Char Kway Teow (Penang Stir-Fried Flat Rice Noodles)

This homemade Char Kway Teow is a restaurant-quality dish that is loaded with sweet and savory flavors. It's also one of the easiest Southeast Asian food recipes that you can make right at home. 

Here's another tasty Malaysian street food recipe that I want to share with you. This Char Kway Teow is one of the most famous noodle dishes in the world.

Jump to:

• What’s Char Kway Teow
• What Makes a Good Char Kway Teow
• What is Wok Hei
• How To Get Wok Hei at Home
• Penang Stir Fried Flat Rice Noodles Ingredients and Variations
• How to Cook Char Kway Teow
• Char Kway Teow

What’s Char Kway Teow

Char Kway Teow is a popular fried noodle dish from Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, and Malaysia.

It's a Malaysian Street Food favorite that consists of stir-fried flat rice noodles with prawn/shrimp, sausage, and bean sprouts. 

Char Kway Teow has a delicious smoky flavor due to it being cooked over a high flame. In Penang, Char kway teow is commonly served on a piece of banana leaf on a plate.

This slightly sweet and charred taste makes this Malaysian fried noodles dish unique and one of the best Malaysian dishes in addition to Laksa.

I never get tired of this dish either, it has such a nice balance of diverse elements.

What Makes a Good Char Kway Teow

You know that you make a good Char Kway Teow when you can taste that charred and smoky flavor. Without it, your Char Kway Teow is more of just a regular fried noodles dish. 

Street vendors or chefs use an extremely high flame when cooking Char Kway Teow. This cooking technique is also known as Wok Hei, meaning "Breath of the Wok". 

What is Wok Hei

Wok Hei refers to the complex charred aroma and taste imparted by a hot wok on food from stir-frying over extreme heat, while retaining a textural crunch. It's a tricky technique that can take years to perfect.

How To Get Wok Hei at Home

So what does it mean for home cooks? 

Wok Hei can be difficult to achieve without a commercial cooking range. Fortunately, it's possible for home cooks to achieve the delicious wok flavor from home with the right cooking technique. 

So here what you can do in order to achieve Wok Hei:

• Use a large wok or skillet. 
• Preheat the skillet so that it gradually reaches a very high temperature before adding oil. 
• Use the right amount of oil, not too much and not too little. 
• Make sure that all ingredients are dry. 
• Do not overcrowd the pan. Work in multiple batches if needed. 
• Do not over-stir the food. You need to sear the food for a few seconds then stir, then sear again then stir, until it starts to caramelize or start to get charred. 
• If you have a gas torch, feel free to use it as an alternative. 

Penang Stir Fried Flat Rice Noodles Ingredients and Variations

This Char Kway Teoy recipe is made of wide flat rice noodles, prawns/shrimps, Chinese sausage, Chinese chives, garlic, eggs, fish cakes or fish balls, bean sprouts, soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, and fish sauce.

Wide Rice Noodles: Use fresh instead of dried.

You can find fresh wide rice noodles at Chinese or Vietnamese or Thai markets, about $2.99 per 32-oz bag.

Chinese Chives: They have a strong "garlicky" flavor, a perfect ingredient for stir fry. You can find Chinese chives at Asian markets.

The best substitute for Chinese Chives: scallions or green onions.

Chinese Sausage: Also known as Lap Cheong. This dry-cured sweet and salty sausage is usually made from pork and pork fat. It's so addictive.

You can find Chinese sausage at most Asian markets ( around $4.99 per 12 oz bag) or Costco (around $9.89 for 2-pack 21 oz each). It's located in the Asian aisle, not in the refrigerator.

If you can't find Lap Cheong, you can skip it. If you have some leftover, make this Chinese Sausage fried rice recipe.

Fish Cakes: You can find frozen or fresh fish cakes or fish balls at any Asian grocer, around $3.99 per pound.

If you can't find fish balls, feel free to skip.

Sweet Soy Sauce: Also known as Kecap Manis, originating in Indonesia. It has a dark color with a syrup consistency and a molasses flavor. It's sweetened with palm sugar. It's a must-have ingredient for Nasi Goreng.

You can purchase Kecap Manis at any Asian grocer or Ralph's/Kroger for around $3.99 per big bottle.

The best substitute for Sweet Soy Sauce in this recipe is Oyster sauce.

How to Cook Char Kway Teow

Step 1. Prepare the Noodles

Do not boil or soak the noodles in hot water. The best way to reheat the noodles is to warm them up in the microwave then separate the noodles little by little using your hands before cooking.

Step 2. Prepare the Sauce

In a medium bowl, add soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sweet soy sauce (or Kecap Manis), and fish sauce. Stir to combine and set aside.

Step 3. Cook the Chinese Sausage

• Remove casing from Chinese sausage.
• Heat ½ tablespoon oil in a large wok or skillet at low heat. When it's hot, add the sausage and stir for about 2 minutes. Remove the sausage from the work and set it aside.

Step 4. Stir Fry the Remaining Ingredients

• In the same wok, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Heat over high heat until just smoking. Add prawns and cook for 50 seconds. Add garlic and stir for 10 seconds.
• Add bean sprouts, stir for 30 seconds.
• Add wide rice noodles. Toss and flip the mixture gently so you don't break the noodles apart for 25 seconds.
• Add sauce, toss the mixture for 1 minute.
• Add fish cakes then mix for 10 seconds.
• Push the mixture to the side. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and beaten eggs. Leave it undisturbed for about 10 seconds.
• Flip the noodles mixture to cover the eggs. Leave it undisturbed for 45 seconds.
• Carefully toss the noodles mixture for 10 seconds, then let it cook undisturbed for 15-20 seconds. Repeat this process until the noodles reach the desired charredness for about 2-4 minutes. Gently scrape up the burnt bits from the bottom of the pan to prevent burning.
• Add chives and Chinese sausage into the wok. Cook for 50 seconds.

FAQ and Cooking Tips:

Check Out More Asian Recipes

• Laksa Soup
• Soto Ayam
• Egg Drop Soup with Crab Meat
• Sweet and Sour Fish
• Homemade Crab Rangoon
• Instant Pot Fried Rice
• Chicken in Black Bean Sauce
• Chinese Eggplant with Minced Pork
• Spicy Sichuan Noodles
• Chinese Sausage Fried Rice
• Hunan Beef Cumin
• Shrimp and Green Peas Stir Fry
• Minced Pork Noodles Soup