Char kway teow

Char Kway Teow is a popular street food dish in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and Indonesia. It is a stir-fried noodle dish, typically cooked with dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, chili, belachan (shrimp paste), whole prawns, deshelled cockles, bean sprouts, Chinese chives, and slices of Chinese sausage.

History

Char Kway Teow has its origins in Southeast Asia, and is believed to have been introduced by the Teochew people. It was originally a poor man's dish, often sold by fishermen, farmers, and cockle-gatherers who doubled as char kway teow hawkers in the evening to supplement their income.

Preparation

The dish is typically stir-fried over very high heat with light and dark soy sauce, chili, a small quantity of belachan, whole prawns, deshelled blood cockles, bean sprouts, and chopped Chinese chives. The dish is commonly stir-fried with egg, slices of Chinese sausage, and fishcake. Some variants might include other ingredients like fish balls.

Variations

There are many variations of Char Kway Teow in different regions. In Penang, Char Kway Teow is commonly served on a banana leaf, with extra prawns and cockles. In Singapore, the dish is stir-fried with more dark soy sauce and less oil, resulting in a darker color. The Singaporean version also includes fishcake and sometimes slices of fish. In Indonesia, particularly in Jakarta, Char Kway Teow is cooked with green chili and sweet soy sauce.

Health Concerns

Despite its popularity, Char Kway Teow is often criticized for its high saturated fat content. However, healthier versions have been developed using less oil and including more vegetables.

See Also

• Hokkien mee
• Pad Thai
• Chow Fun
• Teochew cuisine

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