In India, noodles were always considered to be a part of “Chinese’ cuisine. And our exposure to noodles was often limited to the instant noodles that we all have made at home, or at the most the noodles we may have eaten at ‘Chinese restaurants’.
Attempts to make noodles at home, would mostly fail or end up being some version of our home-cooked meals with a dose of Indian spices along with some Vinegar, Soya sauce and Red Chilli sauce. The tastes would never ever be at par with what was available at restaurants and honestly, absolutely nothing close to the authentic oriental cuisines.
With more exposure to Asian culture, we now know that all noodles are not Chinese! Many Asian countries eat noodles as a part of their staple diets. What was even more surprising was that noodles weren’t only limited to the kinds our local shops sell. In fact, noodles are available in an array of options like udon noodles, soba noodles, glass noodles and so many more.
Eating these varieties of noodles at authentic Oriental restaurants often becomes an expensive affair. But here are a few options of noodles that can be prepared at home, with the right ingredients. Check them out!
Yaki Udon Noodles
Also known as Stir Fry noodles are simple yet delicious to eat. This recipe is a Japanese noodle recipe and takes all of 15 minutes to get ready. Simply add the vegetables of your choice along with whatever protein you like, and your Yaki Udon is ready! Have a look at how it’s made.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cooking time: 10 minutes
- Serves: 2
Ingredients:
- Cooking Oil: 2 tbsp (divided into 2 parts)
- Udon Noodles (frozen): 500gm
- Shrimp: ½ cup (You can use chicken, eggs or tofu as well)
- Onion: 1 medium: thinly sliced
- Garlic: 2-3 cloves (minced)
- Cabbage: 1 cup (thinly shredded)
- Carrots: ¼ cup (julienned)
- Mushroom: ¼ cup sliced
- Spring onions: ¼ cup finely chopped
For Sauce
- Dark Soy Sauce: 1 tbsp
- Oyster Sauce: 2 tbsp
- Mirin/Rice Vinegar: 2 tbsp
- Brown Sugar: 1 tbsp
- Korean Chilli flakes/Red Chilli Flakes: ½ tbsp
Procedure:
- Take your shrimp or optional protein and season it with salt and pepper. Add all the sauces to it, mix well and set aside.
- Prepare the noodles by inserting them in hot water, slightly loosening them using a fork or chopsticks and once they separate and feel ready, drain the hot water. Rinse the noodles with cold water and set aside.
- Take a large wok, and add one part of the oil to it. On a medium flame, add the shrimp and cook it for a few minutes and set aside, in the same wok add the vegetables. First, add the onion and garlic and good until the onions turn pink. Now add the carrots, cabbage, and mushrooms and toss and cook them for a few minutes. Care must be taken not to overcook them and leave a slight crunch which adds bite to it.
- Now add the cooked shrimp and the udon noodles. Toss until the noodles are well coated with sauce.
- Remove on a serving plate, garnish with chopped spring onion and serve hot.
Vietnamese Stir Fry Shrimp Rice Noodles
This comforting recipe is delectable with the perfect infusion of flavours of shrimp with soft rice noodles. A quick recipe that is perfect to whip up a quick dinner. Here is how you can make it.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cooking Time: 5 minutes
- Serves: 2
Ingredients:
- Shrimp: ½ cup (cleaned and deveined)
- Garlic: 1 tbsp
- Oyster sauce: 1 tbsp
- Salt: to taste
- Baby Bok Choy: ½ cup
- Fish Sauce: 2 tbsp
- Soy Sauce: 2 tbsp
- Onions: 1 medium (sliced)
- Water: 1/3 cup
- Cornflour: 1 tsp
- Dried Vietnamese Pho noodles or rice noodles: 1 pack
- Black pepper: to taste
- Olive oil
Procedure:
- Thinly slice the shrimp and season it with salt, garlic, pepper and oyster sauce, mix well and keep aside.
- Thinly slice the onion and bok choy and set aside.
- Make a thin paste, using fish sauce, and soy sauce along with water and corn starch and set aside.
- Boil the rice noodles as directed on the pack. Remember to remove the noodles earlier than recommended. Once boiled, wash the noodles in cold water and keep them aside.
- Take a large-sized wok, heat it well and add the olive oil. First, add the shrimp and cook it on high flame until it is almost cooked. Remove the shrimp from the pan and keep. In the same pan, add some more oil and thoroughly cook the onions and bok choy.
- Now add the cooked rice noodles and the shrimp back on the wok. Now add the thin sauce prepared. Mix well until the rice noodles are completely coated.
- Adjust the seasoning and add some black pepper if needed.
- Remove from the pan and serve hot.
