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Penang Hokkien Char Noodles recipe - This asian recipe is so easy to make, homemade and only take 30 minutes!
Did you watch The Amazing Race Penang episode last night?
I haven’t been home to Penang since last June so I have been craving all sorts of Penang hawker/street food, including Penang Hokkien Char—a stir-fried noodles dish in a savory sauce and served with a dollop of sambal belacan at hawker centers.
A similar dish found in Malaysia is KL Hokkien Mee (check out the guest post by Citrus and Candy), which is thick noodles in a very dark-color sauce commonly found in KL and its surrounding areas.
Penang Hokkien Char consists of a medley of yellow noodles and rice vemicelli, in a lighter sauce. I love eating Hokkien Char, flavoring the noodles with the pungent and spicy sambal belacan, it’s very tasty.
Penang Hokkien Char is usually served by Char Hor Fun hawkers, meaning you probably won’t find a stand-alone hawker stall selling only Hokkien Char, but if the hawker sells Char Hor Fun, it’s very likely that he/she also offers Hokkien Char, E-Fu Noodles, and others noodle dishes. So, be on the lookout for Char Hor Fun vendors if you wish to try this dish in Penang.
This is my easy Penang Hokkien Char recipe and you can get my sambal belacan recipe here. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is only 511 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Penang Hokkien Char Noodles
For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Penang Hokkien Char Noodles
Ingredients
- 6 oz (175g) vermicelli, soaked in warm water until soft, drained
- 6 oz (175g) yellow noodles, rinsed with cold water, drained
- 6 shrimp, shelled and deveined
- 4 fish balls, cut into slices
- 2 oz (60g) pork, cut into slices
- 2 oz (60g) choy sum/Chinese mustard green, cut into 2-inch lengths
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 oz (125g) bean sprouts
- 2 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoon sweet soy sauce, kecap manis
- 3 dashes white pepper powder
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 3/4 cup water
- Fried shallot crisps
Instructions
- Heat a wok over high heat and add cooking oil. When the oil is hot, add the minced garlic and stir-fry until aromatic. Add the pork slices, shrimp, and fish balls, and stir-fry until they are half-cooked. Then add the choy sum, bean sprouts, noodles, and vermicelli, tossing all the ingredients quickly with a spatula.
- Add the soy sauce, sweet soy sauce (kecap manis), water, and pepper powder, and keep stirring until the noodles are cooked through, being careful not to overcook them. Dish out and garnish with fried shallot crisps. Serve immediately with a dollop of sambal belacan.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Your Blog looks great! I share all those great Penang hawkers food to all my friends. I missed Penang food so much, like you said Noodles are my top choice. Each time I’m in Penang I will go for Noodles Soup or Fried Noodles. Thank you for the recipe and keep coming!