Vegetable Hakka Noodles – stir-fried noodles with crunchy carrots, cabbage, green peppers and onions tossed with a chilli soy sauce. Ready within 30 minutes, it’s perfect as a side for an Indo-Chinese feast.
Make it once, crave it forever!
Note – This recipe has been updated from the archives – first published July 2016. I’ve added new images and helpful content.
Growing up, a drive to Wembley also came with a treat – a takeaway from Sakonis! There were some specials that were always in our order – chilli paneer , dahi sev puri , masala mogo and masala dosa! Every now and then, we’d pick out something new from the menu.
So these particular hakka noodles are inspired by my restaurant visits – full of flavour with crunchy veggies and a lip-smacking sauce! Ultra addictive.
I wanted to recreate the same experience, so I watched many YouTube videos of street vendors cooking hakka noodles to learn their techniques. Generally, they all use the same vegetables and the sauces are pretty simple.
What I’ve also picked up is:
- Use a large pan or wok — crowding the vegetables makes them steam instead of fry.
- Prep everything before you start — once the heat’s on, things move quickly.
With these techniques I get vegetables still with bite, noodles glossy but not greasy, and a sauce that coats rather than pools.
They’re also a little milder in flavour so can be paired with other Indo-Chinese dishes such as vegetable manchurian or chilli tofu . If you’re looking for noodles with more of a flavour kick, then these chilli paneer noodles are bold and fiery!
The Ingredients
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
These Indo-Chinese noodles have some differences to Chinese chow mein . Hakka noodles have the addition of chilli sauce and occasionally chopped green chillies.
Noodles – I’ve used egg-free wheat noodles that have medium thickness.
Vegetables – carrots, green bell pepper, white cabbage and onions . I cut them all match stick size so they stir-fry fast without loosing too much crunch. This takes up the bulk of the recipe time. After all the chopping, the recipe is straight forward.
I also use spring onions which cook with the vegetables and also reserve a little of the green parts to garnish.
To make these Indo-Chinese, I’ve added green chillies . Some recipes add them, others don’t so I guess it comes down to personal preference. I like them because they add a bit of heat.
Aromatics – chopped ginger and garlic . I prefer to finely chop fresh ginger and garlic rather than use a bottled paste as it gives a much more authentic flavour.
Sauce – I use light soy sauce . I’ve found that hakka noodles are lighter in colour and dark soy sauce is a bit intense. However, use whatever you have to hand. The spice comes from chilli sauce . I pretty much use whichever chilli sauce I have in the fridge at the time. Just make sure to use one that doesn’t contain tomato which will give the wrong flavouring. I also add distilled malt vinegar – you can use other white / clear vinegars.
Oil – I’ve used sesame oil which gives extra restaurant style flavour. You can also use any other neutral oil.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
- YouTube
Hakka Noodles
Equipment
- Wok
Ingredients
- 400 grams dried noodles egg-free
- 2 tablespoon oil
Vegetables
- 1 green pepper thinly sliced
- 1 large carrots thinly sliced
- 1 onion sliced
- ¼ white cabbage sliced
- 3 spring onions chopped
- 2 green chillies slit
- 1 tablespoon garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger chopped
Sauce
- 2 tablespoon white vinegar
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce I’ve used light.
- 3 tablespoon chilli sauce
Seasoning & Oil
- 5 tablespoon sesame oil
- black pepper
- salt
Garnish
- spring onion greens chopped
Instructions
Make sauce
- In a small bowl mix 2 tablespoon white vinegar , 3 tablespoon soy sauce and 3 tablespoon chilli sauce . Leave it aside for later use. 2 tablespoon white vinegar, 3 tablespoon soy sauce, 3 tablespoon chilli sauce
Cook noodles
- In a large pan boil water, add 400 grams dried noodles and boil them as per package instruction.
- When cooked, drain the water from the noodles, add 2 tablespoon oil and mix gently. Set aside.
Stir-fry the vegetables
- Place a wok or large frying pan on the stove on medium to high heat.
- Add 5 tablespoon sesame oil and heat until just smoking.
