About the Recipe
Penang Char Kway Teow is often served on a banana leaf, which is believed to further enhance its aroma. It's a staple at hawker stalls and is considered a must-try for anyone visiting Penang, or indeed, any authentic Malaysian eatery. Here's what makes it so special:
Flat Rice Noodles (Kway Teow): The base of the dish is wide, flat rice noodles, which become wonderfully slippery and slightly charred during the intense stir-frying process.
High Heat and "Wok Hei": The most crucial element of authentic Penang Char Kway Teow is "wok hei" (鑊氣), which translates to "breath of the wok." This refers to the unique smoky, slightly charred, and intensely flavourful aroma imparted to the food when stir-fried quickly over extremely high heat in a well-seasoned wok. It's an art form that skilled hawkers master, creating a distinct taste that's hard to replicate at home with standard kitchen stoves.
Ingredients
90g Hor Fun (Flat Rice Noodle)
2 tsp Cooking Oil
Some Abalone Mushroom
Some Carrot
Some Cabbage
Some Choy Sum
Some Bean Sprouts
Sauce
½ tsp Soy Sauce Paste
½ tsp Vegetarian Oyster Sauce
½ tsp Chilli Sambal
Sesame Oil
Sweet Soy Sauce
Preparation
Step 1
Loose the flat rice noodle and keep it in a bowl.
Step 2
Mix soy sauce paste, vegetarian oyster sauce and sambal sauce evenly.
Step 3
Tear abalone mushroom into strips and slice carrot, cabbage, and choy sum thinly.
Step 4
Pour 2 tsp of oil into the wok, which is heated on high heat. Add abalone mushroom, carrots, cabbage and choy sum. Sauté until fragrant.
Step 5
Add noodles to the wok and quickly stir-fry them with sauce (in step 2).
Step 6
Stir in some sweet soy sauce.
Step 7
Finally, add bean sprouts and a small amount of sesame oil.
Step 8
Serve hot and enjoy as it is or with more chilli sambal.