Yangon’s Chinatown is usually teeming at night with a variety of foodstalls offering dishes from Myanmar and abroad.

INSTANT noodles hold a special place in many Asian societies because they are cheap and easy to cook. And business is on the way up.

China is one of the fastest-growing markets for instant noodles. The market is focusing on higher-end products, generally costing more than one renminbi. The top three brands in this category dominate more than 85 percent of the market; for the lower end (those below 1 RMB) the leading five hold around 60pc of the market share.

The dominant brands in the Chinese market are Ting Yi (aka Master Kong),Uni-Present (aka President), Hwa-Long (Chinese Dragon), Bai-xiang (White Elephant).

In Hong Kong, Cantonese people have a long history of cooking Yimen, an early form of instant noodles invented in the Qing Dynasty. Modern instant noodles were publicly introduced as Doll Noodles in the late 1960s by the Wing Nan Company, and it has since become a synonym for instant noodles in Hong Kong and Southern China.

The most popular brand in modern day India is Maggi, which are produced by Nestlé - a company synonymous with instant noodles. Flavours are more oriented toward local flavours, such as masala and chicken. Nissin recently introduced its Top Ramen brand in India. The most popular flavour is known as Curry Smoodles and its flavourings mimic a basic curry, including onion, garlic, coriander and a masala curry. A package sells for 12 rupees in India; Indian markets in North America have also started selling it.

South Korean ramen (or ramyeon) is typically spicy. Shin, literally “spicy,” a play on words meaning both “spicy ramen” and, in the Seoul dialect, “noodles of Shilla”) is one of the most popular brands in Korea.

The first widely known instant noodle in Indonesia is “Supermie” introduced in 1970s. Later, two other brands of instant noodle were introduced - “Indomie” and “Sarimi”. The three brands produced by Indofood Sukses Makmur, the largest instant noodle producer in the world. The brand is indirectly owned by Sudono Salim, one of Indonesia's wealthiest tycoons and a crony of Suharto. Indofood is also the owner of Bogasari Flour Mills, the largest flour mill company in the world.

Indonesians prefer noodles with a strong flavour. The usual flavour of Indonesian instant noodle are chicken curry, onion and chicken, and chicken soto (Indonesian traditional soup).

For Malaysians and Singaporeans, the most popular brand of instant noodles is also Maggi, by Nestlé. In fact, Maggi is often used as the word for instant noodels.

Local flavours, such as chicken, curry, tom yum, and assam laksa are most common. Both soup-based and dry variants are easily available.

Though Maggi instant noodles are usually eaten at home, some people choose to order them when eating outside.

The most popular instant noodle in Thailand is “Mama”, with Tom Yam Shrimp being the all time favorite flavor. There are a few local players in the market, namely “Wai Wai” and “Yum Yum”. Due to their ubiquity, instant noodles were chosen as a vehicle for dietary fortification by a joint effort of the Federation of Thai Industries, instant noodle producers, and the Ministry of Public Health about 10 years ago. The vitamins and minerals added are iron, iodine and vitamin A.