Char kway teow is fried flat rice noodles which is a very popular noodle dish in Malaysia and Singapore. The flat rice noodles (approximately 1 cm in width) is fried with light and dark soy sauce, chilli, cockles, prawns, egg, bean sprouts, sausage and Chinese chives. The Chinese often add crisp fried pork fat.

In the streets and hawker stalls, Penang char kueh/kway teow is usually fried dry and each serving is prepared individually. Whereas, Singapore char kway teow is usually slightly wet with kway teow is prepared in large volume and other ingredients then added and fried per serving.

Penang Char Kway Teow

• 600g kway teow/ kueh teow (flat rice noodles) (serves 4-5)
• Garlic, chopped
• 350-400g prawns, shelled
• 1 Chinese sausage thinly sliced (optional),
• 100g cockles, scalded and shelled
• 150g bean sprouts
• 100g chives, cut into 2-3cm lengths
• 1 tbsp chilli paste
• 1 egg per serving
  Light soya sauce
• Dark soya sauce
• cooking oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Some water

• Measure each serving of kway teow on a plate.
• Heat 3 tbsp oil in a wok (kwali) until hot and fry 1 tbsp chopped garlic until lightly brown.
• Add 3-4 prawns, as desired and some sausages (optional).
• Add the plate of kway teow and fry the kway teow quickly. Add some light soya sauce and dark soya sauce, and chilli paste (if you want it hot), then a little water. Grab a handful of bean sprout and add, then mix all the fried ingredients together well.
• Spread all the ingredients to the sides of the wok and create an empty space in the centre. Add a little more oil, and then break an egg into it. After a few second cover the egg with all the ingredients, then mix and fry all the ingredients.
• Add cockles (if desired) and some chives. Stir quickly and dish out – do not overcook.
  Serve hot.