Fried Noodles

cooking noodles

1. Take 3.5 cups water in a sauce pan and heat it on a medium to high flame.
2. Add ½ teaspoon salt and add ¼ teaspoon oil.
3. Let the water come to a rolling boil.
4. Reduce the flame and then add 100 grams noodles. You can use instant, whole wheat, hakka or all purpose flour noodles.
5. With a fork or a spoon press the noodles in the boiling water.
6. Cook noodles on a medium flame till they become al dente.
7. Taste a few noodles and they should have a slight bite to them. They should not be completely cooked. 
8. The time taken for the noodles to cook will depend on the type of noodles you have used. E.g whole wheat noodles will take more time as compared to hakka noodles or instant noodles.
9. Remove the pan from the stove top and pour all its contents in a strainer. Keep the strainer in the kitchen sink so that all water gets drained away.
10. Now rinse the noodles very well with fresh water. Use a spoon to stir when rinsing noodles. When the noodles become warm or cool down, then you can use hands and lightly stir when rinsing with fresh water.
11. Drain all the water very well.
12. Remove the noodles in a large plate or tray. Spread them evenly. Let noodles cool at room temperature for 1.5 to 2 hours. After 1.5 to 2 hours you can start to fry them.
13. Before frying add 2 tablespoons corn flour (corn starch) on the noodles.
14. Mix very well so that the corn flour (corn starch) coats the noodles well. You can use a pasta or noodle tong to mix. If you use your hands, then the fingertips become sticky with the corn flour.

frying noodles

1. Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or a pan.
2. Add a few strands of the noodles and if they come up steadily and gradually then you can begin to fry them. If they settle down at the bottom, the oil needs to get hot. If they come up too quickly then the oil is very hot, so the flame need to be reduced.
3. Add noodles in batches keeping in mind the size of the kadai.
4. As soon as you add noodles, then with a slotted spoon separate them.
5. Fry till the base become light golden and crisp.
6. Then turn over and fry the second side till crisp and light golden.
7. Turn over a couple of times and fry till the noodles become golden.
8. Remove fried noodles with a slotted spoon draining excess oil in the kadai or pan.
9. Place fried noodles on kitchen paper towels so that extra oil is absorbed.
10. Once cooled, then place the crispy fried noodles in an air-tight container. You can use it as required in recipes like veg fried noodles, veg american chopsuey, chinese bhel, veg manchow soup etc.