CHICKEN HAKKA NOODLES
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This Indo-Chinese recipe of noodles stir-fried with veggies and chicken is ideal for busy weeknights.
Chicken Chow Mein or noodles tossed with veggies and chicken is fondly known as Chicken Hakka Noodles in India. As I mentioned in some of my previous posts, Indo-Chinese cuisine is an unmissable part of Indian food culture. So much so that you will find a food joint selling chow mein in almost every nook and corner of a city in India. But, when it comes to choosing the most popular Chinese street-food, the Chicken Hakka noodles are a clear favorite.
I remember how it used to be a delicacy for us as kids. Back in the days, eating junk food wasn't as common. We were allowed to eat Chow Mein only on special occasions. On other days, whenever we would pass by a food-joint selling Chow Mein, we would lustily savor the smell of noodles stir-fried in a spicy sauce mix.
Times have changed now. Today, dozens of kids thronging these food-joints make me wonder how unfairly tough our parents have been. Not that I am complaining! I am an adult now and a chef too, so you see I get to toss up a bowlful of Chow Mein whenever I crave them. Isn't that cool?
Jokes apart, have you ever wondered why is Chow Mein referred to as Hakka noodles in India? Why is it called Hakka? Here is a culinary snippet for you that narrates the history of Hakka noodles in Kolkata.
HAKKA NOODLES AND KOLKATA
Chow mein is referred to as Chao Mian in Mandarin. It is a traditional recipe of the Taishanese community of China. Taishan is a coastal county-level city in the southern Guangdong province of the People's Republic of China. It is traditionally cooked in the style prescribed by the ancient Taishanese.
Hakka noodles on the other hand refer to the style of preparation of noodles by the Hakka community. Hakka Han or the Han Chinese belong to areas of Guangdong, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan, and Fujian in China. A majority of these people migrated to various parts of the world centuries ago, India being the most prominent destination. In India, the Hakka Chinese settled in Tangra, Kolkata, which comes to be known as the Chinatown of India.
The amalgamation of local Bengali cuisine of Kolkata and the Hakka Chinese cooking style gave birth to what we know as Hakka noodles today.
ABOUT THE RECIPE
Hakka Noodles is prepared by tossing pre-boiled noodles with a load of veggies and sauce-mix. It almost always contains veggies like onion, cabbage, bell peppers, and carrot.
The sauce-mix is a mixture of vinegar, soy sauce, tomato ketchup, green chili sauce, salt, black pepper, and sugar.
It is often combined with scrambled eggs, chicken, shrimp, beef, pork, or a random combination of these.
The veggies and the meat are stir-fried at a high temperature until tender and the noodles are added at the very last. Everything is tossed together and finished off with a dash of MSG (optional) and a sprinkle of green onions.
Like many Indo-Chinese recipes, this one proceeds quickly. Everything has to be kept ready because the actual cooking process takes a little over 5 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
Noodles – You can use lo mein, chow mein, or yaki-soba noodles to make this recipe. If you cannot lay your hands on any of these, go ahead and use thin spaghetti, ramen noodles, or other instant noodles. If using instant noodles, just toss away the instant spice mix!
Vegetables – Carrot, Bell peppers, Cabbage, Onion, and Green onions are a must if preparing this recipe. You can also use mushroom or bean sprouts. Other than these veggies, you will also need minced garlic.
Proteins - For this recipe, I have used scrambled eggs and chicken. I prefer using boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they are juicier than breast and tenderloin. If using chicken breast, tenderize the chicken before cooking.
Spices & Condiments– To make the sauce-mix, in a small bowl combine vinegar, soy sauce, tomato ketchup, green chili sauce, salt, black pepper, and salt.
Oil – I have used canola oil. You may use vegetable oil, sesame oil, or olive oil too.
HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT HAKKA NOODLES?
Prepare the sauce: To make the sauce-mix, in a small bowl combine vinegar, soy sauce, tomato ketchup, green chili sauce, salt, black pepper, and salt.
Marinate the chicken: Cut chicken into thin strips. Take a small amount of this sauce and marinate the chicken in it. Keep aside.
Prepare the noodles: To make the perfect Hakka noodles, the key is to cook the noodles optimally. The noodles should be cooked al-dente. They should be toothsome but not undercooked. Both undercooked or overcooked noodles can spoil your dish completely. Here are a few tips to boil the noodles optimally:
Boil water in a big heavy-bottomed pan with some salt and a teaspoon of oil. Only when the water comes to a roaring boil, add in the noodles.
The oil prevents the noodles from sticking to each other. Boil the noodles for no more than 2 minutes. Turn off the gas and cover with a lid. Let it sit for 5 mins.
