Char Kway Teow Recipe

One of the vital epic noodle dishes on this planet from the streets of Malaysia: Char Kway Teow! Massive flavours, contrasting textures and the signature trace of charred smokiness, that is daring South East Asian meals at its greatest!

Char Kway Teow

Char Kway Teow might be the first recipe ever that I’m going to explain as deceptively tough.

What could appear to be fairly an easy stir fried noodle dish is definitely a little bit of an artwork that’s been perfected by Malaysian avenue hawkers, and it’s taken me this lengthy to share the recipe as a result of I needed to make sure I may make it doable for anybody.

So at the moment, I’m sharing the recipe two methods:

• Base Recipe (skilled cooks): the place every little thing is cooked on the identical time in a wok or skillet, Hawker fashion; and

• Simpler Technique: the place components are cooked individually then introduced collectively on the finish.

Use the Simpler Technique in the event you don’t have a powerful range, heavy primarily based forged iron wok or very massive heavy primarily based skillet, in case you are a beginner to the wok-cooking-world or in the event you merely choose a extra leisurely expertise making this. As a result of this recipe strikes quick when you hit the range!

CKT thorns in my facet!

In terms of Char Kway Teow, I’ve two thorns in my facet:

1. Noodle breakage – these broad, tender, slippery rice noodles are important to a real Char Kway Teow expertise. However they’re notoriously delicate and susceptible to breaking when getting ready and even worse, when cooking. I’ve lined this within the part under; and

2. The trace of charring – that aroma of smokiness from the wok – wok hei in Chinese language, which means “breath of the wok” –  is a part of the true Char Kway Teow expertise. Sadly for us house cooks, our burners are merely no comparability to the fierce warmth of Asian restaurant kitchens. So the charring is restricted to a little bit of caramelisation on the sides of the noodles, and on the Chinese language sausage and fish desserts. That is one thing we should simply settle for. We will get near the true deal – however not all the way in which. 😔 (And common readers comprehend it takes loads for me to concede defeat)

HOW TO PREPARE FRESH RICE NOODLES

Recent, broad rice noodles are notoriously tough to work with, susceptible to breaking when dealt with – even earlier than they make it into the wok.

So it’s not a query of if the noodles will break – it’s how a lot they are going to breaokay. Even Char Kway Teow at eating places have damaged noodles. So don’t count on to see an extended noodle pull shot with Char Kway Teow – that photograph above is one of the best I’ve ever been capable of seize!

Listed here are my tricks to minimise noodle breakage:

• Recent is greatest – Recent noodles break lower than dried. Actually contemporary noodles which have simply been made and never even refrigerated break the least. I exploit refrigerated, packaged contemporary rice noodles (I get mine from Harris Farm Markets and Asian shops);

• Heat the noodles earlier than portioning out the quantity you want and separating the noodles that are caught collectively. My chosen methodology: microwave. Various: run beneath heat faucet water.

• DO NOT boil or soak in boiling water or try to interrupt aside fridge chilly noodles. This = noodles breaking right into a gazillion tiny items.

• Minimise dealing with in wok. I do know this goes in opposition to the very ethos of wok cooking, however the extra they’re dealt with, the extra they break.

Fast meals nerd trivia second:
* Gluten holds noodles/pasta collectively, and rice noodles don’t have any gluten. Therefore the breakage.
* Thinner noodles, like these utilized in Singapore Noodles and this Stir Fried Rice Noodles maintain up significantly better to wild tossing within the wok.

CHAR KWAY TEOW INGREDIENTS

There are a handful of signature components in Char Kway Teow that may require a visit to the Asian retailer, and presumably exhibiting the store assistant the images above to find the gadgets. It’s price it, I promise! However really, in the event you use my substitution options, you may make this with out a journey to an Asian retailer. 🙂

• Chinese language Sausage (Lup Chong) – Australia! That is offered at Coles and Woolies, are you able to imagine that?? That is China’s reply to chorizo and bacon. It’s salty and candy, a really distinct flavour that’s not like the rest and it’s addictive. It’s offered within the Asian aisle (not fridge). You’ll solely want 1 for this recipe so use the rest instead of the Chinese language BBQ Pork in Singapore Noodles, or for Fried Rice – it completely takes it to a different stage and places the common-or-garden bacon to disgrace!!

