- 1
Take a large quantity of water in a vessel and bring it to a complete boil.
- 2
Add a pinch of salt to the boiling water. This will give further taste to the boiled noodles.
- 3
Now, add 200 gms of Hakka noodles in the water and cook them, usually for about 3-4 minutes, or until they are cooked yet firm to the bite. This will help them withstand the stir-frying and have a good texture, not being too mushy.
- 4
Once cooked, place the noodles in a colander under cold running water to drain. This is a crucial step to actually stop the cooking process and prevent the noodles from sticking together. Set aside on a plate or in a bowl.
- 5
In a large pan or wok, heat about 2 tbsp of oil at medium-high heat. The temperature is hot but not at the smoking point.
- 6
Tilt the pan toward you, then add to it 1 tbsp of finely chopped garlic and 1 tbsp of finely chopped ginger.
- 7
Saut the garlic and ginger for roughly a minute until fragrant, stirring often. This will infuse the oil with rich and deep aromatics that flow into the dish.
- 8
Add the pan with 1/2 cup thinly sliced onions, 1/2 cup of julienned carrots, 1/2 cup of thinly sliced bell peppers, and 1/2 cup of shredded cabbage.
- 9
Adding these vegetables creates a great contrast in textures and colours in your dish. Stir-fry the vegetables for 3-4 minutes or until they are tender-crisp, stirring frequently. These are supposed to be cooked until they become slightly tender but still retain a little crunch. This trick will help you keep your vegetables really crunchy and fresh, adding an element of texture and colour contrast in your noodles.
- 10
Add the noodles cooked and drained earlier to the pan containing vegetables. Now immediately add 2 tbsp of soy sauce, 1 tbsp of tomato ketchup, 1 tbsp of red chili sauce, and 1/2 tsp of black pepper powder. The taste of soy sauce gives umami depth, ketchup gives the dish a little sweetness, red chili sauce adds a kick and black pepper gives an underlying spiciness.
- 11
Toss everything together until the noodles and vegetables are well coated with the sauces. Continue to stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes, allowing the flavours to meld and the noodles to heat through.
- 12
Once all is well mixed and heated, turn the heat off.
- 13
Finally, garnish your Veg Hakka Noodles with 2 tbsp of chopped spring onion greens. Fresh spring onions give a real burst of colour and that fresh, mild flavour, going well with the whole dish. Serve hot as a Main Course or just as a sideliner.
- 14
If you liked this recipe of hakka noodles, don't forget to share it with your friends and family.