Preparation Time : 35 minutes
Cooking Time : 30 minutes
Serving : 4 members
Description
I think I have around four versions of this same recipe in my hand written cook books . But never have I tried even one recipe , the reason being ” I don’t know ” . Having my first cook book launch with few friends of mine , being nervous and having a million butter flies in my tummy. Had to decide a menu for the event that has to be hassle free as well . Crispy noodles bhel popped up in my mind from no where out of a sudden. Went through all the four recipes and made up a recipe of my own combining one another together. Made the sauce and the crispy noddles a day before. The next day while assembling the dish, it was hassle free and done in seconds. Among the grand spread, the crispy noodles bhel was the stand out dish where most of the guests made sure to take away as well. From then on, I have both the crispy noodles and the sauce ready in hand stored. The first thing that’s on the table when I have sudden guests this dish is one that I rely on the most for a quick fix as all you need is some flavored beauties to make your guests swoon. So get smart with this idea that is simple yet drop dead impressive with entertaining factor becoming a cinch
Ingredients for noodles
Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| par boiled Chinese egg noodles | 1 packet drained and dried on a kitchen towel , cornflour - 1/4 cup |
| flour / maida | 1/4 cup |
| salt | to taste , |
| Vegetable oil | to deep fry |
Method for crispy noodles
- Mix corn flour , flour / maida and salt together. Sprinkle over the dried out par boiled noodles well making sure all the noodles are not stuck to one another .
- Heat oil to deep fry in a large pan. To Fry one cup noodles, reduce the flame to medium high and deep fry to crisp and golden in color.
- Drain in absorbent paper and repeat with the rest of noodles. Cool a bit and store in air tight container until needed to be used .
Ingredients for sauce
Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Oil | 1/4 cup |
| Garlic | 1/8 cup grated |
| Ginger | 1/8 cup grated |
| Celery | 1/8 cup grated chopped stem and leaves |
| Tomatoes ground | 1/4 cup ( around 2 small tomatoes ) |
| Red chilly powder | to taste |
| Salt | to taste |
| Vinegar | 1 teaspoon |
| Sugar | 1 teaspoon |
| Tomato sauce | 4 tablespoons |
| Light Soya sauce | 1/2 teaspoon |
| Red chilly sauce | 1/2 teaspoon |
| Green chilly sauce | 1/2 teaspoon |
| Ajinomoto | a pinch ( optional ) |
Method for sauce
- Heat oil to smoky. Reduce the flame and add celery, ginger and garlic . Sauté for thirty seconds .
- Top with ground tomato purée and Stir continuously until oil floats on top. Add all the other ingredients one after the other.
- All the way stirring once in a while. Taste and adjust seasoning and boil until oil separates and gets to a red thick sauce.
- Remove from heat and cool completely
Other ingredients
ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Red + green + yellow bell peppers / capsicums | 1/4 each chopped Cabbage - 1/4 cup shredded |
| Cabbage | 1/4 cup shredded |
| Carrots | 1 small chopped |
| Spring onions | 1/4 cup chopped |
| Celery | 1 tablespoon chopped |
| Salt | to taste |
How to proceed
- For four cups of crispy fried noodles . Mix red + green + yellow peppers, carrots, cabbage,
- celery and half of chopped onion stem together. Add 1/4 cup of cooked sauce and mix well.
- Taste and adjust seasoning by adding more salt if needed. Toss the crispy fried noodles over the above mix just before needed to be served.
- Making sure the sauce and veggies are coated well. Garnish with remaining chopped spring onions and serve immediately .
Notes
- The remaining sauce can be stored in air tight glass jars and refrigerated up to one month and used as a dip, can be used for cooking any Chinese dishes of choice or at times ,
- I toss my left over idlis, Kuli paniyarams in this sauce and serve. Sky is the limit for imagination to come up with ideas.
- In case you have left over crispy noodles , store in air tight containers at room temperature.
- Keeps well for a month or two. This can be used for garnishing soups, along side ice creams with a toss of honey, for American chopsuey or to make another batch of crispy noodles bhel itself .
- Can add pineapple chunks, sweet corn or any veggie of choice towards your liking also .
