Smoky flat rice noodles wok-fried over roaring heat with prawns, cockles, Chinese sausage-free bean sprouts, chives, egg, and dark soy sauce, infused with the elusive "wok hei" breath of the wok.
Ingredients
400g fresh flat rice noodles (kway teow)
200g prawns, peeled
100g cockles, blanched
100g bean sprouts
6 stalks garlic chives, cut into 5cm pieces
2 eggs
3 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp chili paste
White pepper
Instructions
1Heat wok over the highest possible heat until smoking. Add oil and swirl to coat.
2Add garlic and chili paste, stir-fry for 10 seconds until fragrant.
3Add prawns, sear for 1 minute until pink. Push to the side.
4Crack eggs into the wok, scramble briefly, then add noodles on top.
5Add dark soy, light soy, and fish sauce. Toss vigorously, pressing noodles against the hot wok for char.
6Add cockles, bean sprouts, and chives. Toss for 30 seconds — do not overcook the sprouts.
7Season with white pepper and serve immediately. The entire cooking process should take under 4 minutes.
Did You Know?
The best char kway teow masters refuse to cook more than two portions at a time because the wok must maintain extreme heat for proper wok hei.