Kolkata Chow Mein

Name: Kolkata Chow Mein
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 325 g (11½ oz) egg-free chow mein noodles; ½ tsp ground turmeric; 2 tsp oil; 1 tbsp light soy sauce; 3 spring onions (scallions), sliced diagonally; 3 spring onions (scallions), sliced diagonally; 1 tbsp oil; 300 g (10½ oz) silken tofu; 2 green chillies, sliced; 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks; 80 g (2¾ oz) Chinese cabbage or white cabbage, finely shredded; 80 g (2¾ oz) Chinese cabbage or white cabbage, finely shredded; ⅓ tsp black salt; 2 tbsp gram flour; 2 tbsp oil; 2 large garlic cloves, minced; ¼ tsp salt; ¼ tsp MSG; 1 tbsp distilled white vinegar; 60 g (2 oz/⅓ cup) beansprouts; 60 ml (2 fl oz/4 tbsp) vegetarian oyster sauce; ½ tsp Garam Masala; ¼ tsp ground white pepper

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
35 min

Appears in

Sanjana Feasts

By Sanjana Modha

Published 2024

About

A vegan take on Kolkata’s treasured street-style noodles, complete with the customary scrambled ‘egg’, which I make with silken tofu. My recipe for Desi-style noodles has remained the same for years and puts any leftover veg to good use. It’s a dish you can count on when the contents of your fridge look sparse and you’re short of time.

Ingredients

For the noodles

325 g (11½ oz) egg-free chow mein noodles
½ tsp ground

Asia
India
Kolkata
Vegan
Leftovers
Noodles
Street Food

Method

Parboil the noodles in plenty of water with the ground turmeric, until 80 per cent cooked. They should be quite al dente. Drain the noodles in a colander, refresh under cold, running water, drain again and then transfer to a bowl. Add the oil, soy sauce and half of the spring onions (scallions). Toss well.
To make the scrambled ‘egg’, heat the oil in a wok. Add