Char Kway Teow (Malaysian Fried Fresh Rice Noodles)

Along with Singapore Fried Noodles, this is one of my favourite noodle dishes ever; I get all nostalgic for dirty markets in Kuala Lumpur where hundreds of stalls and little shops make these up fresh for you, and to your taste (more chilli, less chilli ...)

Serves 4.

 

Ingredients:

1 kg fresh rice noodles *

250 g uncooked prawns

250 g chicken breast fillet or 250 g prepared fish balls **

250 g char siu (Chinese barbecued pork) ***

2 lap cheong (Chinese sausage)  ****

125 g fresh bean sprouts

3 tbspn oil

2 tspn garlic, chopped finely

3-4 fresh red chillies, sliced finely

2 cm piece green ginger, sliced finely

6 spring onions, sliced finely

3 tbspn soy sauce

1 tbspn oyster sauce

2 eggs, beaten

2 spring onions, extra, shredded finely

salt and pepper to taste

                                                             

                                                              

* fresh rice noodles can be bought from Asian grocers or supermarkets. They come in large folded sheets (looking a bit like folded pillowcase, for all that), so first soak the bundle for a few minutes in cold water to help separate the sheets, drain, then slice lengthwise into 1.5 cm wide strips.                                         

** Fish balls are available from Asian grocers - they are basically white fish pureed into a paste and steamed.  They have a slightly rubbery consistency.

*** Chinese BBQ pork can be bought from Asian grocers or specialty Asian BBQ shops, or prepared yourself. I cheat and simply rub a fresh pork fillet with a marinade, then roast in the oven or electric frying pan until nicely browned on the outside and moist and yummy inside.                                                     

**** Also available from Asian grocers, this is a spicy dense sausage.    

 

Method:

Shell and devein prawns. Slice pork into fine diagonal slices. Steam sausages for 5 minutes, and when plump and soft, cut into fine diagonal slices. Dice chicken into 2 cm cubes, or slice fish balls in half or quarters (depending on size). Rinse bean sprouts and pick off tails.

Heat 2 tbspn oil in the wok and fry garlic, spring onions, chillies and ginger until soft. Add chicken first if using, stir frying for a couple of minutes, then add pork, prawns, sausage, and fish balls and stir-fry for 5 minutes or until prawns change colour. Add bean sprouts and toss for 30 seconds.

Scoop the meat mixture and juices into a bowl and stand aside, Heat remaining oil and stir-fry the noodles to heat through. Add soy sauce and oyster sauce and mix. Push noodles to side of wok, pour eggs into the centre and stir till set (like scrambled eggs). Return meat mixture to wok and toss with the noodles. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot, topped with finely shredded spring onion.