Recipe for Cart Style Chicken Hakka Noodles
Recipe for Cart Style Chicken Hakka Noodles
Hakka Noodles is a favourite Indo-Chinese Street Food in Mumbai and many other states of India. The best part is that any form of Noodles, can be made so colourful with the addition of colourful veggies which make it even more flavourful and exciting and you can get the kids to enjoy itas well.While Fried Rice is my Brother and Bitter Better’s favorite,Hakka noodles has always been my favourite. I have beautiful fond memories of my Dad taking us to the Cart every Thursday Night(because Thursdays used to be his day off) to enjoy Chinese Food near Metro Cinema in South Mumbai. There was this special emotion (and still is) attached to Cart Style Indo-Chinese Food and in my opinion, the Carts make the Best and Most Flavoursome Indo Chinese Food.Back in day, like a good 18-20 years ago, my Mum owned a catering business where she would supply food and snacks to various colleges and schools in South Mumbai. So, our main Kitchen was our Home kitchen and early morning at around 6 am our Cook Raja Chinese(I used to call him that. His name is Raja) would come and start his work. Living in a small home back then, we didn’t require alarms to wake us up for school because the sound of Raja’s Chopping and Tossing and his “Aunty, dushra shobji kidhar rakha hai” was loud enough to wake the entire building up! 😊Thanks to the Food all around us, I got to select my Tiffin box everyday and Hakka Noodles was an alternate day choice! Yup I Love Hakka… Hahaha…As a child, Here’s what I faintly remember Raja Chinese tossing up(and messing up the entire kitchen, but cleaning up as well….because well, my Mom’s eyes did all the talking…and they are scary as hell…hahahaha) and I’d love to share it with all of you! Here’s for the Noodle Pandas, Chinese Cart Lovers & Raja Chinese!
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
- 450 gms Noodles
- 2 Eggs(beaten)
- 250 gms Chicken(Boiled with salt and cut into cubes orshredded)
- 1 Carrot(cut into long fine strips)
- 1 Capsicum(cut into long fine strips)
- 150 gms Cabbage(cut into long fine strips)
- 2 Onions(cut into long fine strips)
- 7-8 Spring Onions(chopped)
- 2 Tspn Soy Sauce
- 1 Tspn Salt(you canadd more if you like)
- 1 Tspn Ajino Motto (optional – but it’s used in most Chinese dishes to elevate the flavour. You can use a stock cube if you wish to skip Ajino)
- 4 Tbspn Oil for tossing the Noodles
- Water for Boiling the Noodles
- 4 Tbspn Oil to be added while boiling the Noodles
- 2 Tbspn Salt to be added while boiling the Noodles
Instructions
- First, in a large vessel, add the Water, Oil and Salt and Keep it on High Flame for BoilingNote: Adding Oil to the water is a very important step. If oil isn’t added, the noodles will get sticky. The Oil helps the Noodles to remain loose and separated
- As soon as the water begins to boil, add the Noodles into the boiling water
- Boil the Noodles until it is about 80% cooked only.Immediately, Strain the Noodles into a large strainer. As the Noodles are kept aside to cool, Prep all your ingredients in advance because we will be cooking this on Extremely High Flame and you will not have a chance to chop or get things in betweenNote: The Noodles will be tossed on High flame later so if the Noodles are fully cooked, it will further get cooked and will become extremely soft and that’s not the texture we want. Hence do not fully cook the Noodles until fully softNote: Ensure the Noodles are not kept in the hot water or else it will get further cooked and become sticky and soft
- Now, Take a Large Wok or Skillet and Add 4 Tbspn Oil and place it on High flameNote: The Flame has to be extremely High or else the Vegetables will start leaving water.Also, for Chinese, the if the flame isn't high you will not get that Smokey flavour.
- Once the Oil turns Hot, Add the beaten Eggs and the chopped Spring Onion bulbs(the white part) and with a flat spoon break down the egg int he Hot OilNote: Spring Onions and Eggs are very important for Noodles and Fried Rice as the flavour comes from these two main ingredients when tossed in extremely Hot oil
- Then add the Capsicum, Carrot, Onions and Cabbage and Toss it well for about 3-5 minutes(Here you can add the Ajino Motto/Stock cube if using)
- Then, Add the Noodles, Boiled Chicken, chopped spring Onion greens, Salt and Soy Sauce and Toss the Wok on high flame and let all the ingredients mix well
- Once all the Noodles are coated with Soy Sauce, turn the flame off and Enjoy your Hot, Cart Style Chicken Hakka Noodles.Note: If you wish to make Veg Noodles, You can add French Beans, Broccoli, Mushrooms, Corn, Sprouts, Yellow and Red Peppers or any other Vegetables of your choice