Simple Homemade Chicken Ramen
The newfound love for Korean movies and TV shows has by default increased the awareness and love for Ramen. These are a burst of flavour with a delicious amount of heat, and seasoning along with chicken in a bowl. Here is how you can try to make it at home.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cooking Time: 45 minutes
- Serves: 2
Ingredients:
- Chicken Breast: 2
- Kosher Salt/Himalayan Pink Salt and Pepper: to taste
- Unsalted butter: 1 tsp
- Sesame oil: 2 tsp
- Fresh Ginger: 1 tbsp minced
- Garlic: 2 tbsp (minced)
- Low Sodium Soy sauce: 2 tbsp
- Mirin/Rice Vinegar: 1 tbsp
- Chicken stock: 4 cups
- Mushroom: ½ cup (sliced)
- Sea salt: to taste
- Scallions: ½ cup sliced
- Eggs: 2
- Dried Ramen Noodles: 2 packs
- Jalapenos (optional to garnish)
- Spring Onions: to garnish
Procedure
- Marinate the chicken breast with salt and pepper. Now heat an oven-friendly pan and add butter. Cook the chicken on both sides by flipping it. Transfer the pan to a preheated oven, and bake until it is golden and fully cooked.
- To prepare the ramen broth, heat the oil in a boiling pot, now add the ginger and garlic and cook until it is fully cooked. Add the soy sauce and mirin and stir well. Add the chicken stock and bring it to a boil by covering it with a lid. After about 5 minutes of boiling, add the mushrooms and adjust the seasoning of salt and pepper.
- In another pot, boil the eggs such that they are soft with a runny yolk, and set aside. To the boiling water, add the ramen noodles and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until they become soft.
- Remove the noodles and add them to the serving bowl. To it add the ramen broth and top it up with sliced chicken and boiled eggs, add the sliced scallions as well. Garnish with spring onions and jalapenos (option). Enjoy with chopsticks.
Cantonese-style Chow Mein
In India, Chow Mein noodles have turned into a variant that is entirely different from the authentic one. Try making the authentic Cantonese style Chow Mein, and relish the difference!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cooking Time: 10 minutes
- Serves: 3
Ingredients:
- Chow Mein noodles: 450gms
- Moong Sprouts: ½ cup
- Spring Onions: 3 stalks (cut into 2)
- Oil: 2 tbsp
- Low Sodium Soy Sauce: 1 tbsp
- Dark Soy Sauce: 1 tbsp
- Granulated sugar: 1 tsp
- Toasted sesame oil: 1 tsp
Procedure:
- To make the sauce, add the low sodium soy sauce with the dark soy sauce, granulated sugar and sesame oil, mix and keep aside.
- Take a pot and boil water in it. Once the water is roaring, add the pack of noodles, keep them for not more than 15-20 seconds and remove them from the water using a strainer.
- Take a wok and heat some oil in it. In the hot oil, add the chow mein noodles and let them fry until the base turns golden and crispy. Add more oil if needed, now add the moong sprouts along with chopped spring onions and stir them on high flame.
- Now add the prepared sauce over the hot noodles and toss the wok so that the noodles are completely coated. Transfer the contents to a serving plate and enjoy while they are hot and crisp.
Vegan Korean Japchae
Experience the enchantment of glass noodles in our Vega Korean Japchae. Watch as these translucent strands of noodles cook to perfection, with tofu and mushrooms adding a touch of magic to your dish. Delight in their delicate texture and savour the delightful flavours as you enjoy a fun and satisfying meal.
Ingredients:
- Glass noodles: 250g
- Smoked firm tofu: 300g
- Zucchini: 1 medium
- Carrot: 1 small
- Onion: 1 medium
- Scallion stalks: 3
- Garlic cloves: 3
- Rehydrated shiitake mushrooms: 6
- Spinach: Large handful
- Sesame seeds: To garnish
For the sauce:
- Soy sauce: 5 tbsp
- Sugar: 2 tbsp
- Sesame oil: 1 tbsp
Procedure:
- Boil a pot of water and cook glass noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Toss noodles with 1 tsp of sesame oil and cut into smaller pieces.
- Blanch the spinach in the same pot for 30 seconds. Rinse with cold water, squeeze out excess liquid, and chop.
- Slice all vegetables into matchstick-sized pieces. Cut tofu into thin rectangles.
- In a small bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients.
- Fry the smoked tofu until just faintly browned in a big skillet with little sesame oil. Place aside.
- Fry the onions and garlic for one minute in the same wok. Add the carrot and shiitake mushrooms, and cook for one more minute. Add the zucchini and scallions after the final minute of frying.
- Reduce the heat, and add the noodles, spinach, tofu, and sauce to the wok. Toss and cook until the sauce is soaked up. Serve garnished with toasted sesame seeds.
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