Bengali style Chowmein

So we all know I love noodles and growing up in Kolkata (I’m not a Bengali) I LOVE Bengali food! So this recipe is a combination of my love for both! These noodles are inspired by something I used to have back home, putting a Bengali spin on street-style chowmein. The veggies are cooked in mustard oil and black salt is used to bring out the flavor. Potatoes are very essential to Bengali food and I had to put them in these noodles which taste SO good. These are spicy noodles with a hint of sweetness, with a whole lot of veggies, making them perfect! This is a vegan recipe (as long as you use vegan noodles). You need to try how delicious these are!

Happy Cooking!

Servings: 4-5 servings

Prep Time: 20-25 mins

Cooking Time: 20-25 mins

Total Time: 40-50 mins

Ingredients: 

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

• 1 tbsp Mustard oil

• 1 medium red onion in thin slices

• 2 half boiled potatoes but in thin slices

• 5-6 garlic cloves minced 

• 1-2 green chilis cut in half

• 1/2 bell pepper cut into thin slices

• 3-4 scallions chopped

• 1 cup cabbage slaw

• 1 tsp red chili powder

• 1/2 tsp gram masala 

• 1/4 tsp black salt 

• 1/2 tsp white pepper 

• 1/4 tsp Ajinomoto

• Salt as per taste

• 1 tbsp dark Soy sauce 

• 1.5 tsp Vinegar 

• 3/4 tbsp Ketchup 

• 3/4 tbsp Sweet sauce

• 1.5 tap Garlic sauce 

• 1 tbsp Red chili sauce 

• 7-9 oz Hakka or chowmein noodles

Directions: 

1. In a saute pan that can withstand high heat or in a wok, add mustard oil and vegetable oil, keeping the pan on medium heat.

2. When warm, add onions and saute for 2-3 mins till it’s translucent.

3. Add the half-boiled sliced potatoes and saute for 6-7 mins. Mix it in intervals so it doesn’t stick but don’t move too often. You want the potatoes to crisp up.

4. While the potatoes are cooking, boil water for noodles and put noodles to boil.

5. Once the potatoes start crisping up, add minced garlic and sliced chilis and saute till fragrant.

6. Add sliced peppers, scallions, and slaw. Cook for 2-4 mins.

7. Add all spices and sauces and give it a toss.

8. Add the boiled noodles and give it a toss for 1-2 minutes making sure its coated well and everything is mixed in.

9. Garnish with some scallion greens and serve.

10. These are delicious hot and cold!

Notes/Tips:

• Use a wok or pan that can withstand high heat. That helps cook veggies and keep them crunchy which is important to the dish.

• You can add whatever veggies you want! It’s a great way to empty out the fridge.

• Hakka noodles work well if you can’t find chow mein noodles.

• These noodles are great cold too!

• Don’t skip on the mustard oil, black salt, and potatoes, that is what makes it Bengali-inspired.

• You can add scrambled eggs to these noodles.

• Don’t move the potatoes too much so that they crisp up and not break.