STORY BEHIND THE RECIPE

In case you have missed us, we are back! This time with a brand new recipe: the crowning jewel of Singapore hawker paradise – Char Kway Teow!

Its been almost a month since we published our last recipe, but its been for good reason though, as we have been taking some time to experiment with different recipe video formats from the usual. Today’s post is the culmination of our month-long experiment!

In fact, this Char Kway Teow recipe will be the first in our new mini series of “10-minute Cooking Tutorials” where I (Bee Leng) will bring you into my kitchen, and guide you through the often daunting process of purchasing and prepping ingredients, and the cooking of the dish.

We hope that you enjoy this mini series and that you will give us feedback on our video!

Another piece of good news! We just received word that The Burning Kitchen has been ranked among the top 20 Chinese Food Blogs by Feedspot. Here’s the e-medal that we received, and we want to dedicate this to all our readers! If you want to be part of our Home Cooking community, you are most welcome to join our TBK Home Cooks Facebook Group where you can ask any cooking question, and learn / share recipes and cooking tips with others in the group!

TRICK OF THE TRADE

Back to the star of today’s post! To me, a good Char Kway Teow must always have 2 ingredients, without which Char Kway Teow simply wouldn’t be Char Kway Teow. And these 2 ingredients are ….

1. Pork Lard

Though it’s not the healthiest, Char Kway Teow without pork lard and pork oil would simply not be the same. One essential step in the process is frying the pork lard to light golden crispy perfection.

Controlling the fire is crucial to ensure that the pork lard does not get burnt. If you are not quick enough, or you wait until it turns brown, the lard will have a tinge of the bitter burnt taste which will spoil the dish.

After frying the lard, you will be left with a generous amount of pork oil which is deliciously fragrant and decadent! You can use some of it to fry the char kway teow to taste the difference!

2. Fresh Cockles

Fresh cockles are a must when it comes to Char Kway Teow or Laksa.To open the cockles and extract the meat, there are 2 main ways of doing this.

The first is to blanch them briefly in hot water. This cooks the cockles and causes them to open up on its own. This is also perfect if you plan on having cockles whole, with just some sambal on the side for dipping.

If you want to fry them, as in the case of Char Kway Teow, a better method is to use a cockle/clam opener to open the shell and then scrape out the meat. I bought mine from Thailand but you may be able to find this item in stock for this in your local pots and pans shop.

For instructions on cockles, please read the Recipe Tips at the end of the recipe card.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS DISH

• It’s sinfully, decadently delicious! The freshness of the ingredients and the flavourful pork oil, with the wok-hei flavour, makes a powerful combination.
• It’s a great party dish! Make these for friends to share, and let them be amazed at your hawker skills!

HOW TO MAKE CHAR KWAY TEOW? 

Wash the cockles several times to get rid of the mud and sand. (see tips)

Wash and cut the pork fat into 1 1/2 cm squares and set aside.

Remove the roots from the bean sprout. Wash and drain.

Soak the sausage in hot water for 10 mins. Remove the casing and slice it thinly diagonally.

Deshell and devein the prawns (see my post and video tutorial on this here). Wash and drain. Marinate the prawns with 1 tsp sugar for 30 mins.

Remove the skin from the garlic and chop finely.

Wash the chives and cut into 5 cm lengths.

Slice the fish cake thinly and set aside

Slice the lime into half and chop the chilli finely, then cover with cling wrap and refrigerate.

Prepare pork oil. (see tips) Pour the pork oil into a separate bowl, leaving behind 1 TBsp in the wok.

Add in Chinese sausage to fry for 30 secs at low heat until fragrant, then transfer to a plate.

Turn up the heat to medium high and heat 1 TBsp of pork oil in the wok. Next, add in the garlic and fry until aromatic, then add in the kway teow and fry for 2 mins.

Add in the light soya sauce, dark soya sauce, sweet sauce, chives, fish cake and chilli paste (optional). Toss the kway teow to mix well with all the added ingredients.

Push the kway teow to one side of the wok, add 1 TBsp of pork oil to the wok and crack the eggs in it. Using the spatula, spread out the egg and add in 1/2 tsp fish sauce. Flip the kway teow over the egg and give it a quick stir.

Again, push the kway teow to one side of the wok, add 1 TBsp of pork oil to the wok and add in the prawns. Next add in the bean sprouts.

Push the kway teow to one side, then add in the cockles and 1 tsp of pork oil. Flip the kway teow over the cockles and give it a quick stir.

