MAMA Tom Yum Pork Instant Noodles

MAMA Tom Yum Pork is the pork variant in MAMA’s Tom Yum line, sitting alongside the much more famous Tom Yum Shrimp that I grew up eating and use in my Mama Shrimp Tom Yum Upgraded recipe. I was curious whether the pork version could hold its own against the shrimp one.

Produced in Thailand.

What’s in the Package

Inside the green and orange foil pouch you’ll find a small square block of thin wavy wheat noodles. It also includes three seasoning packets: a dry soup base powder, a chili paste, and an oil packet.

How to Cook MAMA Tom Yum Pork Instant Noodles

1. Put the noodles and all three seasoning packets into a bowl.
2. Pour in 1 1/4 cups of boiling water, cover the bowl, and let it steep for 3 minutes.
3. Stir to incorporate the oil and serve.

How Does It Taste

I liked this one from the first sip, and so did James. The sourness is really what makes the bowl work. It’s that signature tom yum citric hit, bright and sharp, and it shows up before anything else in the seasoning does. James went straight back in after his first taste.

Underneath all that sour, there’s a meaty pork note that gives it more body than the Tom Yum Shrimp. It tastes like the shrimp version but with a more savory backbone. The chili paste brings a little warmth, nothing close to a real burn. The sesame seeds are a funny choice though. There are a ton of them, enough that they get stuck in your teeth, and I couldn’t actually taste them doing anything for the broth.

The noodles are your standard thin wavy ramen, a 1 out of 5 on thickness. But the sour in the broth is strong enough that any dryness or cardboard note in the noodle just disappears right into it.

How Does It Compare

The obvious one to line this up against is the MAMA Tom Yum Shrimp, the original I grew up on. The pork version is almost identical on the sour side, but it swaps that shrimp-forward savoriness for a heavier, meatier note.

The Wai Wai Quick Zabb Tom Yum Shrimp lives in the same space too, just a touch spicier. If you love the shrimp MAMA but want something a bit more savory and less seafood-y, this pork one is worth a try.

How to Level Up MAMA Tom Yum Pork Instant Noodles

First thing I’d do is squeeze a wedge of fresh lime over the finished bowl. The seasoning already leans sour, and a fresh squeeze lifts that citric kick into something brighter and cleaner. James called this his top add.

Fish balls are the other easy add. There’s a reason the serving suggestion on the front of the pack shows them. Toss a handful of white fish balls in to cook while the noodles steep and you’ve got a much more complete bowl, right in line with the Thai street-food direction the flavor’s already going. A few slices of cilantro on top at the end pull it all together.

Final Verdict

MAMA Tom Yum Pork is a worthy sibling to the Tom Yum Shrimp. The sour is strong and nicely balanced, and the pork gives it a savory body the shrimp version doesn’t have. James and I would both buy this one again.

How do I rate my ramen? Check out the Ramen Rating Guide.

Related Instant Ramen

• Mama Tom Yum Shrimp Instant Noodles
• MAMA Pho Bo Beef Noodle Soup
• Mama Chicken Instant Noodles
• Wai Wai Quick Zabb Tom Yum Shrimp Flavor
• Lotus Foods Tom Yum Rice Ramen Noodle Soup

Where to buy MAMA Tom Yum Pork Instant Noodles

• Weee!

Curious about MAMA noodles? Here are some of their other flavors we’ve tried:

• MAMA Chicken Instant Noodles
• MAMA Green Curry Instant Noodles
• MAMA Tom Yum Shrimp Instant Noodles
• MAMA Pork Instant Noodles
• MAMA Pho Bo Beef Noodle Soup

More to Try

• More from MAMA: Mama Green Curry Instant Noodles, Mama Chicken Instant Noodles
• Topping pairing: Pork Chops
• Recipe to try: Green Apple Buldak Carbonara Spring Rolls