Main Dishes

Char Kway Teow (Malaysian Stir-Fried Noodles)

Char kway teow—smoky, savory flat rice noodles stir-fried with seafood—is an iconic Malaysian dish. Here's how to recreate it at home.

Char Kway Teow (Malaysian Stir-Fried Noodles)
Servings 4
Difficulty Medium

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1

    In a small bowl, whisk light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, salt, sugar, and white pepper to combine, stirring well until salt and sugar are dissolved. Set aside.

  2. 2

    Set a wok over high heat. When wok begins to smoke, add 1 tablespoon of lard, along with 1/4 of the Chinese sausage, a 1/4 of the fish cakes, 1/4 of the shrimp, a 1/4 of the minced garlic, and 1/4 of the preserved radish, if using. Cook, stirring regularly with a metal wok spatula, to stir-fry ingredients, about 10 seconds. Let the ingredients rest until slightly charred, 5 to 10 seconds. Stir-fry to mix, another 10 seconds, then let the ingredients sit for another 5 seconds. (This stir-fry and resting cycle will continue throughout most of the cooking process.)

  3. 3

    Add 1/4 of the rice noodles and 1/4 of the bean sprouts, along with 2 tablespoons of the sauce mixture and 1 teaspoon sambal belacan. Cook, stir-frying and tossing ingredients, 10 seconds, then let rest until slightly charred, 5 seconds. Repeat stir-frying and resting 1 to 2 more times, until noodles and ingredients are evenly coated in the sauce and sambal belacan.

  4. 4

    Move cooked noodles to one side of the wok. On the empty side, add 1 teaspoon neutral oil and heat until it just shimmers. Crack 1 egg into the oil and, using the tip of the spatula, scramble the egg until cooked, about 10 seconds. Let egg rest for about 5 seconds, then fold eggs into cooked noodles, along with 1/4 of the Chinese chives and 1/4 of the crispy pork cracklings. Cook, stirring constantly, for 10 seconds, then let rest 5 seconds. Repeat stir-frying and resting until noodles are nicely browned and charred but not burned, 4 to 5 more times. (If using a blowtorch for additional wok hei, hold flame 2 to 3 inches above skillet while stirring constantly, until oil combusts and imparts a smoky aroma, about 30 seconds.)

  5. 5

    Transfer to a plate. Repeat steps 2 to 4 with remaining ingredients.

  6. 6

    Fresh rice noodles are preferable for their soft chew, which is a key highlight of char kway teow. Rehydrated dried rice noodles are acceptable in a pinch, but will be firmer when rehydrated. If using dried rice noodles, cook according to package directions before proceeding with the recipe; drain and set aside.

  7. 7

    A combination of neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable, and 1 teaspoon lard can be used in place of of lard.

  8. 8

    You can still make a decent char kway teow without lap cheong. Simply increase the quantities of the fish cakes and shrimp.

  9. 9

    To facilitate cooking, you can (and should!) pre-portion your ingredients and arrange your mise en place. Group together lap cheong, fishcakes, shrimp, minced garlic, and preserved radish and divide into 4 equal portions. Group fresh/cooked rice noodles and mung bean sprouts together and divide into 4 equal portions. Group Chinese chives and crispy pork together and divide into 4 equal portions.

Chef's Tips

  • Duck eggs have a richer, fattier flavor than chicken eggs, and are what most local hawkers use in Malaysia.