Simple Spicy Fried Kway Teow
Spicy Fried Kway Teow is one of my family’s comfort food. It’s easy to make, super tasty, and just hits the spot. It’s also a complete single-dish meal that has carbs, protein and veggies all in one; and can be made in bulk for the entire family.
Kway Teow, which is also spelt as “kuey teow”, is flat rice noodles that is both springy and smooth. It absorbs the sauces and seasonings as it cooks, so the flavour comes from within the noodles. In Malaysia, “char kway teow” (literally, stir-fried flat rice noodles) is an iconic dinner dish served at hawker restaurants, being both aromatic and flavourful with that distinctly charred taste.
The secret to that uniquely charred fragrance and flavour is from using a wok and frying the kway teow noodles over high heat. This simple dish is quite similar, adding a little chilli paste for spiciness. Serve this Fried Kway Teow with some cut red chillis, with soy sauce drizzled over.
This recipe serves 3 adults.
Ingredients
Kway Teow for frying. They are quite springy and narrower than the ones meant for soup. Usually, the packaging will label what it is used for; and if buying from the wet market, ask the shop vendor for the kway teow for stir-frying. The one for soup is less springy, super smooth and wider. As mine is quite fresh, I only needed to lightly separate the strands before frying. If using dehydrated ones, do follow the instructions on the packet.
Prawns, which are lightly marinated before frying in oil. They infuse a lovely natural sweetness to the cooking oil and dish.
Salt, to season the prawns.
Fish cakes, which adds chewiness and taste to the kway teow.
Eggs, which are an excellent protein addition to the noodles.
Light soy sauce, which is added for its saltiness and umami-ness to the eggs and noodles.
Thick soy sauce, for colour and a slight sweetness from the caramelization.
Sesame oil, for added fragrance to the dish.
Sugar, to balance the saltiness and spiciness of the fried kway teow.
Chilli paste, or cili boh, for a slight spicy kick to the fried kway teow noodles.
Bean sprouts, for both a light, pale colour to contrast against the dark brown noodles, and a lovely crunchy texture in between bites. They can be added earlier if softer beansprouts are preferred. While the roots are traditionally broken and removed for a better appearance, it is not a necessary step. This step can be skipped in favour of saving time.
Chinese chives, for a lovely bright green contrast against the dark-coloured kway teow noodles. They can also be added about 30 seconds earlier for a softer, tender texture.
Crispy fried anchovies, which give additional protein, a subtle crunch, and a burst of umami-ness in between bites. This ingredient can be homemade, or store-bought (reduce the soy sauce according to taste as store-bought contains more salt) – and is a totally optional addition to this dish.
Steps
Here are the brief steps to make Fried Kway Teow with Prawns:
- Marinate the prawns.
- Heat up the cooking oil.
- Fry garlic until golden brown and set aside.
- Fry prawns and fish cakes and push them aside.
- Cook the eggs until marbling forms, then push them to the side.
- Mix the kway teow and seasonings until even in colour.
- Mix all the ingredients together.
- Taste and adjust.
- Stir in the beansprouts and chives.
- Switch off the heat.
- Mix in the fried garlic and anchovies.
- Dish out on a serving plate and serve.
Tips
- Loosely separate the kway teow noodles as preparation.
- Use the kway teow for frying for this recipe. The ones for soup tend to become too soft and break easily during mixing and stir-frying.
- For less spicy noodles, reduce the amount of chilli paste by half.
- Add the bean sprouts and chives about 30-50 seconds earlier for softer vegetables.
- It can be kept in the fridge overnight, to be reheated the next day before consumption.
- Not recommended to freeze as the texture will become mushy and unenjoyable.
Storage Instructions
Leftovers can be kept overnight in the fridge, in an air-tight container once completely cooled. It should not be kept for more than a day, as the prawns could deteriorate rapidly. Be sure to re-heat it completely over medium heat (in the same wok) before enjoying it.
I do not recommend freezing as the ice crystals may change the texture of Fried Kway Teow to a mushy one. The additional condensation may also add undesired liquid to the kuey teow.
Recipes You Might Like
- Easy Vegetarian Fried Kuey Teow
- Quick & Easy Egg Noodle Soup Recipe in 15 Minutes
- Easy Stir Fried Prawn Kuey Teow
Simple Spicy Fried Kway Teow
Equipment
- Wok
- Turner
Ingredients
- 5 pieces prawns, large, de-shelled
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 50 ml cooking oil, unscented
- 120g g minced garlic
- 90 g fish cake, sliced
- 2 egg
- 1/4 tsp light soy sauce
- 450 g kway teow noodles, for frying
- 1/2 tbsp thick soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp chilli paste, cili boh
- 200 g beansprouts, washed, with the water drained
- 30 g Chinese chives, fresh, cut into 2 inches
- 18 g crispy fried anchovies, optional
Instructions
- Sprinkle and marinate the prawns with half of the salt evenly. Turn them over and repeat with the rest of the salt. Set them aside.
- Heat the cooking oil in a wok over medium heat for about 1 minute.
- Add all the garlic and fry for 1.5 minutes, or until fragrant and golden brown. Remove them from the wok and set aside.
- Fry the prawns and fish cake slices for 45 seconds, or the colour changes. Push them all to the side of the wok.
- Add the eggs and half of the light soy sauce to the empty area of the wok. Stir fry without mixing the prawns and fish cakes, until the eggs' marbling is set, for about 20 seconds. Push them all to the side, and set the heat to low.
- Add the kway teow, thick soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, light soy sauce, sugar, and chilli paste. Increase the heat to medium-high, and mix the noodles and seasonings, for about 30 seconds, or until even in colour. Stir the prawns, fish cakes and eggs together with the noodles until well-combined.
- Taste and adjust.
- Stir in the beansprouts and chives for about 30 seconds over high heat.
- Switch off the heat.
- Mix in the crispy anchovies until well-combined.
- Dish out and serve hot.
Notes
- Loosely separate the kway teow noodles as preparation.
- Use the kway teow for frying for this recipe. The ones for soup tend to become too soft and break easily during mixing and stir-frying.
- For less spicy noodles, reduce the amount of chilli paste by half.
- Add the bean sprouts and chives about 30-50 seconds earlier for softer vegetables.
- It can be kept in the fridge overnight, to be reheated the next day before consumption.
- Not recommended to freeze as the texture will become mushy and unenjoyable.
- Watch the video to see exactly how I made it.