MANCHOW SOUP

Ingredients

• 150–200 ginstant noodles
• 1.2 litres (5 cups)water
• ½ tspsalt
• 2 tbspcornflour
• 240 ml (1 cup)oil, for deep-frying
• 1 tbspoil
• 1 tbspsesame oil
• about 40 g (¼ cup)red onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbspgarlic, finely chopped or minced
• 1 tbspginger, minced
• 1 tspgreen chilli paste
• 1spring onion
• 2–3 stalksfresh coriander
• about 30 g (¼ cup)carrot, finely chopped
• about 35 g (¼ cup)bell pepper, any colour, finely chopped
• about 30 g (¼ cup)green beans, finely chopped
• about 20 g (¼ cup), optionalmushrooms, finely chopped
• about 35 g (½ cup)cabbage, shredded
• about 45 g (½ cup)cauliflower, finely chopped
• 2 tbspdark soy sauce
• 2 tbsptomato ketchup or sauce
• 1 tbspcornflour
• 1 tbspvinegar
• 1 tbspchilli sauce
• ¼ tspsalt
• ½ tspcoarsely ground black pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Boil the noodles

   Bring about 1.2 litres (5 cups) of water to the boil, add ½ tsp salt and cook the noodles according to the packet instructions. The recipe’s noodles took 3 minutes; aim for al dente rather than soft.

2. 2

   Cool and dry

   Drain the noodles in a colander set over a large bowl, then immediately rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking. Pat them completely dry with a kitchen towel, spread them on a tray or large plate and leave for 10–15 minutes.

3. 3

   Coat the noodles

   Sprinkle over 2 tbsp cornflour and gently toss to coat. Leave the noodles to rest for a further 5–10 minutes.

4. 4

   Prepare the vegetables

   Finely chop the onion, carrot, cauliflower, bell pepper, green beans and mushrooms, and grate or shred the cabbage. Chop the spring onion, keeping its white and green parts separate; finely chop the coriander stalks and roughly chop the leaves.

5. 5

   Mix the sauces

   Stir 1 tbsp cornflour together with 2–3 tbsp water and set aside. Separately mix the soy sauce, ketchup, chilli sauce and vinegar.

6. 6

   Fry the noodles

   Heat about 240 ml (1 cup) oil in a wok or deep saucepan. Test it with a small piece of noodle: if it rises straight away, add the noodles and fry until light golden, turning them occasionally for even colour. Fry in two batches if needed, using a deep vessel because the oil will foam as the cornflour cooks; drain the fried noodles on kitchen towel.

7. 7

   Cook the aromatics

   Heat the 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp sesame oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and the white part of the spring onion, and stir-fry until a little softened. Add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the coriander stalks, ginger and green chilli paste or slices and stir-fry for 30 seconds.

8. 8

   Simmer the soup

   Add the remaining chopped vegetables and stir-fry over high heat for 2 minutes. Pour in the sauce mixture and 950 ml (4 cups) of the noodle-cooking water, then bring to the boil. Stir in the cornflour slurry, mix well and simmer over low heat for 1–2 minutes; avoid prolonged boiling so the vegetables stay crunchy.

9. 9

   Serve the soup

   Ladle the soup into 4 bowls and top with the fried noodles. Garnish with coriander leaves and the green part of the spring onion, and serve immediately.

What is Manchow soup?

Manchow soup is a popular Indo-Chinese dish: a lively meeting of Chinese-style stir-frying and seasonings adapted to Indian tastes. It is usually served with crisp fried noodles scattered over a dark, savoury broth.

Here, the vegetables are briefly cooked so they retain some bite, while soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar and chilli create a balance of savoury, sweet, tangy and spicy flavours.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 390 calories, 8g protein, 53g carbs, 16g fat.

The noodles and vegetables provide most of the carbohydrates, while the frying oil and sesame oil contribute much of the fat. The vegetables add a little protein, but this soup is not especially protein-rich; serve it with tofu or another protein-rich dish to make the meal more balanced.

The noodle topping

Al dente noodles are easier to handle than soft ones and hold up better when fried. Rinsing them in cold water stops them cooking further, and drying them thoroughly helps the cornflour coat the strands.

Cornflour helps the noodles fry to a crisp finish, but it can make the oil foam. Use a deep pan and fry in batches if the noodles would otherwise crowd it.

Keep the vegetables ready

Even, small pieces cook quickly and are easier to eat with a spoon. Prepare and chop everything before heating the pan, since the stir-frying stages move along quickly.

Separate the spring onion whites from the greens: the whites go into the pan with the onion, while the greens are saved for a fresh garnish.

Build the flavour

The onion, garlic, ginger, chilli and coriander stalks are cooked first to flavour the oil. The soy, ketchup, vinegar and chilli sauce are mixed together before they go into the pan, making the final seasoning easy to add at once.

Dark soy sauce gives the broth its deep colour and a pronounced savoury note. The ketchup and vinegar round that out with sweetness and tang.

Thicken without overcooking

Stir the cornflour into cold water before adding it; this slurry helps prevent lumps. Pour it into the simmering soup while stirring, then give it just 1–2 minutes to thicken.

The vegetables need only a short high-heat stir-fry before the liquid is added. Keep the final simmer brief so they remain crunchy rather than turning soft.

Serve it straight away

Add the fried noodles only after ladling the soup into bowls. This keeps them crisp for longer; once they sit in the broth, they will soften.

Serve as a substantial starter or alongside steamed rice or another Indo-Chinese dish. Keep extra fried noodles and spring onion greens at the table for anyone who wants more topping.

Recipe notes & tips

• Dry the boiled noodles thoroughly before coating them with cornflour.
• Use a deep, stable pan for frying because the cornflour can make the oil foam.
• Fry the noodles in batches if needed to prevent the pan from becoming crowded.
• Keep the vegetables finely and evenly chopped so they cook at a similar pace.
• Mix the cornflour slurry again just before adding it, as the starch can settle.
• Top each bowl just before serving to keep the noodles crisp.

Variations

• Make it milder: Reduce the green chilli paste and chilli sauce to suit your taste.
• Add tofu: Stir in cubes of cooked tofu for a more substantial bowl.
• Use other vegetables: Swap in finely chopped vegetables such as celery or sweetcorn.
• Adjust the tang: Add a little less vinegar for a softer, less sharp flavour.
• Skip the fried topping: Serve with plain cooked noodles instead of deep-frying them.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Soft noodles: Cook them only until al dente, then rinse immediately in cold water.
• Damp noodles: Pat them dry fully before adding the cornflour so they fry more evenly.
• Crowded frying pan: Fry in batches in a deep vessel to allow room for the noodles and foaming oil.
• Lumpy thickener: Mix the cornflour with water before adding it, and stir as it goes into the soup.
• Overcooked vegetables: Keep the final simmer to 1–2 minutes so the vegetables retain some crunch.
• Soggy topping: Add the fried noodles to each bowl just before serving.

How to store

Store leftover soup and fried noodles separately in covered containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the soup in a saucepan until steaming, then add the noodles at the table; the fried topping may lose its crispness in storage.

Frequently asked questions