Colorful Vegetable Hakka Noodles/Chow mein

Here is Colorful Vegetable Hakka Noodles/Chow mein. I think this is one of the best dishes we adapted from Chinese cuisine by modifying with Indian seasoning and cooking techniques to suit our taste. This Indo-Chinese dish contains more veggies, spices and is loved by most of us including children. It is a popular dish available from street shops to five star hotels in India. This dish can be prepared in less time at home if all items needed for this dish are kept ready.

We can see in many street shops how they prepare this dish in front of us by keeping all items ready and the way they toss the noodles is very nice to watch. The type and quantity of vegetables, soy sauce, chilli sauce etc., used in this dish can be varied to suit your taste.

The term ‘Hakka’ refers to Chinese language as well as a group of people in China who speak this language.

Ingredients

• Vegetarian noodles – 200 gram
• Cabbage, shredded – ¼ cup
• Beans, shredded – ¼ cup
• Bell pepper, shredded – ½ cup (I used red, green and yellow)
• Carrot, shredded – 1 no
• Spring onion, chopped – 2 tablespoon
• Red onion chopped – 1 no
• Spring onion bulbs chopped – 1 tablespoon
• Garlic, chopped finely – 1 tablespoon
• Chilli sauce green or red – 2 tablespoon
• White vinegar – 2 tablespoon
• Soy sauce – 2 tablespoon
• Freshly powdered pepper – half teaspoon
• Sugar – half teaspoon
• Salt – as per need
• Chinese salt – just a pinch (optional)
• Oil – 3 tablespoon

 

Method

• Chop/shred vegetables to the required quantity as mentioned above.

• Boil the noodles as per the instructions given by the manufacturer in the packet (do not break the noodles into pieces to boil).

  

• When done, add 3 cups of cold water and drain; again rinse it in running cold water by keeping under the tap for few seconds and drain well.

 

• Add one tablespoon of oil and toss well; by doing this, the noodles won’t stick with each other even after few hours of cooking.

 

• Heat oil in a wide pan; add garlic and stir for few seconds; add chopped spring onion white bulbs, chopped red onion, shredded beans, shredded carrot, salt and stir in high flame for few seconds; as beans and carrot takes little time to cook by adding them with onion they cook evenly with other vegetables.

  

• Now add shredded cabbage, one tablespoon of chopped spring onion, shredded bell pepper and fry for few seconds.

 

• Add Chinese salt, chilli sauce (I used green chilli sauce), soy sauce, vinegar, pepper powder, sugar and mix well.

  

• Add boiled noodles and stir/toss gently till all the spices blend well.

 

• Garnish with remaining spring onions.

• Now Colorful Vegetable Hakka Noodles/Chow mein is ready. Serve hot.

• You can make it more colorful, by adding more spices.

Tips

• Chopping vegetables into thin strips helps to cook faster.
• Over cooking of vegetables should be avoided and open cooking in a pan gives better results.