Home Style Char Kway Teow 🇲🇾

Char Kway Teow is a Malaysian/Singaporean classic that I've come to love living here in Perth among the southeast Asian expatriates.  The famous noodle dish is a taste sensation with bold flavours and contrasting textures, and achievable in the home kitchen too.  Use fresh flat rice noodles or 'Hor Fun' available in packages from Asian grocery stores.  While you are there, grab a pack of frozen fish balls and some 'lap cheong' or Chinese preserved pork sausages. (Go for Australian made rather than imported products if you can.)  This recipe caters for 2 persons but for best results, use half of the ingredients to cook each serve.  Keep the wok very hot to  caramelise the ingredients and create a smoky effect.  If you like it spicy hot, stir in your favourite chilli paste just before the noodles go in.  Use a wooden spatula rather than a metal one with the wok for this dish to lessen the chance of the delicate noodles breaking up during the cooking process.  For another delicious way of using 'Hor Fun', see my recipe for seafood flat rice noodles in egg gravy.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 350g / 12oz fresh flat rice noodles (Hor Fun)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 Chinese sausage (lap cheong), about 50g / 1¾oz, thinly sliced
• 8 medium size raw prawns
• 6 fish balls, about 50g / 1¾oz, sliced
• 2 purple shallots, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon chilli paste (optional)
• 2 eggs
• 4 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons dark soy sauce
• 200g / 7oz beansprouts
• a handful of garlic chives, sliced into 4cm / 1½" lengths

METHOD

1. Remove heads and shells from prawns.  Make a slit on the back of each prawn to expose and remove the vein.
2. Packaged fresh flat rice noodles from the shops are usually stiff and brittle after being refrigerated, which is normal but inconveniently stuck together.  Take out the amount required, place them on a plate and soften them up in the microwave on high for 30 seconds or so.  You can then separate the noodles gently by hand ready for frying. 
3. Heat a wok over high heat until very hot.  Add half of the oil, sausage, fish balls, shallots and garlic (in that order) and stir fry for about 2 minutes until the ingredients are slightly caramelised.
4. Add half the prawns and stir fry for a further 1 minute until they start to change colour and are almost cooked.  Stir through half the chilli paste at this point, if using.
5. Add half the noodles and soy sauce.  Toss the noodles around for 1-2 minutes to coat with the sauce.
6. Push the noodles to the side of the wok and add 1 egg.  Let the egg cook until nearly set, then gently fold it into the noodles.
7. Add half the beansprouts and garlic chives.  Toss them around until just wilted.  Serve immediately.
8. Repeat with the other half of the ingredients for the second serve.