Char Kway Teow

About This Recipe

Char Kway Teow (炒粿條, 'stir-fried flat noodles') is one of Malaysia's — and Singapore's — most beloved street foods, and one of the finest examples of the Chinese wok cooking tradition in Southeast Asia. Wide, flat rice noodles (kway teow) are stir-fried over extreme heat in pork lard with dark sweet soy sauce, fresh prawns, blood cockles (hum), Chinese lap cheong sausage, egg and bean sprouts until each noodle is coated in a dark, smoky, deeply caramelised layer of flavour known as wok hei. The best Char Kway Teow in Penang — considered the gold standard — is still cooked by individual hawker stalls using charcoal fires and seasoned cast-iron woks that have been building their flavour for decades. It is considered a once-in-a-while indulgence due to its richness, but few dishes in the world are more satisfying.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 300 gfresh flat rice noodles (kway teow)(or wide dried rice noodles, soaked)
• 150 glarge prawns(peeled and deveined)
• 100 gblood cockles (hum)(or clams, rinsed; optional)
• 2Chinese lap cheong sausages(thinly sliced diagonally)
• 2eggs
• 100 gbean sprouts
• 3spring onions(cut into 4cm pieces)
• 3 tablespoonsdark sweet soy sauce (kicap manis or see ew dam)
• 1 tablespoonlight soy sauce
• 1 tablespoonoyster sauce
• 1 tablespoonfish sauce
• 2 tablespoonslard or vegetable oil
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tablespoonsambal belacan or chilli paste(optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the sauce and noodles

   Mix the dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce and fish sauce together. Separate fresh noodles gently into individual strands. If using dried noodles, soak until pliable but still slightly firm.

   Cook Char Kway Teow in small single portions — two servings maximum at a time. Attempting more drops the wok temperature and the noodles steam rather than char.

2. 2

   Fry the sausage and aromatics

   Heat the lard or oil in a wok over the highest possible heat until smoking. Add the lap cheong and stir-fry for 1 minute until the fat renders and the edges begin to crisp. Add the garlic and sambal (if using) and toss for 20 seconds.

3. 3

   Fry the noodles

   Add the noodles to the wok. Pour the sauce mixture over and toss, pressing the noodles against the hot wok surface. Allow to sit undisturbed for 30 seconds — you want some charring on the noodles. Toss and press again.

4. 4

   Add prawns and cockles

   Push the noodles to one side. Add the prawns and cockles to the empty space and cook for 1 minute, tossing, until the prawns are just turning pink.

5. 5

   Add eggs and finish

   Push everything to one side. Crack the eggs into the empty space, break the yolks and scramble briefly before mixing through the noodles. Add the bean sprouts and spring onions and toss for 30 seconds — the sprouts should retain some crunch. Serve immediately.

Variations

• •

  Penang Char Kway Teow uses duck egg rather than chicken egg for extra richness.

• •

  A vegetarian version omits the prawns, cockles and sausage and adds extra mushrooms and firm tofu.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Best eaten immediately. Leftover Char Kway Teow can be re-fried briefly in a very hot wok but will never match the freshly-cooked version.

Frequently Asked Questions