four brands, and there are more in the instant meals category. Little India has shops in Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław and Gdańsk and ships orders online across Poland. Our guide to the Indian shop in Poland lists the addresses.