Embark on a culinary journey to the heart of Malaysia with our authentic “Char Kuey Teow” recipe, where the elusive “wok hei” meets the magic of your own kitchen!
Char Kuey Teow, a beloved Malaysian classic, is a symphony of textures and flavours that dance harmoniously on your taste buds. Picture plump, succulent prawns and tender strips of flat rice noodles, stir-fried in a blazing-hot wok. It’s a dish that embodies the essence of Malaysia’s vibrant street food culture, and the best part is, you can recreate that smoky “wok hei” right in your home kitchen.
With our step-by-step guide, you’ll discover the secrets to achieving that smoky flavour “wok hei”, making you feel like a seasoned hawker stall chef. The interplay of fresh ingredients, the charred aroma from the wok, and the intoxicating fragrance of garlic and chillies will transport you to the bustling streets of Penang.
How to Make Char Kuey Teow
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
5 to 7 minutes
Servings
1
Preparation
Main Ingredients
130 g flat rice noodles
3 prawns, peeled and deveined
4 to 5 slices of Chinese sausages “Lap Cheong” (optional)
1 egg
2 tbsp cockles (or more), cleaned and poached
2 stalks of Chinese chives, chopped
A handful of bean sprouts
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tsp chilli paste
Banana leaf for plating (optional)
Seasonings
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp cooking caramel
½ tsp white pepper powder for sauce
½ tsp white pepper powder for cockles
1 tsp fish sauce
Steps
- Mix together light soy sauce, cooking caramel and white pepper. Set aside.
- Heat up a wok on medium-heat.
- Once the wok starts to smoke, add cooking oil.
- Add prawns. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until lightly charred.
- Add garlic. Stir-fry until lightly browned.
- Add chilli paste. Stir-fry until fragrant.
- Optionally, add Chinese sausages. Stir-fry until fragrant.
- Add rice noodles. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Turn to high-heat.
- Add sauce from around the wok. Stir-fry until all noodles are stained with sauce and dry-up.
- Turn to medium-heat.
- Push all ingredients aside. Add egg directly onto the wok. (Add oil if necessary). Lightly beat the yolk and let set for about 10 to 20 seconds. Stir-fry until the eggs are well distributed.
- Add chives and bean sprouts.
- Add cockle “juice” from around the wok. Stir-fry until bean sprouts are slightly softened.
- Add cockles. And add white pepper to the cockles. Cover the cockles with noodles to let the heat cooks the cockles.
- Finally, add the fish sauce from around the wok. Quickly stir-fry until all ingredients are well combined.
- Place a banana leaf on the plate and serve the noodles on top on the banana leaf. Enjoy!
