Char kway teow is a popular stir-fried noodle dish with Chinese roots that is enjoyed all across Malaysia, particularly in places like Penang. While its precise origin is not definitively established, it has become an integral part of Malaysian cuisine. The dish is widely loved in other Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore and Indonesia, each adding their own unique regional twists. The adaptability of char kway teow makes it a versatile choice for home cooks. With a few key ingredients and a hot wok, one can easily recreate the authentic flavors of this delightful dish in the sanctuary of their own kitchen. 

In the bustling streets of Malaysia, char kway teow is commonly served as a street food, expertly stir-fried by hawkers over high heat, infusing it with the distinctive smoky “wok hei” flavor. It is often served on banana leaves, which imparts a delightful fragrance into the noodles, also enhancing the overall dining experience.

In this version of the noodles, we would be using chicken and eggs as the protein and whip a wonder!

PREP TIME

10 minutes

COOK TIME

10 minutes

SERVES

2

CUISINE

Malaysian

Recipe Essentials

• 2 portions(400g) of Wide Rice Noodles, fresh or dried
• 150g boneless chicken, thinly sliced 
• 2 Eggs,whisked
• Half teaspoon table salt
• 1 tbsp Dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Light soy sauce
• 1 tsp Fish sauce, can be adjusted according to taste
• 2 tsp Oyster Sauce
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1/4 tsp Black peppercorns, freshly ground
• 3 tbsp oil, use any neutral oil
• 3 Garlic cloves, crushed with bird’s eye chili as per taste
• 2 Cups Bean Sprouts
• Large Bunch of garlic chives , cut into 1.5 inch sticks

Directions

• Make the sauce mix by whisking together dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, pepper powder and sugar. 
• Prepare the noodles. If using fresh, steam or microwave the noodles to separate. If using dried, cook according to package instructions.
• To a hot woke add some oil followed by garlic and chicken. Toss it around till cooked,remove from wok and set aside.
• Add some more oil to the wok and add in the eggs. Make it into broken chunks of omelette and set aside.
• Add the remaining oil to the wok and add the noodles and stir fry sauce mix. Cook for a few seconds before adding the bean sprouts and garlic chives.
• Let it cook for few minutes before adding in the cooked chicken and eggs and toss to mix.
• Remove from heat and serve on top of a banana leaf on a dish.

Flavorful Footnotes

• Please use fresh noodles if you can ! Definitely makes a lot of difference.
• Serving on top of a banana leaf is optional but it does add a beautiful fragrance to the noodles.
• Any alternate proteins like shrimp, pork, chinese sausage, fish cakes can be used instead of chicken. 
• Vegetarian/Vegan versions can use Tofu, Mushrooms and any other vegetables of choice.
• If you don’t find garlic chives, feel free to use scallions/green onions.

Char Kway Teow definitely hits all the spots and is an excellent choice for a quick week day dinner !