Skip the takeaway: make street-style Schezwan noodles at home

Indo-Chinese food is a favourite with children and adults alike. But with the growing risk of adulteration in food bought outside, home-cooked food is considered healthier. Here is a quick and easy recipe for Schezwan noodles.

For fans of Chinese food, Schezwan noodles are a dish that comes together quickly and tastes delicious. Adding colourful vegetables, Schezwan sauce and a mix of spices to the noodles gives them a spicy, tangy and irresistible flavour. The best part is that it does not take much time to make. Using whatever vegetables you have at home, you can make vegetable Schezwan noodles that taste just like the ones at a restaurant. Whether you are hungry in the evening, want to try something different over the weekend, or are planning a party menu at home, this recipe works every time.

The ingredients are simple: two packets of noodles, two to three teaspoons of oil, one teaspoon of finely chopped garlic, one teaspoon of finely chopped ginger, one finely chopped onion, one finely chopped carrot, one finely chopped capsicum, one cup of finely chopped cabbage, two teaspoons of spring onion, two to three teaspoons of Schezwan sauce, one teaspoon of soy sauce, one teaspoon of tomato sauce, one teaspoon of vinegar, half a teaspoon of black pepper powder and salt to taste.

The method is also simple. Boil water in a large pot and add a little salt and a few drops of oil. Add the noodles and cook according to the instructions on the packet. As soon as the noodles are soft, drain them immediately, rinse with cold water and set aside.

Heat oil in a wok or kadhai. Add the finely chopped ginger and garlic and saute for a few seconds. Then add the onion, carrot, capsicum and cabbage. Stir-fry the vegetables on high heat so that they remain slightly crunchy.

Now add the Schezwan sauce, soy sauce and tomato sauce to the vegetables. Then mix in the vinegar and black pepper powder. Combine everything well on high heat. After this, add the cooked noodles to the wok and, taking care not to break the noodles, mix everything gently using two spoons or tongs.

Add salt to the noodles as needed, but keep in mind that soy sauce and Schezwan sauce already contain salt, so add less. Stir-fry the noodles for two to three minutes on high heat so that the sauce coats the noodles well and the vegetables retain their crunch.

Turn off the gas and sprinkle finely chopped spring onion on top. Hot vegetable Schezwan noodles are ready, and can be served with Schezwan chutney or a sauce of your choice.