Char Kway Teow

About This Recipe

Char Kway Teow — literally 'stir-fried rice cake strips' — is one of Singapore's most beloved hawker dishes and a masterclass in the wok technique known as 'wok hei': the elusive, slightly smoky breath of a blazing hot wok. Originally a dish of Singapore's Hokkien and Teochew labourers in the early 20th century, it was inexpensive, calorie-dense, and quick to prepare. The key ingredients are flat rice noodles, prawns, Chinese lap cheong sausage, fish cake, cockles, egg, and bean sprouts, all tossed in a mixture of dark and light soy. True wok hei can only be achieved over very high heat, which is why hawker stall versions surpass most home versions — but with the right technique, an excellent result is possible at home.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 400 gfresh flat rice noodles (kway teow)
• 150 graw prawns, peeled
• 2 linksChinese sausage (lap cheong), sliced
• 100 gfish cake, sliced
• 2eggs
• 1 cupbean sprouts
• 2 stalksChinese chives or spring onions, cut into 3 cm lengths
• 3 clovesgarlic, minced
• 2 tbspdark soy sauce
• 1 tbsplight soy sauce
• 1 tspoyster sauce
• 1 tspfish sauce
• 2 tbsplard or vegetable oil
• 1 tspchilli paste (sambal)

Instructions

1. 1

   Separate noodles

   Gently separate the noodles with your hands. Mix dark soy, light soy, oyster sauce, and fish sauce in a small bowl to make the sauce.

2. 2

   High-heat fry

   Heat wok over the highest possible flame until smoking. Add lard. Fry lap cheong for 30 seconds. Add garlic; toss 10 seconds. Add prawns and fish cake; stir fry 1 minute.

3. 3

   Add noodles and sauce

   Add noodles and toss vigorously for 1–2 minutes, spreading against the wok to char. Pour sauce over noodles and toss to coat.

4. 4

   Egg, sprouts, and serve

   Push noodles to one side; crack eggs into the wok and scramble lightly, then fold into noodles before fully set. Add bean sprouts, chives, and chilli paste; toss once and serve immediately.

Variations

• •

  Penang char kway teow: uses cockles and more chilli; darker and more robustly flavoured.

• •

  Vegetarian: replace meat with extra tofu and vegetables.

• •

  Add blood cockles (hum) for the full traditional experience.

Storage

Best eaten immediately. Leftovers keep for 1 day refrigerated; reheat in a screaming hot wok without extra liquid.

Frequently Asked Questions