Tasting Uncle Roger x MìLà’s Y So Weak Creamy Chili Crab Pasta Kit

By Samantha Maxwell  |  May 9, 2024 | 10:00am
Photo courtesy of MìLà
Food Features pasta
Tasting Uncle Roger x MìLà’s Y So Weak Creamy Chili Crab Pasta Kit

Despite my frequent bouts of acid reflux, I love spicy food—to me, a dish isn’t finished until it’s been sprinkled with chili flakes, doused in diced habaneros or infused with the hot sauce du jour. And although I come from a culture in which jarred jalapeños represent the height of heat, I consider myself to have a reasonably high tolerance for spice. I find that most of the food I encounter, particularly packaged food, that’s advertised as spicy barely has a hint of heat to it.

That’s why I was so excited to try Uncle Roger’s x MìLà’s Y So Weak Creamy Chili Crab Pasta Kit. This is a product that’s advertised not just to be spicy but super spicy, with adjustable heat levels designed to appeal to a wide range of palates. The limited-edition kit comes from a collaboration between MìLà, a Chinese food brand perhaps best known for its soup dumplings, and the Malaysian comedian and actor Nigel Ng, whose portrayal of the character “Uncle Roger” helped him amass millions of social media followers. Ng said, “I grew up on this beloved spicy crab dish, so to have that translated into this modern version is exciting. Uncle Roger would definitely approve. It’s so convenient too—just heat it up in a pan, cook the noodles and you’re good to go. No more reaching for the crab mallet and making a mess in your kitchen.”

The Singaporean-inspired kit comes with two different sauces made with real crab meat, a packet of chili oil and two bundles of bucatini pasta, so it has everything you need to build a scorching meal. You don’t even need advanced cooking skills; if you can boil some pasta and heat up some prepared pasta sauce, you’re good to go. Tasting through this kit was both a deeply flavorful and a deeply humbling experience—and one that I hope every spicy food lover gets a chance to experience. I’ll be reviewing all three spice levels in the kit, but since everyone’s heat tolerance is different, it’s worth trying the kit for yourself.

Spice Level #1: Noodles + Nephew Sauce

The “Nephew” sauce is the milder of the two sauces in the kit, but be warned: It’s far from mild. This sauce is exceptionally spicy, so if you’re not the kind of person who always reaches for the spiciest option, it may not be for you. I was pleasantly surprised when I took my first bite of this pasta because I was expecting a sauce that would be tolerable for most people. However, even as someone who eats relatively spicy food on a daily basis, I found the heat to be quite intense.

Luckily, though, it’s not all about the heat—you’re going to get plenty of flavor with this sauce and pasta combination. The flavor of the crab itself is mild and sweet, but since it’s mixed into the sauce, you’re not going to get any big chunks of crab in a single bite.

Spice Level #2: Noodles + Uncle Sauce

If you survived the Nephew sauce, it’s time to move onto the “Uncle” sauce, which is, if you ask me, significantly spicier. I’m not going to lie, I struggled to finish this plate of pasta, even though the bucatini and sauce combo was quite flavorful. Often, when you eat something that’s advertised as super-spicy, it’s missing complexity; these foods are often just spicy and don’t really have much else to offer. But there is a lot going on in this sauce beyond the heat—you just have to be able to handle the heat to really enjoy it.

It was at this point that I did, admittedly, begin to feel weak. I doubted my spice tolerance. I drank a ridiculous amount of water. But in the end, I was victorious, and I finished the plate of pasta (and even cleaned up the dregs of the sauce with a hunk of baguette).

Spice Level #3: Noodles + Uncle Sauce + Auntie Oil

The Auntie Oil in this kit comes with warnings: You should wash your hands after handling the oil, avoid rubbing your eyes after touching it and seek emergency medical attention if you have trouble breathing after consuming it. It’s made from Carolina Reapers chilies, known for their intense heat. As you’ve probably already guessed, this spicy oil is only for the most experienced spice practitioners. The flavor is good, but I personally felt like the heat level was far too intense to truly enjoy my pasta after drizzling a bit of this stuff on top. I regard this as a personal failing, though—if you can handle the heat, it’s absolutely worth the taste.

The Pasta Kit of Every Spice-Lover’s Dream

Overall, the Y So Weak pasta kit is one of the best meal kits I’ve ever tasted, and it’s a challenge every spice- and seafood-lover should take on. At $29.99, it’s a great option for an at-home date night that’s sure to be more memorable than an average takeout experience. Whether you’re on the hunt for the spiciest dishes you can eat or you just want a taste of Singaporean-inspired fare without hopping on a plane, this limited-edition pasta kit deserves plenty of hype.

Samantha Maxwell is a food writer and editor based in Boston. Follow her on Twitter at @samseating.

 
Join the discussion...