Hakka Noodles (Gesundheit!)

My friends and I made a return visit to the annual Antiques and Uniques Show in Craftsbury, Vermont today. We got there shortly before noon, and lunch was the first order of business after the two-and-a-half-hour road trip. My companions very unwisely chose some boring fair food at the festival proper, while I explored some of the food tents at the little farmer's market across the street.

My initial choice was some very tasty homemade Tibetan dumplings with a spicy minted dipping sauce. Delish! They also had some delicious-looking curried vegetable noodles, but I was eager to get over to the festival to start browsing, so I decided to come back later to try those. BAD DECISION! By the time I returned about an hour and half later, they were sold out! Boo hiss.

When I got home to Plattsburgh after a fun-filled but hot and tiring day, I was still craving those noodles. So what's a gal to do but to make her own? I found some images online that looked like what I was hoping to prepare, and the recipes I consulted called the dish, Hakka Noodles. They are an Indo-Chinese street food that are also popular in neighboring Tibet. And they are quick, easy, healthful, filling, and inexpensive.

Hakka Vegetable Noodles

1 lb. spaghetti

1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large carrots, julienned
2 cups shredded Napa cabbage
4 large scallions, sliced
2 inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
1 tablespoon garlic, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon chili paste (or to taste)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Boil the pasta according to package instructions and drain.

In a large skillet or wok, heat the vegetable oil and cook the carrots, cabbage, scallions, ginger, and garlic, for just a couple of minutes at most. Add the drained noodles and toss everything together. Remove the noodles from the heat, then stir in the sesame oil, chili paste, soy sauce, curry powder, and black pepper. Toss everything together and serve.