Char Kway Teow is a dish of stir fried rice noodles that is a favorite in Singapore, Malaysia, and other Southeast Asian countries.
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I find it interesting how your parents can have such an influence on what you like to eat. Although I’ve never been to Southeast Asia, I am so lucky to vicariously get a taste of what it must be like to eat there through my Mom’s cooking.
Ask my Dad what his favourite noodle dish is and he’ll answer with “char kway teow.”
I remember going out for lunch with some friends as a young teenager (without my parents)! I studied the menu and saw that they offered “char kway teow.” I eagerly ordered it.
What came to my table?
Rice noodles, prawns, bits of char siu, onions, bean sprouts, and was bright yellow in colour (due to the addition of curry powder). It didn’t quite taste or appear like the ones my Mom had made at home.
At the time, I didn’t realize that different restaurants have different “ideas” of what certain dishes are. Not that they’re necessarily “wrong,” but in terms of authenticity, here’s my take on char kway teow.
WHAT IS CHAR KWAY TEOW?
Char kway teow is a Southeast Asian noodle dish of Chinese origin that is composed of stir-fried wide rice noodles, light and dark soy sauce, belachan (shrimp paste), prawns, chili, Chinese sausage (lap cheong), bean sprouts, and chives.
This dish was invented as a low-cost dish to serve to Chinese workers, and then it gained popularity in Singapore, Malaysia, and other Southeast Asian countries.
In the Chinese Hokkien dialect, “char” means “stir-fried” and “kway teow” literally translates to “rice cake strips”. In parts of Malaysia, actual strips of rice cake are cut to make this dish.
However, for the sake of convenience, wide, flat rice noodles (also known as “hor fun” in Cantonese) are more readily available and much easier to use in making char kway teow. You can find flat rice noodles at your local grocery store or Asian supermarket.
INGREDIENTS IN CHAR KWAY TEOW
Belachan is a shrimp paste that is fermented with salt and shrimp and has a strong, pungent flavour and smell, somewhat akin to anchovy paste. It is made with small shrimp that are steamed first, made into a paste and then dried into blocks.
It can be difficult to find outside of Southeast Asia, so if you can’t find it in your local Asian supermarket, you can omit it.
Lap cheong is a dried Chinese sausage that is usually made with pork, fat, and seasoned with rose water, sugar, rice wine, and soy sauce. It is a staple in Chinese cuisine, used as a filling in steamed buns, diced up in fried rice, or simply steamed with white rice.
Lap cheong is easily found at Asian grocery stores in the refrigerated section.
MAKING STIR FRIED RICE NOODLES
Traditionally, Char kway teow is stir-fried with a copious amount of pork lard, but in the interest of healthier cooking, my recipe will be much leaner.
Char kway teow also exhibits a smoky “wok hei” aroma that is difficult to achieve at home. But, using a wok heated at a high temperature and working quickly will get you similar results.
If you don’t have a wok, a large pan will suffice. Just make it in smaller batches.
Here are some tips to making char kway teow:
- soak your noodles beforehand
- cut all your ingredients and set them aside
- heat up your wok to its highest setting
- work fast, and in small batches
The process goes by very quickly since we’re dealing with high temperatures, which if not careful, can burn your noodles. However, a little charring is perfect.
Char kway teow can be a healthy, balanced and delicious dish filled with a variety of tasty ingredients. Try it today and see why it’s considered a national favourite dish in Singapore and in Malaysia.
Char Kway Teow (Malaysian Stir Fried Rice Noodles)
Ingredients
For the Stir Fry
- 1 (1 lb) package wide flat rice noodles (fresh or dry)
- 4 Tbsp peanut oil, divided (or any high smoke-point oil)
- 1 tsp belachan (shrimp paste) (omit if unavailable)
- 3 pieces lap cheong (Chinese sausage), sliced thinly on the diagonal*
- 8 pieces fish tofu, sliced**
- 10 large prawns or shrimp
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1 (1 lb) package bean sprouts, washed
- 1 bunch green chives, cut into 2" pieces
For the Sauce
- 3 Tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
Instructions
- If not using fresh rice noodles, soak the dried rice noodles in a pot of warm water for about 20-30 minutes. Then drain. Set aside.
- Prepare all of your stir fry ingredients before starting.
- Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a very hot wok, add 1 Tbsp of oil.
- Remember to work in portions. Add in half the belachan (if using) and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add in half of the lap cheong and stir for another minute before adding in half of the fish tofu and half of the prawns/shrimp.
- Add a large handful of rice noodles and toss everything together.
- Push the noodles aside and add 1 Tbsp of oil. Pour in half of the beaten egg and let it set for about 30 seconds before scrambling it, incorporating the noodles with the egg.
- Pour in half of the sauce mixture and stir quickly.
- Finally, add in 2 large handfuls of bean sprouts and half of the chives. Toss to incorporate. Remove the prepared dish from the wok and repeat the steps with the remaining ingredients.
- Serve hot, with chili sauce, if you wish.
Notes
If you liked this recipe, here are some similar dishes you may enjoy!
Michelle enjoys learning and discovering different foods from around the world and recreating them in her own kitchen. She is an avid matcha lover and believes that the best food is made from scratch. Michelle develops and photographs recipes at her blog SiftAndSimmer.com.