Veggies Bundled in Crispy Noodles

Few recipes become past soon. New recipes and ingredients sometimes replace the old ones and eventually we forget about them. But there are always moments that make us nostalgic and remind us of good times.

12 years back this was my prize winning recipe at our Community Cooking Competition. I so enjoyed making this deep fried crispy snack for my friends and family. My sister so loved my crispy Noodle Pakoras. And with my recipe of Schezwan sauce...they were absolutely fabulous!! I would make these in bulk for my colleagues too and take them to work. They make such cute appetizers for potlucks and parties. It is a bit of work at first, but they are totally worth the effort.

With 2 potlucks back-to-back over the weekend, I was planning on menu that would help me prep for both the days. So for day 1 Potluck in the Park: I made my Crispy Fried Veggie Balls, minced veggies rolled in cornflakes and fried. For day 2 potluck: I used the minced veggie mixture that I had saved in the refrigerator to bundle them with noodles.

I missed my sister a lot yesterday. I know she just loves these and I love to cook for her. I also missed my niece and nephew who would quietly eat in all the veggies just for the crisp and delicious noodle texture :)

Ingredients:
4 cups minced veggies (onions, bell pepper, carrots, green beans, cabbage)
1 tbsp. minced ginger
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1+1/2 cup all-purpose flour (as needed)
3/4 cup rice flour
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. chilli sauce (optional)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 pack Ching's Hakka Noodle
Oil for frying

• Take 4 cups of finely chopped/ minced veggies like onions, bell pepper, carrot, green beans, cabbage, ginger and garlic in a large bowl. You could always adjust the amount of veggies you would like to use.
• Add salt and pepper powder and let the veggies rest and sweat for 10-15 minutes.
• Add 1 cup all purpose flour/maida and 3/4 cup of rice flour to bind the veggies and make a soft dough. Add more flour if needed. Amount of flour depends on the water content of the veggies.
• Add soy sauce and chilli sauce (optional) and mix well. Keep the dough aside.
• Boil Hakka Noodles as per the instructions on the pack and keep them aside. Do not over cook noodles or make them mushy. Strain and wash hot noodles with cold tap water to stop the cooking process. That way noodles will not get sticky and mushy.
• Take a tbsp. of veggie mixture in your palm. Wrap handful of cooked noodles around and using both your press the noodles well into the dough. 
• Gently drop the dough wrapped in noodles into medium hot oil. 
• Fry till it turns golden brown and crisp.
• Serve with spicy schezwan sauce.
• Enjoy!

Here is step-by-step pictorial recipe:

Take 4 cups of finely chopped/ minced veggies like onions, bell pepper, carrot, green beans, cabbage, ginger, and garlic in a large bowl. 

Add salt and pepper powder and let the veggies rest and sweat for 10-15 minutes.
Add 1 cup all purpose flour/maida and 3/4 cup of rice flour to bind the veggies and make a soft dough. Add more flour if needed. Amount of flour depends on the water content of the veggies.
Add soy sauce and chilli sauce (optional) and mix well. Keep the dough aside.
Boil Hakka Noodles as per the instructions on the pack and keep them aside. Do not over cook noodles or make them mushy. Strain and wash hot noodles with cold tap water to stop the cooking process. That way noodles will not get sticky and mushy.

Take a tbsp. of veggie mixture in your palm. Wrap handful of cooked noodles around and using both your press the noodles well into the dough. If the noodles are not pressed in well they will separate out while frying.
Gently drop the dough wrapped in noodles into medium hot oil.
Fry till it turns golden brown and crisp.

Serve with spicy schezwan sauce.

Enjoy Rains with
Veggies Bundled in Crispy Noodles!!