Open the lid and drain on a colander to get rid of the excess water.
Wash the boiled noodles in the colander under cold water to ensure they are not sticky.
Get Cooking: Heat oil in a wok or a large frying pan over high heat. Scramble eggs and remove them. Add some more oil in the same pan, add minced garlic and stir fry without letting it burn. Add the marinated chicken and stir fry until browned. Add the vegetables and stir-fry. Follow up with the sauce mix. Keep frying until chicken and veggies are tender. If it gets too dry, add a splash of water. When it is almost done, add the noodles. Toss everything together. Add the scrambled eggs and chopped green onion.
Serve hot with your favorite side or just as it is.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Chow Mein?
Traditional Chow mein is a dish made with stir-fried noodles. The healthier way to make it is to use boiled lo mein, chow mein, or yaki-soba noodles. It is then added to a vegetable stir fry with a choice of protein and sauce.
For the authentic version, try frying the noodles in a little bit of oil before adding them to the pan of veggies.
What is the difference between Chow Mein and Hakka Noodles?
Although used interchangeably the names Chow Mein and Hakka noodles do not mean the same.
Chow mein and Hakka noodles are both Chinese dishes. The difference between them is the style in which they are cooked. Chow mein has a Taishan influence to it, while Hakka noodles are cooked as per the Hakka cuisine.
There are more similarities between the two than differences. The only noticeable difference between them is that Hakka noodles are toss-fried and have a distinct Indo-Chinese flavor to them, whereas Chow mein is a stir-fried noodle dish with an original flavor.
Even though Hakka noodles are ancestrally known to be unlike Chow mein, they both are considered to be the same by many people in India and the rest of the world.
What is the difference between Lo Mein and Chow Mein?
Both are yellowish because they are made of wheat and eggs. The Lo Mein Noodles are wet and oily out of the packet. They are boiled or soaked until soft before tossing with sauces, vegetables, and proteins.
Chow Mein noodles on the other hand are thinner, and kind of dry and crinkly out of the packet.
How can I make this recipe vegan?
For a vegan Hakka noodle, skip the egg and chicken and use vegan noodles. The rest of the recipe remains the same.
How can I make this gluten-free?
Traditional noodles are not gluten-free. If you are looking for gluten-free options, you may try rice noodles, cellophane noodles, or soba noodles. Also, make sure your soy sauce is gluten-free.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Hakka noodles are traditionally served on its own or with popular Indo-Chinese sides like Gobi Manchurian, Chili Chicken, Chili Pork, or Sweet-and-Sour Chicken.
Enjoy them as it is or go ahead and pick your favorite side, either way, they taste great. The choice is yours.
STORING SUGGESTIONS
The Hakka noodle is so slurpy and delicious that you will rarely find a morsel left on the plate. On the rare occasion when you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container and refrigerate for 1-2 days. Reheat before serving.
CHICKEN HAKKA NOODLES
Ingredients:
- 6 oz Chow Mein Noodles
- 6 oz Boneless, skinless Chicken thighs
- 2 eggs raw
- 2 tbsp Canola Oil
- 2 tsp minced Garlic
- 1/2 cup Onion sliced
- 1/4 cup Carrot cut into matchsticks
- 1/4 cup Bell Pepper cut into matchsticks
- 1/2 cup Cabbage shredded
- 1 tsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Vinegar
- 1 tsp Green Chilli Sauce
- 1 tsp Tomato Ketchup
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper Powder
- 2 tbsp Spring Onion Greens chopped
Instructions:
- To prepare the sauce, in a small bowl combine vinegar, soy sauce, tomato ketchup, green chili sauce, salt, black pepper, and salt.
- Cut chicken into thin strips. Take a small amount of the sauce-mix and marinate the chicken in it. Keep aside.
- Prepare the noodles according to the packet instructions or as suggested.
- Heat oil in a wok or a large frying pan over high heat. Scramble eggs and remove them.
- In the same pan, add some more oil. Fry the minced garlic till golden.
- Add the marinated chicken and stir fry until browned.
- Add the vegetables and stir-fry.
- Follow up with the sauce mix. Keep frying until chicken and veggies are tender. If it gets too dry, add a splash of water.
- Add the noodles and toss everything together. Add the scrambled eggs and chopped green onion.
- Serve hot.
Notes:
- If you cannot lay your hands on Chow Mein or Lo Mein, go ahead and use thin spaghetti, ramen noodles, or other instant noodles.
- You may also include mushroom or bean sprouts.
- If using chicken breast, tenderize them before use.
- You may use any other protein of your choice.
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