Sprinkle the water/prawn stock over the kway teow if it is too dry, and stir well.Finally add back the Chinese sausage and mix well. Turn off the heat immediately. Transfer to a platter and serve with lime and chilli while still hot

MARKETING TIPS

1. Buy fresh kway teow from the market the same day that you plan to cook. However, if you need buy it in advance, or buying refrigerated versions from the supermarket, its best to blanch the kway teow with hot water and drain dry before frying.
2. If you’re only cooking for 2, half the portions. In fact, for a portion size of 4 as per this recipe, I would recommend dividing the Fried Kway Teow ingredient into two portions, and fry them separately. It is easier to fry a smaller portion of kway teow so that it would not stick together and the ingredients would not be overcooked.

COOKING TIPS

1. Replace pork oil with vegetable oil if you prefer a healthier dish. Alternatively, it is best to eat this dish in moderation.
2. Turn the fire down to low immediately and closely watch the pork lard while continually stirring it once the pork lard starts to turn yellow.Once it turns light golden, it is done and you need to remove it from heat straight away.
3. Remove the casing of the sausage by soaking it in hot water for about 10 mins as it is made of synthetic material or animal intestines.
4. Use prawn stock instead of water for extra flavour. To prepare the prawn stock, fry prawn heads and shells with some garlic until aromatic. Add half bowl of hot water to it and let it simmer for a few mins. Discard the shells and pour the prawn stock through a sieve. Save the stock for frying the kway teow.
5.  Add Beansprouts towards the end so they still retain their crunchiness. If fried for too long, the beansprouts will become limp instead.
6. Chives can be omitted if you prefer.

HOW TO PREPARE COCKLES

1. Buy fresh cockles from the wet market, but do note that they are normally available only during weekends. They are also sold at certain NTUC and Sheng Siong Outlets.
2. To assess if the cockles are fresh, check if most of them are open. You can even go a step further and lightly tap on the open cockle. If the cockle closes, it is most definitely alive and fresh! The colour of the cockles should be pinkish red. The cockles should also smell fresh. It they are smell bad or look suspect, please do not purchase.
3. Wash the cockles thoroughly as the shells are covered with sand and mud. Before extracting the flesh, soak the cockles in a tub of water with 2 tsp of salt for about half an hour. This is to purge the sediment trapped inside the cockles.
4. Remember to keep the cockles refrigerated once extracted until needed to prevent contamination.
5. To open the cockles and extract the meat, there are 2 main ways of doing this.
   1. Put hot boiling onto the cockles for 1 mins. Drain off the water and open the shell with your hands.
   2. Prise open the shell using a cockle opener. (I bought mine from Thailand). Try some of the traditional cookware shops that sell pots and pans, they may carry this item in stock. After opening the shell, remove a small lump of mud inside the cockles with your thumb, and use the shell to scrape the meat out.

DIETARY MODIFICATIONS

• Egg-Free: Skip the eggs in this recipe.
• Fish-Free: Skip the fish cake in the recipe.
• Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free condiments and sauces.
• Nut-Free: No modifications needed.
• Shellfish-Free: Skip the cockles in the recipe.

WATCH OUR VIDEO for how to make this recipe!

Tried this recipe? Please rate our recipe or leave us a comment! You can even upload a snap of your creation!

Don’t forget to subscribe to our Youtube channel for more yummy videos! Do also join us at TBK Home Cooks Facebook Group where you can post photos of your food, ask questions, share recipes and clean cooking tips from others in the group!

Char Kway Teow

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Singaporean / Malaysian

Keyword: char kway teow, fried kway teow

Prep Time: 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 6

Calories: 827kcal

Author: Bee Leng | The Burning Kitchen

Learn how to cook one of Singapore's most popular dishes, home-made Char Kway Teow, the traditional way! Be warned though, this delectably decadent dish is best enjoyed in moderation!

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 500 gm Kway Teow
• 100 gm Bean Sprout
• 3 Eggs
• 2 Chinese Sausage
• 1 piece Fish Cake
• 300 gm Fresh Cockles
• 50 gm Chives
• 12 Prawns
• 200 gm Pork Fat

Condiments

• 1 tsp Sugar to marinate the prawns
• 2 TBsp Chopped Garlic
• 2 TBsp Chilli Paste
• 4 TBsp Light Soya Sauce
• 2 TBsp Dark Soya Sauce
• 1 TBsp Sweet Sauce
• 1/2 tsp Fish Sauce
• 4 TBsp Pork Oil
• 50 ml Water or Prawn stock

Instructions

PREPARATION METHOD

• Wash the cockles several times to get rid of the mud and sand. (see tips) 
• Wash and cut the pork fat into 1 1/2 cm squares and set aside.
• Remove the roots from the bean sprout. Wash and drain.
• Soak the sausage in hot water for 10 mins. Remove the casing and slice it thinly diagonally.
• Deshell and devein the prawns (see my post and video tutorial on this here). Wash and drain. Marinate the prawns with 1 tsp sugar for 30 mins.
• Remove the skin from the garlic and chop finely.
• Wash the chives and cut into 5 cm lengths.
• Slice the fish cake thinly and set aside
• Slice the lime into half and chop the chilli finely, then cover with cling wrap and refrigerate.