• Fried Fish Muffins / Items – It’s bouncy and it type of tastes like seafood sticks, and it’s a part of the Char Kway Teow expertise. It’s offered within the fridge part of Asian shops. It may be substituted with different Asian Fish Balls which can be sliceable (like this one from Coles or this one from Harris Farms). Toss leftovers into Chinese language Noodle Soup and even Chinese language Corn Soup!

• Garlic Chives – they seem like grass blades and style like garlicky chives. If you happen to can’t discover them, it’s not the tip of the world – simply use regular chives or finely slice inexperienced onions on the diagonal. And even go away it out.

• The conventional stuff – prawns/shrimp, egg, bean sprouts and garlic. Good and simple to seek out!

CHAR KWAY TEOW SAUCE

The sauce is fairly straight ahead – darkish and lightweight soy sauce, Oyster Sauce and Kecap Manis, also referred to as candy soy sauce. It has a consistency like maple syrup – see photograph under.

You want each darkish and lightweight soy sauce as a result of they play totally different roles on this recipe – the darkish stains the noodles and provides flavour in addition to saltiness to the sauce, whereas the sunshine soy doesn’t stain the noodles, has much less flavour however gives extra saltiness.

RECIPE SOURCES 

This recipe is one other RecipeTin Household effort. To craft our excellent home-style Char Kway Teow recipe, we firstly hit up some favorite Sydney Malaysian eating places for “analysis”. Ho Jiak’s signature Char Kway Teow is one in every of our favourites, and was particularly an inspiration.

Traditional Char Kway Teow normally consists of blood cockles which we are able to’t simply discover and personally discover them much less important than the opposite components so have left them out for our model.

We’ve eaten an inordinate quantity of Char Kway Teow in current weeks, creating this recipe. We all know homestyle can’t be an ideal reproduction of avenue meals, however we’re darn proud of the outcomes – and hope you adore it too! – Johnsat x

PS Ticking one other off the Request a Recipe checklist!! And added to the DONE checklist (backside of that put up).

WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

Char Kway Teow Recipe

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Serves: 2 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 5 minutes 5 minutes

Nutrition facts: 522 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 500 g / 1 lb fresh wide rice noodle (Note 1)
• 2 tbsp lard , or vegetable oil (Note 2)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil , separated
• 10 small prawns/shrimp , shelled and deveined
• 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
• 1 Chinese sausage / Lup Chong Sausage , sliced thinly on the diagonal (Note 3)
• 5 cm / 2″ piece of fried fish cake , sliced thinly (Note 4)
• 20 stems garlic chives , cut into 4 pieces (Note 5)
• 2 1/2 cups bean sprouts
• 2 eggs , whisked
• 5 tsp dark soy sauce (Note 6)
• 4 tsp light soy (Note 6)
• 2 tsp oyster sauce (Note 6)
• 4 tsp kecap manis / sweet soy sauce (Note 6)

Instructions

1. Mix Sauce together.
2. Do not attempt to pull noodles apart while cold and hard – they break. 
3. Place whole packet in microwave, heat on high for 1 1/2 minutes – 2 minutes until warm and pliable, not hot, turning packet over as needed.
4. Handle carefully and measure out 500g/1 lb noodles into a heatproof bowl. Separate noodles stuck together.
5. If noodles become cold and brittle before cooking, cover with cling wrap and microwave for 30 seconds to make warm (not hot, just warm) to reduce breakage.
6. Cook using Base Recipe (capable cooks) or Easier Method.
7. Heat lard and 1 tbsp oil in a wok or very large heavy based skillet over high heat. Swirl around the wok.
8. When it starts smoking, add prawns. Cook for 30 seconds.
9. Add garlic, stir for 10 seconds.
10. Add noodles, then using both hands on the handle, toss 4 times until coated with oil (or gently fold using a spatula + wooden spoon, see video).
11. Add Chinese sausage and fish cake, toss or gently fold 4 times.
12. Add bean sprouts and garlic chives, toss or gently fold 6 times.
13. Push everything to one side, add remaining 1 tbsp oil. Add egg and cook, moving it around until mostly set – about 1 minute. Use wooden spoon to chop it up roughly.
14. Pour Sauce over noodles, then toss to disperse Sauce through the noodles. Pause between tosses to give the noodles a chance to caramelise on the edges.
15. Serve immediately!
16. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large non stick skillet over high heat.
17. When heated, add shrimp and cook for 1 1/2 minutes until just cooked through, then remove into bowl
18. Add Chinese sausage and fish cake, and cook for 1 minute until sausage is caramelised, then add to bowl.
19. Add 1 tbsp oil then add egg and cook, pushing in the edges to make a thick omelette. Once set, chop it up roughly using a wooden spoon (see video), then add to bowl.
20. Add bean sprouts and cook for about 1 minute until just starting to wilt, then add to bowl.
21. Add lard. Once melted and starting to smoke, add garlic then immediately add noodles. Fold gently 4 times using a spatula + wooden spoon (see video) just to disperse oil through noodles.
22. Tip all the other ingredients back in plus the chives. Fold gently twice, then pour all the Sauce over.
23. Gently toss 4 to 6 times to disperse the sauce, pausing in between to allow the noodles to have a chance to caramelise on the edges a bit.
24. Remove from stove and serve immediately.

