Manchurian Noodles. Saucy indo chinese style noodles in a savory, spicy tangy sauce made with vegetables, soy sauce & vinegar. Looking for quick bite? These noodles come together in barely 20 minutes. If you love noodles, do take a look at chicken hakka noodles or paneer chowmein recipe.
We love love Indian chinese food. Who doesnt? With its distinct fusion of indian spices & vegetables and chinese ingredients & techniques, indo chinese or desi chinese recipes are flavor bombs.
What is Manchurian?
Manchurian style dishes are cooked by combining deep fried vegetable balls, chicken, shrimp or paneer etc and a thickish amber colored sauce made using soy sauce, chili sauce, ginger, garlic etc. These dishes use chinese seasoning techniques but taste distinctly indian. The most popular manchurian dishes are gobi manchurian, vegetable (deep fried veggie balls) and chicken manchurian.
Are Manchurian Style Dishes Chinese?
No.The word Manchurian is used for natives of Manchuria region in China but surprisingly enough, indo chinese cuisine has little to do with the traditional Manchu cuisine. There are few theories behind how this cuisine gained popularity in India. Manchurian dishes were invented by a cook of chinese descent in order to create something new using indian and chinese ingredients and he named his new invention as Manchurian. Another theory is that the indo cuisine evolved along the silk route when chinese travelers settled in eastern parts of India.
About Manchurian Noodles Recipe
My husband is the biggest fan of indo chinese food and I make it every other week. I usually serve chicken manchurian with noodles or fried rice. This recipe was born out of no where - basically just to use up leftover manchurian sauce. Next day I boiled some noodles and tossed them with the sauce because why not. Behold, these spicy manchurian noodles turned out heavenly. These are a regular at our home- for weekends or kid lunches.
Why you will love this recipe?
- If you love saucy noodles, these are amazing!
- Its so quick to make - 20 minutes or so.
- Absolutely delicious and flavorful with spicy, tangy, sweetish sauce.
- It is veggie loaded. You can use any kind of vegetables you wish.
- Can be packed in lunches. They taste good at room temperature.
- Can be turned into a quick dinner. Top with a fried egg!
Ingredients (Notes & Substitutions)
Here are the ingredients for manchurian noodles. Indo Chinese dishes are what they are because of indo chinese condiments. I highly recommend that you pay a visit to indian stores and pick up a a few ingredients.Most of these ingredients have a long refreigerator of shelf life. I love using Ching's condiments because they give a very authentic taste. Below, I am noting down a few substitutions as well.
- Noodles - I like using fresh noodles because I easily get them.They are slightly thin and because of being fresh, they taste quite good. You can buy these easily at stores where they stock the wonton and spring roll papers. You can really use any kind of noodles you like. Egg noodles or Ching's Hakka Noodles available in indian stores are my favorite.
- Finely Chopped Vegetables- Ginger, Garlic, Cabbage, Bell Peppers, Onions, Scallions(spring onions), Green Chillies (Or Thai Bird Chillies). You can add carrots or green beans as well.
- Soy Sauce- A mix of dark soy and all purpose soy sauce. I use both because for balanced smokiness and umami flavors.
- Maggi Hot & Sweet or Ketchup is fine as well. Ketchup is not spicy, so you might want to bump up the green chilies.
- Red Chili Sauce- The one from Ching's is a blend of chili, garlic and other seasonings.You can use Sriracha or Chili Garlic Sauce or similar.
- Ajinomoto - It is optional but I highly recommend using it. It adds a wonderful umami.
- Black Pepper - Gives the distinct color and sharpness to Manchurian sauce. Do not skip.
- Honey or Brown Sugar
- Vinegar- We like it spicy so I use Ching's Chili Vinegar. You can use regular or apple cider vinegar as well.
- Corn Starch (Known as corn flour in India)
How To Make Manchurian Noodles
Boiling The Noodles
Start by preparing the noodles. If you are using dry noodles, follow the package instructions. I use fresh noodles and I just soak them in hot water for 5-7 minutes.
Preparing The Vegetables
While the noodles are boiling, start chopping the vegetables. If you washed the vegetables, make sure they are not super wet. It will take you good 7-8 minutes or so to chop the vegetables but keep everything ready before you set out to stir fry.
Measure Sauces, Pepper & Ajinomoto
Make The cornstarch slurry by mixing cold water and corn starch. Keep ready.
I measure and keep the sauces ready to go in little bowls. You can mix as well if you wish.
Stir fry the Noodles
Make sure that everything is ready before you start stir frying.
Make Manchurian Sauce & Toss Noodles:- Heat up oil on high in a wok and add onion, garlic ginger,chilli, spring onion white parts, cabbage and bell pepper. Saute on high heat for 2 minutes for so till the vegetables look a little soft but not browned.They should retain their crunch and color.
Add the soy sauce, hot & sweet sauce, red chili sauce black pepper, salt, honey and ajinomoto. Saute for 30 seconds. Add the corn starch slurry and water. Cook for 2-3 minutes or so till the sauce is thickish. Add the drained noodles and mix. Sprinkle the scallion green parts and serve immediately.
Variations & My Tips
- Add protein - Add chicken, shrimp or ground keema(minced meat) to these noodles.
