Today we will look at another dish from Chinese cuisine, Vegetable Hakka Noodles.
We’re going to prepare it using Cardia Life oil, a combination of olive oil and corn oil.
Let’s see how to prepare Hakka noodles.
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I will teach you the basics, you may alter it and create different variations.
Today I will show you how to make noodles. Rice and noodles are two different parts of Chinese cuisine.
Fried rice and noodles are important dishes that are served with other accompaniments.
Just like how sticky rice is popular in Japan, one could say that the Chinese staple is either Pancakes or rice/noodles.
So, in Chinese cuisine, the side dish is always served with either rice or noodles. It also comes with the starter or main course.
We usually get noodles like this (eggless) in Rs. 20/10 packets. I’m using eggless noodles here. So such dried noodles are easily commercially available.
Noodles can also be made at home, but the consistency, the procedures involved are very technical and difficult.
So, for restaurants and hotels, we usually buy commercial noodles.
Here I have a pan with boiling hot water.
Break the noodles and add them to the boiling hot water.
The noodles will usually soften/cook to the right level in about 5-6 minutes.
These noodles are made using Maida. So as soon as you immerse them in water, they will start to soften.
So, if you cook this for about 5-6 minutes, it will reach the consistency level where it is easy to toss.
So, after adding the noodles in the water,
Add around 2tbsp of oil.
This is because, noodles will be bound together because of their starch content just like rice.
If we add oil to the hot water in which the noodles are cooking, then it will loosen, stretch out and won’t stick together.
Just like rice, don’t ruin it by over-cooking it, the result won’t be good.
That is why domestic range is not recommended for Chinese cooking. But no matter, what’s important is that the noodles should be only 70-75% cooked.
You can achieve the same by cooking it in boiling water for 5 mins.
As I’ve said before, the reason I added oil is so that the noodles don’t stick to each other.
Just like how rice is to be cooked in a lot of water so that it has time to breathe and grow, noodles also need to be cooked with a lot of water since it has starch content.
It will contain wax, starch content etc. These need to dissolve in the water. Hence it is advantageous to use lots of water when cooking.
5-6 minutes have passed since I added the noodles to the water. It has cooked well.
Observe, the water I added has now turned white. That is because the starch has mixed with the water and the noodles have cooked well.
Turn off the gas.
Strain the noodles using a strainer.
The noodles have been strained. After the water has drained out, add 2tbsp of oil and toss it.
This is because, even after removing the noodles from the water and straining it, the cooking process will still go on and the noodles will be blobby.
If it cooks too much, then it will stick together. However, adding oil ensures that it won’t be sticky since the oil will absorb the heat.
Observe, it will be very loose after tossing. So, to achieve that consistency, we have to add oil.
Here I have a pan ready to prepare noodles.
I’m using Cardia Life oil for this dish. Add around 2-3tbsp.
The proportions I’m using will be sufficient to prepare noodles that serve 4. So I've added 2-3 tbsp of Cardia life oil
To the hot oil,
Firstly,
Chop the onion part of the spring onion and add it to the pan and toss it briefly.
We have some vegetables here.
First, I’m adding tricolour capsicums.
After that, some cabbage. I love the flavour of cabbage in noodles so I’m adding more. You may alter it as per your taste.
Add very little onion. (Maximum: ½ onion)
Toss the vegetables.
Add neatly lenghty cut carrots.
So, we need 1 part of vegetables for 1 part of noodles.
Cook the vegetables just for 2 minutes, not more than that. It should toss well in the oil.
Add ½- ¾ tsp of pepper powder.
Salt as per taste. (1tsp)
Just a pinch of sugar. (½ tsp)
I’m adding 2 spoons of Light soya sauce. If you’re using dark soya sauce, then 1 spoon is sufficient.
Mix well.
The vegetables are cooked and crunchy. At this stage, add the cooked noodles. (Scramble them slightly before adding so that they’re not stuck together)
Toss until they’re mixed well.
When you’re preparing it at home, use a ladle and mix it.
Cook it for 2 minutes over the fire.
The noodles have to acquire a smoky flavour. Toss well.
Observe, the vegetables, sauce, salt etc. have mixed well.
At this stage, turn up the gas to the highest level briefly so that it attains a smoky flavour.
Add the green part of spring onion.
Toss it finally before removing it from the pan.
Matter over!
Hakka noodles is basic noodles from the Chinese cuisine. All we’ve used are salt, sugar, pepper and soya sauce. To that we added vegetables and boiled noodles and tossed well.
With that, the noodles are ready.
A common mistake you may make is to boil the noodles fully, or cooking the vegetables in low pressure burner, causing them to become soggy.
So, try to avoid these mistakes. Cook it on the highest flame.
Chinese cuisine dishes need to be cooked only for a short time so that the vegetables remain crunchy and fresh.
Plate it.
I’ve told before, fried rice and noodles are to be prepared with good amount of oil, so whenever you prepare it, use the right amount or else it will turn out like upma.
If oil is more, it will turn out nice and separated.
Don’t add oil excessively, just little bit more.
Plate it like so and garnish with chopped spring onion.
People will ask which Chinese restaurant have you ordered this from! It will be finished within 15 minutes!
Fantastic Hakka noodles just for you in Venkatesh Bhat style!
