The story of Indian Chinese food begins in 18th century Calcutta (now Kolkata), which the British East India Company established as the capital of colonial India. Located in the midst of a thriving trade route through which items like tea and silk were transported from China to Britain, Calcutta soon began to draw communities of skilled and unskilled Chinese workers. In 1924, Calcutta’s first Chinese restaurant, Nanking, opened up, serving Cantonese food that reportedly went on to draw the likes of yesteryear Bollywood stars Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar, besides a host of other Indians and Europeans living in the city. Several other Chinese-owned restaurants would open up over the following years, not just in Calcutta but in Bombay, too, where there was another sizeable community of immigrants. But it was in Calcutta where the cuisine would begin to evolve, catering more to Indian tastes.

I think of street food as the antidote to fast food; it’s the clear alternative to the king, the clown and the colonel.

―Anthony Bourdain

Course: Main course

Cuisine: Indo- Chinese

Servings: 3

Calories: 517 Kcal

Ingredients

• 400 grams noodles
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 green chili sliced
• 1 stalk celery chopped
• 1 medium red onion 100 grams, sliced
• 1 large carrot 100 grams, sliced
• 1 large red pepper 200 grams, sliced, can use mix of green and red
• 3 stalks green onion chopped + more to garnish
• 2.5 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or white vinegar
• 1 teapoon hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
• pinch white pepper powder
• 1 teaspoon chili oil (optional)

Instructions

• Chop all the veggies before you start making the noodles.
• Boil the noodles according to instructions on the package.
• Drain the noodles and wash under cold running water, this stops the cooking process.
•  Add 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the noodles and toss so that the noodles get lightly coated with the oil and don’t stick to each other. Set it aside.
• In a wok heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon sesame oil on medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot add the minced garlic and ginger, sliced green chili and chopped celery.
• Saute for few seconds until the ginger garlic starts to change color.
• Add sliced onions and saute for a minute or two until the sides of the onion starts turning light golden brown.
• Add in the sliced carrots, bell pepper, green onion and cook for 1 minute on high heat. The veggies should remain crunchy.
• Push veggies to the side, lower the heat and add soy sauce, rice vinegar, hot sauce (like sriracha) and sugar (if using).
• Toss the veggies to combine well with the sauce. Add in the black pepper, salt and white pepper.
• Stir in the boiled noodles. 
• Using a pair of tongs, mix it well so that the noodles are well coated with the sauce. As a final touch, stir in a teaspoon of chili oil. This is totally optional.
•  Toss the noodles well and garnish with more spring onion greens.
• Serve it as it is or with some Manchurian gravy. Enjoy!