DIY noodles: Make Hakka at home with this recipe shared by Mumbai chef

If you are not a fan of the recent viral trend of automatic Hakka noodles maker or pre-made noodles, then try this recipe by a city chef for delicious noodles made from scratch

After the dosa printer and automatic chapati maker, we now have India’s first automatic Hakka noodles maker which has been used by a Chennai-based eatery called Just Fried Rice. With a revolving wok and automatic stirring apparatus, the electronic maker ensures the chef isn’t sweating at the stove mixing the noodles to keep the noodles from clumping or burning. It’s another step towards efficiency after the wide range of pre-made noodles available in the market. But is the process of making Hakka noodles from scratch tedious?

Automatic Hakka noodles maker. PIC COURTESY/@just_friedrice

While getting any dough right might be a tough task, chef Mahek Mandlik, founder of Mahek’s Atelier, a culinary school in Andheri West, shares tips and tricks to prepare homemade noodles. Mandlik (right) shares, “It’s super fun and satisfying to put your hands in the dough and make the noodles from scratch. It can be a fun family activity involving children. Freshly made noodles are softer and tastier, too.” This recipe is one that Mandlik came across on The Woks Of Life online culinary platform and suggests it for its simple method which can be followed by beginners.

Chef Mahek Mandlik’s special Hakka noodles

INGREDIENTS

>> 1 cup Hakka noodles
>> 1/2 cup finely sliced cabbage
>> 1/4 cup finely sliced French beans, carrots, and capsicum (each)
>> 1/2 cup bean sprouts
>> 2 tsp chopped garlic
>> 2 tsp chopped ginger
>> 2 tsp pepper powder
>> 2 tsp light soya sauce
>> 1/2 cup chopped of spring onions
>> 3 to 4 tbsp refined oil
>> 1 tsp sugar
>> Salt to taste

METHOD
Boil the noodles in salted water till done. Drain in a colander and rinse well. Toss it with some oil and keep aside. Heat oil in a wok and sauté the ginger garlic. Add the sliced vegetables and seasoning. Add the soya sauce. Toss in the bean sprouts and mix well. Add the noodles last and check for salt. Garnish with chopped spring onion and serve hot.

Tip: Cook the noodles on high heat. You can also add some Schezwan sauce for a better flavour.

DIY noodles

INGREDIENTS
>> 300 grams of highgluten flour
>> 1/4 teaspoon salt
>> 150 ml water

METHOD
Mix flour and salt, and stir the mixture as you gradually add water in two parts. Knead until you form a chunk of cohesive dough. Set it aside for 30 minutes under a bowl. Knead the dough to remove air bubbles and divide into two equal parts. On a floured surface, roll one portion of the dough into a very thin sheet. Flour both sides of the sheet and fold the sheet to form four layers. Cut the noodle sheet into noodle strips less than an inch thick. Separate the noodles and dust flour over them. Repeat with the second dough. Boil the noodles for about three minutes until cooked.

Chef’s tips and tricks

1 Always use the best quality of refined flour to get good quality dough
2 Sieve the flour a few times to remove any unwanted particles and lumps
3 Knead the dough very well to activate the gluten
4 Let the dough rest for a sufficient time after it has been kneaded
5 When resting, cover the dough at all times so that it doesn’t dry up
6 Keep the table dusted with flour to keep the noodles separated during preparation

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