Notes

* Do not scale this recipe up. To scale up, cook more batches. However, it can be scaled down.** See Note 7 for suggestions for alternative add ins.
1. Noodles: Char Kway Teow (“CKT”) is made with wide, flat fresh noodles, available in the refrigerated section of Asian grocery stores and some supermarkets in the fridge section (Harris Farms in Australia). They are about 1.5 – 2 cm / 3/5 – 4/5″ wide, sold in plastic packets. They require precise handling to prepare and cook, otherwise you’ll end up with a bowl full of noodles broken into a gazillion pieces, so please follow the recipe directions.
Other methods to warm and loosen noodles: leave noodles out of fridge overnight then place in colander under running warm tap water and gently loosen with fingers. Or submerge leak proof packet in warm water until warm and pliable.
DO NOT soak in boiling water or cook in boiling water (they fall apart). Do not attempt to separate or cook cold noodles If you try this recipe with dried wide rice noodles, expect high noodle breakage.
If you only have access to dried rice noodles, I recommend using ones maximum 0.5cm / 1/5″ thick (dried) as these hold up to wok tossing better. See further info in post about rice noodle breakage. Use 200g / 7 oz dried noodles.
2. Lard is pork fat and it adds flavour to this dish because fat = flavour! It’s sold alongside butter at supermarkets in Australia (Coles, Woolies. IGA), otherwise, just use more oil.
3. Chinese Sausage – Found in the Asian aisle at large supermarkets (Coles, Woolies) or Asian stores. It’s not refrigerated, it’s vac packed, about 13cm / 5″ long, 1.5cm / 1/2″ wide. Tastes like chorizo but it’s sweet, not spicy, and has an Asian-y flavour. It’s an essential part of the CKT experience. Use leftover in fried rice, it’s amazing, or in place of Char Siu in Singapore Noodles. It caramelises quickly because of the sugar so be mindful of that. If packet says to boil 15 minutes – ignore this. When sliced and pan fried, it takes 60 seconds to be caramelised, snackable perfection.
4. Fried Fish Cake – Found in the fridge at Asian stores. Use leftovers in Chinese Soup or Chinese Corn Soup. Can be substituted with sliced Asian fish balls sold at supermarkets.
5. Garlic Chives – Looks like blade of grass, tastes like garlicky chives. Not essential – sub with normal chives or finely sliced green onions on the diagonal, or even leave out.
6. The Sauces (see photo in post, can get all at supermarkets in Australia): * Soy Sauces – you need the dark soy sauce here for flavour, can’t be substituted. The light soy sauce can be substituted with all purpose soy sauce but do not use more dark soy sauce (it will overwhelm the dish). * Kecap Manis is also known as sweet soy sauce. The consistency is more like maple syrup rather than water.
7. Add in alternatives: Chopped chicken thighs instead of shrimp/prawns, sliced firm tofu instead of fish cakes (use leftover for Pad Thai!), and Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) or bacon for Chinese Sausage (maple cured would be closest). It won’t be traditional CKT – but it will still be super tasty!
8. Recipe Sources: See in post for how this recipe was developed!
9. Serves 2 very generously, or 3 sensible servings. Nutrition assumes 3 servings. I’ve had to use some estimations here because nutrition information on some ingredients are not readily available in the software I use to calculate nutrition. Reduce sodium by using low sodium soy sauce, and less Chinese sausage (slice it super thinly, or chop into small batons to make go further).

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Sarah Miller

Hi, I’m Sarah Millar!
I’m a food blogger who loves creating quick and easy recipes that bring big flavor without the fuss. Cooking doesn’t have to be complicated — and I’m here to share simple, fast food ideas that anyone can make at home. When I’m not in the kitchen, you’ll usually find me tasting new dishes, exploring cafés, or coming up with fresh food hacks to make everyday meals more fun.

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