Char Koay Teow

Char Koay Teow is a dish of Fried Flat Rice Noodles with Prawns and Cockles. It is one of Malaysia's iconic dishes and is extremely popular with the locals.

Char Koay Teow

Ingredients:

• 80g koay teow (fresh flat rice noodles)
• 2 tblsp cooking oil 
• 5 cloves of chopped garlic
• 1/2 kg cockles
• 12 prawns, shelled and de-veined but with tail left on
• 20g chives - chopped into 1 inch lengths
• 30g bean sprouts
• 2 egg  per serving
• 2tblsp chilli paste* 

Sauce

•  1 tblsp light soy sauce
•  1 tblsp dark soy sauce (a sweet and thick soy sauce)
•  1 tblsp fish sauce (nam pla)
•  1 tblsp oyster sauce
•  1 tsp toasted shrimp paste (belacan)
• pepper and sugar to taste

Preparation:

1. Prepare the noodles; place in colander and wash off excess oil, then drain off water. Allow to air-dry for a while.
2. Wash and scrub cockles clean, then place in a deep bowl. Pour boiling water over it. Leave for 10 mins before scrapping the meat off with a teaspoon. Any excess grit can be removed in the process.
3. Make the sauce in a bowl by combining light and dark soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, shrimp paste, sugar and pepper. 
4. Heat wok, add a little oil. Add noodles and stir quickly. Push to one side of the wok.
5. Fry chopped garlic until fragrant then add chilli paste and sauce.
6. Add prawns and stir fry briskly.
7. Push the noodles over it and combine.
8. Stir-fry well under high heat. Make a  hole in the centre of the mixture and break the eggs into the wok. Scramble it well before adding the cockles.
9. Toss in chives and bean sprouts. Give it a quick stir to combine.
10. Dish out onto a plate and shake pepper over it.  

Remarks
Makes about 2-3 servings. Sliced fish cake, squids and sliced Chinese sausages can be added. If banana leaves are available, serve the noodles over it to enhance its flavour.

Some Char Koay Teow connoisseurs like to add a squeeze of lime to this dish for added zest. The flower is Heliconia rostrata aka Hanging Lobster Claw.

chilli paste* - Grind dry fresh chillies and garlic into a paste. Keep aside and use whenever required