- Tip in 1 tablespoon garlic and 1 tablespoon ginger , sauté for a few seconds. Then add 1 onion and cook for a minute.
- Now tip in 1 green pepper , 1 large carrots , and ¼ white cabbage and stir-fry for a couple of minutes on high heat.
- Then add 2 green chillies and the white parts of the spring onions. Mix well.
- Now add the prepared sauce, black pepper and salt . Stir well.
- Add cooked noodles and gently mix everything together until the noodles have absorbed the sauce.
- Sprinkle spring onion greens and serve hot.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Hakka Noodles
Equipment
- Wok
Ingredients
- 400 grams dried noodles egg-free
- 2 tablespoon oil
Vegetables
- 1 green pepper thinly sliced
- 1 large carrots thinly sliced
- 1 onion sliced
- ¼ white cabbage sliced
- 3 spring onions chopped
- 2 green chillies slit
- 1 tablespoon garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger chopped
Sauce
- 2 tablespoon white vinegar
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce I’ve used light.
- 3 tablespoon chilli sauce
Seasoning & Oil
- 5 tablespoon sesame oil
- black pepper
- salt
Garnish
- spring onion greens chopped
Instructions
Make sauce
- In a small bowl mix 2 tablespoon white vinegar , 3 tablespoon soy sauce and 3 tablespoon chilli sauce . Leave it aside for later use. 2 tablespoon white vinegar, 3 tablespoon soy sauce, 3 tablespoon chilli sauce
Cook noodles
- In a large pan boil water, add 400 grams dried noodles and boil them as per package instruction.
- When cooked, drain the water from the noodles, add 2 tablespoon oil and mix gently. Set aside.
Stir-fry the vegetables
- Place a wok or large frying pan on the stove on medium to high heat.
- Add 5 tablespoon sesame oil and heat until just smoking.
- Tip in 1 tablespoon garlic and 1 tablespoon ginger , sauté for a few seconds. Then add 1 onion and cook for a minute.
- Now tip in 1 green pepper , 1 large carrots , and ¼ white cabbage and stir-fry for a couple of minutes on high heat.
- Then add 2 green chillies and the white parts of the spring onions. Mix well.
- Now add the prepared sauce, black pepper and salt . Stir well.
- Add cooked noodles and gently mix everything together until the noodles have absorbed the sauce.
- Sprinkle spring onion greens and serve hot.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
You’ll love these Dhebra made with bajra flour and plenty of fresh fenugreek leaves. Pan fried to perfection, they’re made to an authentic Kathiyawadi Gujarati recipe and can be ready within 30 minutes.
Masala chai just found it’s match.
Note – This recipe has been updated from the archives – first published 2021 by my Mum, Jagruti , who learnt this recipe from her (also Gujarati) neighbour when she was young. I’ve added new images and helpful content, the recipe remains the same.
I’m going to start with mentioning all the differences between vada, dhebra and thepla !
Now, depending on which part of Gujarat your family is from, these names are used interchangeably, particularly between vada and dhebra!
Bajri na vada are puffed and deep-fried with a chewy inside. Dhebra are pan-fried flat breads that have a crispy and flaky texture, often made with millet flour. Thepla is more of an umbrealla term, for example methi na thepla , and refers to softer, thinner flatbreads that are perfect for travel.
The Recipe Details
Making bajra methi dhebra is all about balance. You want to knead a soft yet pliable dough with millet flour, fresh fenugreek leaves, spices, and a touch of jaggery for flavour and colour. More on the full list of ingredients below.
The dough is then rolled into discs and pan-fried until golden brown. Gujaratis have a special technique to achieve the signature brown pattern, known as “bhaat padvi”. Unlike the black spots you might see on regular parathas, these beautiful brown patches form when the natural sugars in the dough caramelise as the dhebra cooks.
To get this effect, use a jaro (flat metal press) instead of a spatula and press the dhebra evenly as it cooks on the hot tawa. This helps the surface cook uniformly and brings out that characteristic bhaat padvi look and flavour. The result is crisp and perfectly rustic dhebra.
