Noodles are part of many staple diets across the world. Although their history and origin is primarily Chinese, they have travelled across the world and have been adapted by cuisines in many different countries. They area huge part of Chinese and Italian cuisines. Chinese noodles are usually long and they are said to symbolize longevity. They are very common among street food in China and are also a dish that is eaten in a family setting at home. In Italy, the noodle takes the form of pasta, which is part of the regular Italian diet. Pasta however, is highly commercialized around the world and is celebrated in various countries across the globe. Add to that, pasta is a very family oriented dish in Italy.
In India, the noodle is very significant because of a dish called Maggi. It is packaged ramen that takes about two minutes to cook, and is popular nation wide. It is something that everyone from children to grown ups enjoy. It is eaten as a midnight snack, lunch, dinner and when I was at boarding school, we ate it for breakfast sometimes. Maggi is loved because it is one of the most conveniently available snacks of all time. It is eaten at family gatherings, with friends and even alone. It is the definition of primary comfort food. It is an integral part of India’s culture because almost every individual has a memory associated with it – be it a child or an adult. In fact, it is so popular that several restaurants and street food stalls have adapted variations on it, making it the most versatile dish there is. Therefore, Maggi is a noodle dish that represents everything from family, friendship, finals week to simply being noodles that people are so fond of.
Dear Anushka, thanks for sharing your knowledge about Maggi. In regard to this post, I think we are more interested in seeing how you understand the broader significance of noodle and its specific cultural and interpersonal roles it plays in the Italian and Chinese societies.