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Hokkien Char is a stir-fried noodle dish loaded with pork, shrimp, and greens in a savory soy-based sauce. This Penang Hokkien Char recipe is fast, home made, and prepared in simply half-hour!
Hokkien Char Mee
Hokkien Char is a kind of basic dishes with roots in Fujian province, China. “Hokkien” refers back to the dialect spoken there, and in Malaysia, it’s used to explain the Chinese language descendants from Fujian who settled in Southeast Asia, particularly in locations like Malaysia and Singapore. In Penang, the place I’m from, Hokkien Char is one among my go-to noodle dishes, and it’s a favourite at hawker facilities.
This dish, additionally known as Hokkien Char Mee (which accurately means “Hokkien Fried Noodles”), is a stir-fried noodle dish served in a savory sauce, typically accompanied by sambal belacan for an additional kick. In Penang, it’s usually made with a mix of yellow noodles and rice vermicelli, cooked in a lighter, flavorful sauce. The sambal belacan is the right addition to boost the noodles.
If you happen to’ve ever been to a Char Hor Enjoyable stall in Penang, you’ve possible come throughout Penang Hokkien Char, since these distributors usually provide a wide range of noodle dishes like Hokkien Char, E-Fu noodles, and Char Hor Enjoyable. It’s a kind of dishes you gained’t wish to miss.
That is my simple Hokkien Char recipe—benefit from the wealthy, fragrant flavors of Penang within the consolation of your own home!
Completely different Varieties Of Hokkien Noodles
Right here’s how the completely different variations of Hokkien noodles evaluate:
- Hokkien Char (Penang): This basic wok-fried noodle dish is all about hitting the right stability of flavors. A mixture of yellow noodles and vermicelli is stir-fried with pork, prawns, and veggies in a savory soy-based sauce. It’s smoky, flavorful, and so satisfying in each chew!
- KL Hokkien Mee: Consider this because the heartier, bolder model. The thick yellow noodles are stir-fried with pork, prawns, veggies, and pork lard in a wealthy, darkish soy sauce, giving it that deep, savory taste that sticks with you.
- Singapore Hokkien Mee: This one’s lighter and has a pleasant stability between the yellow noodles and rice vermicelli. Stir-fried with prawns and squid, it’s often served in a savory broth with sambal and a squeeze of lime so as to add that zing.
- Penang Hokkien Mee: This one’s my absolute favourite. The spotlight is the wealthy, spicy prawn broth—it’s comforting and filled with taste. With a mix of yellow noodles and rice vermicelli, juicy prawns, pork, and a hard-boiled egg, it’s a dish I can by no means get sufficient of.
Components You’ll Want
- Oil – Use vegetable oil.
- Garlic
- Pork – Use pork shoulder or pork loin.
- Shrimp
- Fish balls – It’s also possible to use fish desserts instead.
- Choy sum/Chinese language mustard inexperienced – You’ll be able to substitute with Chinese language broccoli (gai lan) or bok choy.
- Bean sprouts
- Yellow noodles – If you happen to can’t discover the Hokkien yellow noodles, lo mein noodles can be an excellent substitute.
- Vermicelli
- Soy sauce
- Candy soy sauce – It’s also possible to use common darkish soy sauce or caramel sauce instead.
- Water
- White pepper
- Fried shallot crisps – You’ll be able to seize some store-bought fried shallot crisps at most Asian grocery shops for a fast shortcut, or, when you’re up for it, make your individual at dwelling!
Please check with the recipe card on the backside of this publish for full particulars on every ingredient.
How To Make Fried Shallot Crisps: To make them, simply thinly slice the shallots, fry them in sizzling oil till they’re golden and crispy, then drain them on paper towels to eliminate any further oil.
How To Make Hokkien Char
Alright, warmth up your wok over excessive warmth and add a little bit oil. As soon as the oil’s good and sizzling, toss within the minced garlic and stir-fry it till it smells wonderful. Now, throw in your pork slices, shrimp, and fish balls—simply stir-fry them till they’re about midway cooked. Subsequent, add the choy sum, bean sprouts, noodles, and vermicelli. Give every little thing a fast toss along with your spatula to combine all of it up.
Now, pour within the soy sauce, candy soy sauce (kecap manis), water, and a touch of pepper powder. Hold stirring every little thing collectively till the noodles are good and cooked by—simply watch out to not overdo it. As soon as it’s all good, dish it out and high it with these crispy fried shallots for that further crunch. Don’t overlook to serve it up with a little bit Sambal Belacan on the aspect for that spicy kick! Get pleasure from!
