Char kway teow is a popular Southeast Asian dish made with stir-fried rice strips, soy sauce, seafood, and bean sprouts. It originated from the Teochew people in southern China and was created by migrants who improvised with available ingredients. It is high in calories and cholesterol, but healthier versions exist. The Singaporean version is sweeter and includes lap cheong, clams, and tamarind juice, while the Malaysian version is more savory and uses black soy sauce and whole prawns. Halal versions are also available.
Char kway teow is a Southeast Asian dish most commonly connected to Singapore and Malaysia. The name of the dish derives from the ingredient common to all variants: stir-fried rice strips mixed with a soy sauce, seafood and bean sprouts. It is often eaten at roadsides or in Chinese restaurants and is high in calories and cholesterol, although healthier versions exist.
A hint of the origin of char kway teow comes from the last word “teow”. Char kway teow originates from the southern Chinese ethnic group called the Teochew, particularly around Swatow, or present day Shantou. As migrants moved from southern China to Southeast Asia, they brought their cuisine with them; however, the ingredients themselves were not always immediately available. Char kway teow was born from the improvisations made by these migrants.
Farmers and fishermen eager to earn an extra penny after finishing their day’s work served up the dish. They would prepare the dish with the leftover food and then sell it on the street. As Singapore and Malaysia developed during and after the British Empire era, making and selling char kway teow became a full-time business for street vendors.
In addition to being available at roadside stands, the dish can be found in a number of other locations in Southeast Asia. Versions are available from Chinese cafes and restaurants in Singapore. They can also be found in supermarkets and wet markets throughout the region.
The Singaporean version of char kway teow is sweeter than other versions. In addition to rice noodles, it features Chinese sausages called lap cheong, bean sprouts, prawn paste, and best of all, clams. Cardoons are often cooked from pre-shelled packets, but traditional street vendors believe fresh, hand-shelled cardoons taste best. The ingredients are stir-fried with sweet soy sauce, tamarind juice, and pork fat or lard.
In Singapore, there is also a tradition of mixing rice noodles with yellow noodles. The early 21st century also saw the development of healthier versions of the dish. They were less oily, removed the pork fat and lard, and added more green veggies like kale, broccoli, and asparagus.
Penang Char Kway Teow hails from Malaysia and is more savory than its Singaporean counterpart. The Penang version uses black soy sauce, whole prawns, kuchai, and chili powder. More expensive versions add duck eggs and crabmeat to the mix. The East Malaysian version Miri uses beef and onions instead of seafood. As Malaysia is home to a majority Muslim population, there are many halal versions that do not use pork fat or lard.
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