- Add Diced Vegetables - You can add sliced green beans, broccoli, snap peas, mushrooms or colorful bell peppers to the sauce.
- Kid friendly - Use Ketchup instead of Maggi Hot & Sweet sauce and skip the green chillies.
- Make it Vegan friendly by making sure that the sauces you are using are plant based.
- Prepare Before you start Stir frying - Make sure that all the ingredients are ready to go before you begin stir frying. You dont want to pause and chop vegetables or measure sauces, the vegetables in the sauce will become mushy. If you are like me and sometimes add sauces straight from the bottle, take the sauce bottles from refrigerator or cabinet and keep near the stove.
- High Heat :- Stir fry on high heat. For authentic smoky flavors, cook everything on high heat.
- Invest in a Wok (if possible) - I cannot explain how much the taste of indo chinese I make at home has changed for better ever since I started using a wok. The construction of wok(thin walls) helps the noodles and veggies in sauce retain their crispness.
- Dont add too much corn starch. I have learnt it the hard way.You just need 1 tablespoon else the sauce will taste chalky.
More Recipes
Manchurian Noodles
Equipment
- Wok
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 6.5 oz (~200g) noodles fresh or dry
- 1 tablespoon (~10g) ginger finely chopped
- 1.5 tablespoon (~15g) garlic finely chopped
- 3 scallion white & green parts chopped separately
- 3 green chilli hot variety, finely chopped, adjust to taste
- ⅓ cup (~50g) onion finely chopped
- ¼ cup cabbage finely chopped
- ¼ cup green bell pepper finely chopped
- 3 tablespoon oil
- 1.5 tablespoon soy sauce I use a mix of dark and all purpose soy sauce,
- 1.5 tablespoon Maggie Hot & Sweet or ketchup
- 1.5 tablespoon Red Chilli sauce or sriracha
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ¼ teaspoon ajinomoto optional
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
Instructions
- Start by boiling the noodles. If you are using dry noodles follow the package instructions. I use fresh noodles and I just soak them in hot water for 5-7 minutes.
- While the noodles are boiling, chop the vegetables. If you washed the vegetables, make sure they are not wet. Keep everything ready before you set out to stir fry.
- Make the cornstarch slurry by mixing cold water and corn starch. Keep ready.
- Heat up oil in a hot wok and add onion, garlic ginger,chilli, spring onion white parts, cabbage and bell pepper all at once. Saute on high heat for 2 minutes for so till the vegetables look a little soft but not browned. They should retain their crunch and color.
- Add the soy sauce, hot & sweet sauce, salt, sugar, red chili sauce, black pepper and ajinomoto. Saute for 30 seconds.
- Once you see that the sauce is bubbly, add the corn starch slurry and water. Cook for 2-3 minutes or so till the sauce is thickish.
- Add the drained noodles and vinegar and toss together. Stir fry the noodles for about a minute or so.
- Sprinkle the scallion green parts and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Add protein - Add chicken, shrimp or ground keema to these noodles.
- Add Diced Vegetables - You can add sliced green beans, broccoli, snap peas, mushrooms or colorful bell peppers to the sauce.
- Kid friendly - Use Ketchup instead of Maggi Hot & Sweet sauce and skip the green chillies.
- Make it Vegan friendly by making sure that the sauces you are using are plant based.
- Prepare Before you start stir frying - Make sure that all the ingredients are ready to go before you begin stir frying. You done want to pause and chop vegetables or measure sauces, the sauce will taste soggy. If you are like me and add sauce straight from the bottle, take the sauce bottles from refrigerator or cabinet and keep near the stove.
- High Heat :- Stir fry on high heat. For authentic smoky flavors, cook everything on high heat.
- Use a wok for stir frying if possible.You will be amazed by the taste and texture at the end of cooking.
Jan Scherders
Hi
I want to make this dish, but I have question. You use both Maggi Hot & Sweet and Ching's Red Chili Sauce. Can you tell me the difference. Because Ching's sauces are available in the Netherlands and Maggi Hot & Sweet is not for sale in my country. Also in other Indo-Chinese dishes you used to use Maggi and now Ching's Red Chili Sauce.
I thought they are more or less the same but now you use both, so you must have a reason 😉
Tanvi
Hi Jan,
Thats a good question!
Ching's Red Chilli Sauce is not sweet at all. It is sharp and sour. On the other hand Maggi Hot & Sweet, as the name suggests has good level of heat along with ketchup like sweetness (but not prominent ketchup taste).It has a unique taste and is widely used in indo chinese cuisine. I use both because the flavor profile I get is not ketchup like (I want to avoid that overpowering ketchup taste). Ching's sauces weren't available where I live till 4-5 years back, that why I used to use maggi 🙂 You will find many recipes using tomatoes sauces or ketchup, however the indo chinese food in north india doesnt have prominent tomato taste. Yes, the taste of these dishes differ from region to region.
If Hot & sweet isn't available, I suggest you can mix Chings red chilli sauce with a little bit of tomato paste (or sauce) and increase the quantity of honey for sweetness. Taste and adjust. All I am saying is that dont let the tomato taste overpower other condiments 🙂
Thank you.
Ram
After searching for long I finally got Indian Style chow mein recipe, Thank you so much??
Tanvi
Yay!! Thank you 🙂