Method and apparatus for producing instant fried noodles

An apparatus for producing a fried noodle lump, comprising:

• a frying oil tank;
• a noodle string supplying mechanism disposed upstream from the frying oil tank, and charging a group of noodle strings to a retainer;
• a noodle string group frying and conveying mechanism conveying the group of noodle strings with the retainer partly dipped in frying oil in a first region of the frying oil tank, and subsequently conveying the group of noodle strings with the retainer dipped below a surface level of the frying oil in a second region of the frying oil tank;
• a frying oil circulating mechanism recovering the frying oil from the frying oil tank and supplying the frying oil heated again to the frying oil tank;
• and
• a frying oil flow rate controlling mechanism controlling flow rates of the frying oil supplied through a plurality of ejection ports provided in the frying oil tank,
• wherein a flow rate of the frying oil supplied through an ejection port provided in an upstream portion of the frying oil tank is controlled to be smaller than a flow rate of the frying oil supplied through an ejection port provided in a downstream portion,
• wherein the frying oil tank comprises:
• a suction port recovering the frying oil to the frying oil container mechanism;
• and
• a extension plate disposed in at least one of the plurality of ejections ports for preventing the frying oil flowing in from directly hitting the retainer.