COOKING METHOD

• Prepare pork oil. (see tips) Pour the pork oil into a separate bowl, leaving behind 1 TBsp in the wok.
• Add in Chinese sausage to fry for 30 secs at low heat until fragrant, then transfer to a plate.
• Turn up the heat to medium high and heat 1 TBsp of pork oil in the wok. Next, add in the garlic and fry until aromatic, then add in the kway teow and fry for 2 mins.
• Add in the light soya sauce, dark soya sauce, sweet sauce, chives, fish cake and chilli paste (optional). Toss the kway teow to mix well with all the added ingredients.
• Push the kway teow to one side of the wok, add 1 TBsp of pork oil to the wok and crack the eggs in it. Using the spatula, spread out the egg and add in 1/2 tsp fish sauce. Flip the kway teow over the egg and give it a quick stir.
• Again, push the kway teow to one side of the wok, add 1 TBsp of pork oil to the wok and add in the prawns. Next add in the bean sprouts.
• Push the kway teow to one side, then add in the cockles and 1 tsp of pork oil. Flip the kway teow over the cockles and give it a quick stir. 
• Sprinkle the water/prawn stock over the kway teow if it is too dry, and stir well.Finally add back the Chinese sausage and mix well. Turn off the heat immediately. Transfer to a platter and serve with lime and chilli while still hot

Video

Read Also:  Braised Beef Brisket Noodles (牛腩面/Ngau Lam Mein)

Notes

MARKETING TIPS

1. Buy fresh kway teow from the market the same day that you plan to cook. However, if you need buy it in advance, or buying refrigerated versions from the supermarket, its best to blanch the kway teow with hot water and drain dry before frying.
2. If you're only cooking for 2, half the portions. In fact, for a portion size of 4 as per this recipe, I would recommend dividing the Fried Kway Teow ingredient into two portions, and fry them separately. It is easier to fry a smaller portion of kway teow so that it would not stick together and the ingredients would not be overcooked.

COOKING TIPS

1. Replace pork oil with vegetable oil if you prefer a healthier dish. Alternatively, it is best to eat this dish in moderation.
2. Turn the fire down to low immediately and closely watch the pork lard while continually stirring it once the pork lard starts to turn yellow.Once it turns light golden, it is done and you need to remove it from heat straight away.
3. Remove the casing of the sausage by soaking it in hot water for about 10 mins as it is made of synthetic material or animal intestines.
4. Use prawn stock instead of water for extra flavour. To prepare the prawn stock, fry prawn heads and shells with some garlic until aromatic. Add half bowl of hot water to it and let it simmer for a few mins. Discard the shells and pour the prawn stock through a sieve. Save the stock for frying the kway teow.
5.  Add Beansprouts towards the end so they still retain their crunchiness. If fried for too long, the beansprouts will become limp instead.
6. Chives can be omitted if you prefer.

HOW TO PREPARE COCKLES

1. Buy fresh cockles from the wet market, but do note that they are normally available only during weekends. They are also sold at certain NTUC and Sheng Siong Outlets.
2. To assess if the cockles are fresh, check if most of them are open. You can even go a step further and lightly tap on the open cockle. If the cockle closes, it is most definitely alive and fresh! The colour of the cockles should be pinkish red. The cockles should also smell fresh. It they are smell bad or look suspect, please do not purchase.
3. Wash the cockles thoroughly as the shells are covered with sand and mud. Before extracting the flesh, soak the cockles in a tub of water with 2 tsp of salt for about half an hour. This is to purge the sediment trapped inside the cockles.
4. Remember to keep the cockles refrigerated once extracted until needed to prevent contamination.
5. To open the cockles and extract the meat, there are 2 main ways of doing this.
   1. Put hot boiling onto the cockles for 1 mins. Drain off the water and open the shell with your hands.
   2. Prise open the shell using a cockle opener. (I bought mine from Thailand). Try some of the traditional cookware shops that sell pots and pans, they may carry this item in stock. After opening the shell, remove a small lump of mud inside the cockles with your thumb, and use the shell to scrape the meat out.

Nutrition

Calories: 827kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 152mg | Sodium: 1636mg | Potassium: 150mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 480IU | Vitamin C: 8.3mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 3.2mg