Once upon a time there lived a girl in the middle of nowhere together with 10,000 other girls. They all lived happily on Maggi Noodles every night. #CollegeFairyTale!
I literally can imagine all Indian College goers nodding their heads in agreement (my sister being the first!).That’s the true story.. we all have been through that phase in our life were Noodles formed a key part of our day to day living.
And there is the remaining mature audience that has enjoyed Noodles at home or at Restaurants a normal number of times. The underlying fact here is that Noodles has been the poison we all love and embrace. <3
Somehow ever since Noodles was introduced to Indian Cuisine, it has been experimented with thoroughly and introduced by not just the Chefs from the big Star Hotels, but also by Indian Housewives and Bandiwaalas (Roadside Street Vendors). Thanks to the boom of the Maggie era, we have had a gazillion tried and tested variations of our dear Indian Noodles. Some popular names from the Restaurant menus being- Hakka Noodles, Schezwan Noodles, Burnt Garlic/ Chili Garlic Noodles, Veg Chowmein Noodles, Mushroom Noodles, American Chopsuey, etc. As I’m typing, a new variation is being invented.. Given the constraint of space and time, I’m going to feed you with the foodie favorites in this blog post.
PS: This recipe pairs best with Manchurian Gravy, Tomato Ketchup, Chili Garlic sauce, Momo Sauce, Sweet Chili sauce, Sriracha Sauce!
My Top Recipe Recommendations
Classic Indian Veg Noodles– If you have some at home, try using Olive oil for cooking. If you have the basic ingredients to make this, it won’t take very long before it’s all delicious and ready!
Schezwan Noodles– Two basic things to note before you jump to this recipe- please buy Schezwan Sauce- you cannot do without it if you’re aiming for the perfect taste. Some people have complained that Noodles once boiled turns soggy – the tip is to grease the noodles with some oil so they don’t stick together during prep process
Triple Sichuan(Schezwan) Noodles – Had to add this recipe in for some unique ingredients used like Sichuan peppercorns, Chilli flakes, Red chilli Paste, Ajinomoto, Bean Sprouts, White Pepper Powder. Caution- Schezwan sauce in itself is fiery hot/spicy – use as directed
Burnt Chili Garlic Noodles – As Chinese as it can get. Trick is in cooking garlic to the right amount – it should turn Golden brown and slightly crispy- don’t turn it black in the process of cooking it. Don’t chop Garlic too finely -you want to enjoy the taste of Garlic as you eat
Hakka Noodles – If you’re planning to go with Store Bought Noodles skip past to 5:00 minutes. If you wish to prepare very authentic Chinese tasting Noodles, three recommended ingredients to go with would be Toasted Sesame Oil, Rice Vinegar and Celery. If you cannot access them, go with Sunflower Oil or any other Oil, White Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar and skip Celery!
Veg Chow Mein– Do you have a LOT of Veggies in your fridge? Make Chow Mein Noodles!
Mushroom Noodles– Easy, delicious, stress free Recipe. You can pull this off with just Mushroom and Spring Onions
Egg Noodles Street Style- Very similar prep style as Egg Fried Rice – tastes equally or even more delicious
Indian Vegetable Noodle Soup – Loaded with colorful veggies and cooked in nutritious Vegetable broth, this soup is one “healthy” variety that Noodles can be consumed in.
Indian – American Chopsuey – In India we have been introduced to this very innovative Recipe were Fried Noodles is topped with Tomato based gravy sauce loaded with traditional Vegetables
Vegetable Pad Thai Noodles – People of Thailand are fiercly loyal to their Pad Thai. You’ll see the ingredients used to prepare this Vegetarian delight are unique. Tamarind/dash of lemon, roasted peanuts. Tastes amazing- try it at home!
Cheese Maggi Noodles– Finally ending with where it all started, our very own easy, creamy, Desi cheese Maggi – to save you when you’re in dire need!
My Improvs & Notes
Check the noodles packet which should describe the quantity of water required. Strictly follow the same to avoid soggy Noodles
Do not cut the veggies- rather shred them for the authentic Chinese Noodles -feel
For typical Veg Indo-Chinese Noodles some better-to-have ingredients are Soy Sauce, Vinegar, Chili Sauce, crushed Pepper
As advised in my other blogs, be aware of adding too much salt to the Noodles when adding in Soy Sauce already (it is a naturally salty ingredient). Also, Soy sauce should be used in moderation for health reasons. Naturally brewed Soy Sauce doesn’t have all the harsh chemicals- just so you’re aware before making a purchase
Stir Fry the veggies in a high flame before noodles are mixed. Typically in any stir fry dish, the ingredients should be tossed and stirred continuously – best would be to use a wok or a pan with handles that’ll enable tossing. Stir frying in wok in high flame ensures the veggies are not fully cooked and also retain the crunchy texture of it
Restaurants Serving Indo Chinese Noodles in Bay Area
