Fried flat rice noodles (Penang char kway teow)

The secret to the success of this dish is to incorporate the smoky flavour of the wok into the rice noodles.

• serves

  2

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  5 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

So be sure to get a bit of wok char to the noodles: crank up that wok to the highest heat you can!

Ingredients

• 80 ml (⅓ cup) vegetable oil
• 120 g green King prawns, cleaned and peeled with tails in tact 
• 50 g lap cheong (Chinese sausage), thinly sliced
• 2 duck eggs, beaten
• 300 g flat fresh rice noodles (see Note)
• 40 g onion, thinly sliced
• 40 g red Asian shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp sambal chilli sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp sweet soy sauce
• 2 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 50 g bean sprouts
• 30 g garlic chives, cut into 3 cm pieces
• Coriander sprigs, to serve
• Sauces, to serve (see Note)

Instructions

Place a wok over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil, then add the prawns and sausage. Stir-fry for 1 minute or until crispy brown and brown on the edges, then remove from the wok and set aside. 

Return the wok to high heat. Add another 2 tablespoons oil, then add the egg and stir to scramble it slightly. Add the noodles, onion and shallot and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Return the prawns and sausage to the wok and stir fry for 1 minute. 

Add the sauces and sugar and toss to combine well. Lastly add the bean sprouts and garlic chives and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Scatter with coriander and serve immediately. 

Note

• Rice noodles become brittle if refrigerated, so buy them fresh from Asian food shops. They will keep, sealed, at a low room temperature for up to 2 days after purchase. If refrigerated, as most rice noodles in Sydney grocers are, they’ll need to be passed through hot water to loosen them.

• You can use a mixture that combines sambal belachan, oyster sauce, fish sauce, dark soy, sugar and sweet soy (kecap manis), to taste.

Photography by Alan Benson. Styling by Lynsey Fryers. Food preparation by Tammi Kwok.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

So be sure to get a bit of wok char to the noodles: crank up that wok to the highest heat you can!