Hakka noodles originated from the migration of Hakka people, a Chinese subgroup, to India in the 18th century. The Hakka people settled in Tangra, Kolkata, which is now known as the Chinatown of India. They brought their cuisine with them, which is a fusion of Chinese, Indian, and Bengali ingredients. Hakka noodles are a popular Indo-Chinese dish of stir-fried noodles, vegetables, and sauces. They are often eaten with a side of Manchurian or chili dishes. The dish is typically fatty and salty, with flavorings such as dried cuttlefish, dried oyster, dried shrimps, salted fish, Chinese fish sauce, soya sauce, and rice wine. 

• Hakka noodles – For this Hakka dish, use Hakka noodles which can be found at an Asian grocery store in the refrigerated section with the other fresh noodles, but if you cannot find it, you can easily substitute it with dried spaghettini (which you will need to pre-boil) or you can use shanghai oil noodles.

For the Hakka Noodles Sauce:

• Dark Soy Sauce – I use dark soy sauce for this hakka noodle recipe because it gives the noodles a lovely brown color. You can also use mushroom soy sauce for the same flavor and color. If you cannot find dark soy sauce or mushroom soy sauce, you can also use regular soy sauce, which will still taste the same; the only difference will be that it won’t have that dark color on the noodles.
• Oyster Sauce – For the Hakka sauce, I add oyster sauce to give it a boost in umami flavor. It also has a light sweetness to it as well that gives the sauce that extra flavor boost.
• Vinegar – The vinegar cuts the saltiness of the soy sauce and balances the hakka sauce out. I like to use white vinegar, but you can also use rice vinegar in place of white vinegar.

For the Vegetables:

• Cabbage – I love to use cabbage because its cheap, easy to find and has a nice sweetness to it. It also adds a bulk of the vegetables in this noodle dish which keeps it light and healthier.
• Sweet Peppers – Any type of sweet pepper will work (green, red, orange, or yellow) but I like to use red peppers to give this noodle dish a pop of color.
• Onions – Any type of onion will work well in this dish, but I find white onion give the best flavor.

For the Toppings and Garnishes:

• Green Onions/Scallions – To add a bit of freshness and flavor, I like to sprinkle finely chopped green onions/scallions on top at the end.

Prepare the Noodles

In a large bowl, soak the Hakka noodles in boiling water for 5 minutes. If you are using spaghettini, boil them as per package instructions but deduct 1 minute from the cooking time. Drain the noodles and set them aside for later. In a small bowl, combine the dark soy sauce, vinegar, oyster sauce, oil and water and set it aside. Set a large frying pan or wok on the stove and set the stove to medium-high heat.

Add in the onions and stir fry it for 2-3 minutes or until they are soft. Add in the garlic and stir fry it for 30 seconds. Add in the bell peppers and cabbage and stir fry it for 2-3 minutes until they are soft. Add in the noodles and the sauce and mix everything together until the noodles have absorbed the sauce. Cook noodles until they are soft, plate it and garnish it with green onions. Enjoy!

Hakka noodles go fantastic when served with other Hakka dishes like chilli chicken or Manchurian chicken. If you’re up for something on the spicier side, then serve this with Chilli Chicken but if you want a Hakka dish with with less spice and a bit on the sweeter side, then you should definitely try serving it with Chicken Manchurian or crispy beef.