My favourite way to enjoy these is with a cup of masala chai and some keri no chundo or plain yogurt. To make them a meal, they’ll go great with sukhi bhaji .
Once they’re cold, spread over some ghee and enjoy as they are. You can thank me later.
Notes on Ingredients
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
Methi leaves – I use fresh fenugreek leaves ONLY for this recipe. Do not sub in kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) because they are totally different.
Flours – dhebra recipes require more than one flour. I have used a mix of bajra (grey millet flour), besan (gram flour) and chapati aata (wholewheat flour). These flours combine give the unique texture and flavour of dhebra. The besan in particular, helps give a little softness.
Yogurt – any type of plain yogurt works, which helps give softness and tang to the dough. Don’t add more than the recipe suggests as it will make the dough too soft and can cause the dhebra to stick to the pan. If you’re vegan/dairy free, use a plant-based yogurt.
Spices – I’ve used red chilli powder, turmeric powder, ground cumin and coriander, garam masala and also black pepper.
Herbs & aromatics – the authentic recipe includes fresh green chillies, ginger and garlic. We also add green garlic in our family recipe. A decent about of freshly chopped coriander is a must.
Seeds – sesame seeds & carom seeds are common in authentic dhebra as they are commonly made in the winter months.
Jaggery – in true kathiyawadi style, this recipe uses jaggery to give sweetness. It works brilliantly with the spices and garlic. Make sure you grate the jaggery before adding or use jaggery powder as it’s hard to mix large chunks of jaggery into the dough and they will burn on the tawa.
Oil – a little oil goes into the dough and you also need it for cooking the dhebra. To give these a food shelf life, you have to be quite generous with the oil when frying on the tawa.
Step by Step Method & Tips
The first step is to prepare the dough. Start by mixing together the fresh methi, aromatics, spice powders, seeds, herbs and yogurt. Season with salt and add oil. You will see the mixture release just a little moisture which will help with binding the dough.
Now add the flours and bring it all together to form a soft plaible dough. You may or may not need extra water to form the dough depending how wet your mixture was.
Divide into equal parts and form balls before rolling out into discs.
To cook the dhebra, heat a tawa on medium heat. Place the rolled out dhebra and cook on one side for approximately 20-30 seconds. Then flip over and spread oil onto the top side. Flip again and again spread oil, flip to cook on the other side. Use the jaaro to gently press down on the dhebra, it’ll help bring out the golden brown spots.
Storage
These Bajra Methi Dhebra can stay fresh for 3–4 days at room temperature when stored in an airtight container, making them ideal for travel. In the refrigerator, they keep well for up to 5–6 days. Simply reheat on a hot griddle before serving.
For longer storage, you can freeze them for up to a month. Lightly roast the rolled dhebra on a griddle without oil, cool completely, then stack them with parchment paper between each and store in a freezer-safe airtight container. To reheat, place the frozen dhebra directly on the tawa and cook thoroughly with a little oil. Do not thaw before cooking.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
- YouTube
Bajra Methi Dhebra
Equipment
- Jaaro flat metal press
- tawa
Ingredients
- 2 cup methi leaves roughly torn
- ¼ cup coriander leaves chopped
- 1 cup millet flour bajri flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour roti flour
- ¼ cup gram flour besan
- ½ cup yogurt
- 2-3 tablespoon green chilli and ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 2 tablespoon green garlic optional
- 2 tablespoon oil + more to fry
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds tal or til
- ½ teaspoon carom seeds ajwain
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
- 2-3 tablespoon grated jaggery
- ½ teaspoon tumeric powder
- 2 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 2 teaspoon cumin coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- salt to taste
- extra wheat flour to roll dhebra
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl or wide plate add all the ingredients plus 2 tablespoon oil.
- Knead a soft dough using water little by little – the methi will release its own water.
- Divide the dough into equal size balls. Roll out the ball on a flat surface in dry flour and make a round disc.
- Heat a tawa on medium heat. Place the dhebra on the pan and cook on one side for a few seconds and then flip over. Spread oil onto the top surface, flip, and spread oil again. Flip once more. Press down using the jaaro until you get small brown spots on both sides.
- Serve hot or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
