How to make fried noodles recipe with step by step photos. Crispy fried noodles are often made when making any Indian Chinese recipes like veg fried noodles, American chopsuey, Chinese bhel, a fiery Manchow Soup and more. In this post, I have shared the easiest Fried Noodles Recipe that you can make at home and include in the dishes you like. If not, you can just add some spices and sauces on them and enjoy as a yum snack.
Making fried noodles is slightly tricky and things can go wrong. If frying a very small batch, then the noodles turn out good. But if frying a large batch then there can be problems.
In this post I am sharing a method which I follow to fry noodles at home. I have fried whole wheat noodles, instant noodles and hakka noodles with this method and all of these have turned out well.
When I make recipes that has fried noodles as one of its main ingredient, I fry the noodles the day before. So the work is less the next day when making that particular recipe. The noodles have to be boiled first and then fried.
Few tips to make fried noodles
Here are some things that you should keep in mind while proceeding with this recipe:
- Before frying the noodles should be allowed to dry completely. So give at least 1.5 to 2 hours for the noodles to dry before you fry them.
- The addition of corn flour (corn starch) helps to remove any extra moisture and when frying the noodles will stick less. Anyways they do stick when frying, but they won’t be lumpy and the sticking is less.
- Always cook the noodles till they are al dente or there is a slight bite in them. If you cook them completely, then they become too lumpy and sticky while frying. Even adding corn flour does not help much.
- Always fry in the hot oil. If the oil is at a low temperature then the noodles absorb a lot of oil.
- Fry till golden. If you fry till light golden, then there will be a bit of softness in the fried noodles and they won’t be entirely crisp.
- Do not make the noodles too brown or golden as then they become more crispy as well as hard.
You can follow this method for any quantity of noodles. If you use more noodles, the frying takes a lot of time. For this recipe post I have used instant noodles. You can use any type of noodles like hakka noodles or instant noodles or whole wheat noodles or all purpose flour noodles.
How to make Fried 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 or add as required.
3. Add ¼ teaspoon oil.
4. Let the water come to a rolling boil.
5. Reduce the heat and then add 100 grams noodles. You can use instant noodles, whole wheat noodles, hakka noodles or all purpose flour noodles.
6. With a fork or a spoon press the noodles in the boiling water.
7. Cook noodles on a medium flame.
8. Cook till the noodles are al dente.
9. Taste a few noodles and they should have a slight bite to them. They should not be completely cooked. 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.
10. Remove the pan from the stove top and pour all its contents in a strainer. While pouring the noodles+water mixture, keep the strainer in the kitchen sink so that all water gets drained away.
11. 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.
12. Drain all the water very well.
13. 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.
14. Before frying add 2 tablespoons corn flour (corn starch) on the noodles.
15. Mix very well so that the corn flour (corn starch) coats the noodles well. You can use a pasta or noodle tongs to mix. If you use your hands, then the fingertips become sticky with the corn flour.
Frying noodles
16. Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or a pan. 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.
17. Add noodles in batches. The amount of noodles to be added will depend on the size of the kadai. Do not overcrowd the kadai or pan while frying.
18. As soon as you add with a slotted spoon separate them.
19. Fry till the base become light golden and crisp.
20. Then turn over and fry the second side till crisp and light golden.
21. Turn over a couple of times and fry till the noodles become golden.
22. Remove fried noodles with a slotted spoon draining excess oil in the kadai or pan.
23. Place fried noodles on kitchen paper towels so that extra oil is absorbed.
24. 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 etc.
Few more noodles varieties for you!
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Fried Noodles
Ingredients
- 100 grams noodles – instant, whole wheat, hakka or all purpose flour
- 3.5 cups water
- ½ teaspoon salt or add as required
- ¼ teaspoon oil
- 2 tablespoons corn flour (corn starch)
- oil as required for deep frying
Instructions
cooking noodles
- Take 3.5 cups water in a sauce pan and heat it on a medium to high flame.
- Add ½ teaspoon salt and add ¼ teaspoon oil.
- Let the water come to a rolling boil.
- Reduce the flame and then add 100 grams noodles. You can use instant, whole wheat, hakka or all purpose flour noodles.
- With a fork or a spoon press the noodles in the boiling water.
- Cook noodles on a medium flame till they become al dente.
- Taste a few noodles and they should have a slight bite to them. They should not be completely cooked.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Drain all the water very well.
- 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.
- Before frying add 2 tablespoons corn flour (corn starch) on the noodles.
- 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
- Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or a pan.
- 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.
- Add noodles in batches keeping in mind the size of the kadai.
- As soon as you add noodles, then with a slotted spoon separate them.
- Fry till the base become light golden and crisp.
- Then turn over and fry the second side till crisp and light golden.
- Turn over a couple of times and fry till the noodles become golden.
- Remove fried noodles with a slotted spoon draining excess oil in the kadai or pan.
- Place fried noodles on kitchen paper towels so that extra oil is absorbed.
- 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.
Notes
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Fried Noodles post from the archives, originally published in November 2017 has been updated and republished on February 2023.
