Vegetable Hakka Noodles - stir-fried noodles with crunchy carrots, cabbage, green peppers and onions tossed with a chilli soy sauce. Ready within 30 minutes, it's perfect as a side for an Indo-Chinese feast.
Make it once, crave it forever!
Note – This recipe has been updated from the archives – first published July 2016. I’ve added new images and helpful content.
Growing up, a drive to Wembley also came with a treat - a takeaway from Sakonis! There were some specials that were always in our order - chilli paneer, cooling dahi sev puri, Indo-chinese masala mogo and masala dosa! Every now and then, we'd pick out something new from the menu.
So these particular hakka noodles are inspired by my restaurant visits - full of flavour with crunchy veggies and a lip-smacking sauce! Ultra addictive.
I wanted to recreate the same experience, so I watched many YouTube videos of street vendors cooking hakka noodles to learn their techniques. Generally, they all use the same vegetables and the sauces are pretty simple.
What I've also picked up is:
- Use a large pan or wok — crowding the vegetables makes them steam instead of fry.
- Prep everything before you start — once the heat’s on, things move quickly.
With these techniques I get vegetables still with bite, noodles glossy but not greasy, and a sauce that coats rather than pools.
They're also a little milder in flavour so can be paired with other Indo-Chinese dishes such as veg manchurian or this vegan chilli tofu. If you're looking for noodles with more of a flavour kick, then these chilli paneer noodles are bold and fiery!
I love serving them with a fizzy masala lemon soda on the side.
The Ingredients
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
These Indo-Chinese noodles have some differences to Chinese chow mein. Hakka noodles have the addition of chilli sauce and occasionally chopped green chillies.
Noodles - I've used egg-free wheat noodles that have medium thickness.
Vegetables - carrots, green bell pepper, white cabbage and onions. I cut them all match stick size so they stir-fry fast without loosing too much crunch. This takes up the bulk of the recipe time. After all the chopping, the recipe is straight forward.
I also use spring onions which cook with the vegetables and also reserve a little of the green parts to garnish.
To make these Indo-Chinese, I've added green chillies. Some recipes add them, others don't so I guess it comes down to personal preference. I like them because they add a bit of heat.
Aromatics - chopped ginger and garlic. I prefer to finely chop fresh ginger and garlic rather than use a bottled paste as it gives a much more authentic flavour.
Sauce - I use light soy sauce. I've found that hakka noodles are lighter in colour and dark soy sauce is a bit intense. However, use whatever you have to hand. The spice comes from chilli sauce. I pretty much use whichever chilli sauce I have in the fridge at the time. Just make sure to use one that doesn't contain tomato which will give the wrong flavouring. I also add distilled malt vinegar - you can use other white / clear vinegars.
Oil - I've used sesame oil which gives extra restaurant style flavour. You can also use any other neutral oil.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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📖 Recipe
Hakka Noodles
Equipment
- Wok
Ingredients
- 400 grams dried noodles egg-free
- 2 tablespoon oil
Vegetables
- 1 green pepper thinly sliced
- 1 large carrots thinly sliced
- 1 onion sliced
- ¼ white cabbage sliced
- 3 spring onions chopped
- 2 green chillies slit
- 1 tablespoon garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger chopped
Sauce
- 2 tablespoon white vinegar
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce I've used light.
- 3 tablespoon chilli sauce
Seasoning & Oil
- 5 tablespoon sesame oil
- black pepper
- salt
Garnish
- spring onion greens chopped
Instructions
Make sauce
- In a small bowl mix 2 tablespoon white vinegar, 3 tablespoon soy sauce and 3 tablespoon chilli sauce. Leave it aside for later use.2 tablespoon white vinegar, 3 tablespoon soy sauce, 3 tablespoon chilli sauce
Cook noodles
- In a large pan boil water, add 400 grams dried noodles and boil them as per package instruction.
- When cooked, drain the water from the noodles, add 2 tablespoon oil and mix gently. Set aside.
Stir-fry the vegetables
- Place a wok or large frying pan on the stove on medium to high heat.
- Add 5 tablespoon sesame oil and heat until just smoking.
- Tip in 1 tablespoon garlic and 1 tablespoon ginger, sauté for a few seconds. Then add 1 onion and cook for a minute.
- Now tip in 1 green pepper, 1 large carrots, and ¼ white cabbage and stir-fry for a couple of minutes on high heat.
- Then add 2 green chillies and the white parts of the spring onions. Mix well.
- Now add the prepared sauce, black pepper and salt . Stir well.
- Add cooked noodles and gently mix everything together until the noodles have absorbed the sauce.
- Sprinkle spring onion greens and serve hot.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
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Hayley Dhanecha says
This is one of those recipes I keep coming back to for casual meals, the stir fried vegetables and noodles come together so well with that classic Indo Chinese taste.
Unknown says
Ohh my😍😍 look at that colorful bowl!! This is perfect for chilly winter days.
Soniya saluja says
Noodles are such a hit in my family.. my Kidd's even enjoy taking it in their school lunch boxes!! Love the spicyness looks so colorful and vibrant!
Uma Srinivas says
Looks delicious and I love that bowl too:) Spicy dish is perfect for this season. Awesome recipe 👍
Vanitha says
Love anything that can be made in a jiffy and that too Asian and spicy! Thanks for sharing 🙂 🙂
Lathiya says
That's an awesome bowl of noodles you came up with things you have... brilliant idea
Freda says
Looks so scrumptious.! I do that all the time when it comes to making noodles, throw in a little bit of this and that or whatever I fancy, and something delicious is ready in no time 🙂
little sunny kitchen says
These veg noodles look amazing! I have a new wok that I still haven't cooked with yet, so maybe I should get it out and try your recipe.
Unknown says
This look so amazing! I need to use my wok far more than I do! The photos are so beautiful too!
x
Unknown says
Haha, I too usually dump all the ingredients I can find in my fridge for fried noodles/rice. And your mix sauce is pretty much similar to what I use, but ditto Tina Dawson, I too, prefer sambal oelek to sriracha when it comes to dishes like this 🙂
Amanda says
I'm loving how delicious this looks. Impressive that you made such a delicious dish without having the right sauce. Love the creativity and given I have all those things in my kitchen too, I think I'm going to have to try this!!
jcookingodyssey says
Thank you so much Amanda 🙂 please do try and let me know .
Tina Dawson says
This is almost similar to how I make my stir-fry noodles - except instead of siracha I use sambal oelek! Such a delicious meal Jagruti!
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks Tina for the lovely words, never heard of sambal oelek ..I'll google and check this out 🙂
Unknown says
I love any spicy dish that is loaded with veggies...this looks perfect and I can't wait to try! 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
jcookingodyssey says
You are welcome Sarah 🙂 Thanks for lovely words.
Unknown says
This looks delicious! I love all the bright colors! The mixed sauce is genius!
jcookingodyssey says
Thank you Amanda 🙂