Secrets and techniques To the Finest Hokkien Char Mee
- I often go for lean pork like loin or shoulder—it’s tender, flavorful, and excellent when sliced skinny for this recipe. If you happen to’re after one thing richer, pork stomach provides unbelievable taste with its stability of meat and fats.
- No matter lower you choose, simply slice it good and skinny so it cooks quick and mixes fantastically with the noodles and sauce.
- Right here within the U.S., I can’t at all times discover Malaysian thick soy sauce or caramel sauce, which has that good trace of sweetness. As an alternative, I exploit Indonesian kecap manis—it’s an excellent substitute. If you happen to’re in Malaysia, persist with the native thick soy sauce for the very best outcomes. Can’t discover kecap manis? No drawback! Chinese language darkish soy sauce works too; simply add a pinch of sugar to stability out the flavors.
- I by no means skip the fried shallot crisps—they add the right crunch and a savory kick that takes the dish to the subsequent degree. After I’m brief on time, store-bought ones do the trick, but when I’ve a second, I’ll make them myself.
- Don’t skip the Sambal Belacan! A dollop on high provides the right spicy kick that takes every little thing to the subsequent degree.
Steadily Requested Questions
Sure. You’ll be able to slice the pork, prep the shrimp, and chop the veggies forward of time. Even frying the shallots may be finished prematurely, so when it’s time to cook dinner, every little thing’s able to go.
Sure, you may make Hokkien Char with all yellow noodles! Whereas the standard recipe typically combines yellow noodles and rice vermicelli, utilizing simply yellow noodles will nonetheless end in a scrumptious dish. The feel shall be barely completely different, however it should nonetheless be flavorful and satisfying.
Completely! You’ll be able to skip the fish balls altogether or change them with fish desserts.
Hold any leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge, and so they’ll keep good for as much as 2 days. Once you’re able to eat, toss them in a sizzling wok or skillet with a splash of water to carry the sauce again to life and refresh the flavors.
Freezing isn’t the best choice for noodles, since they’ll get mushy as soon as thawed. It’s greatest to cook dinner them recent for that good chew!
This recipe is just 858 energy per serving.
What To Serve With Hokkien Char
For a Malaysian road hawker meals feast, I like to recommend the next recipes:
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- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 oz (60g) pork, lower into slices
- 6 shrimp, shelled and deveined
- 4 fish balls, lower into slices
- 2 oz (60g) choy sum/Chinese language mustard inexperienced, lower into 2-inch lengths
- 4 oz (125g) bean sprouts
- 6 oz (175g) yellow noodles, rinsed with chilly water, drained
- 6 oz (175g) vermicelli, soaked in heat water till mushy, drained
- 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons candy soy sauce, kecap manis
- 3/4 cup water
- 3 dashes floor white pepper
- Fried shallot crisps
Stop your display screen from going darkish
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Warmth a wok over excessive warmth and add cooking oil. As soon as the oil is sizzling, add the minced garlic and stir-fry till aromatic. Add the pork slices, shrimp, and fish balls, and stir-fry till they’re half-cooked. Then, add the choy sum, bean sprouts, noodles, and vermicelli, tossing all of the elements shortly with a spatula.
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Add the soy sauce, candy soy sauce (kecap manis), water, and white pepper, and maintain stirring till the noodles are cooked by, being cautious to not overcook them. Dish out and garnish with fried shallot crisps. Serve instantly with a dollop of sambal belacan.
- I often go for lean pork like loin or shoulder—it’s tender, flavorful, and excellent when sliced skinny for this recipe. If you happen to’re after one thing richer, pork stomach provides unbelievable taste with its stability of meat and fats.
- No matter lower you choose, simply slice it good and skinny so it cooks quick and mixes fantastically with the noodles and sauce.
- Right here within the U.S., I can’t at all times discover Malaysian thick soy sauce, which has that good trace of sweetness. As an alternative, I exploit Indonesian kecap manis—it’s an excellent substitute. If you happen to’re in Malaysia, persist with the native thick soy sauce for the very best outcomes. Can’t discover kecap manis? No drawback! Chinese language darkish soy sauce works too; simply add a pinch of sugar to stability out the flavors.
- I by no means skip the fried shallot crisps—they add the right crunch and a savory kick that takes the dish to the subsequent degree. After I’m brief on time, store-bought ones do the trick, but when I’ve a second, I’ll make them myself.
- Don’t skip the Sambal Belacan! A dollop on high provides the right spicy kick that takes every little thing to the subsequent degree.
Serving: 2folks, Energy: 858kcal, Carbohydrates: 120g, Protein: 33g, Fats: 27g, Saturated Fats: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 5g, Monounsaturated Fats: 12g, Trans Fats: 0.1g, Ldl cholesterol: 69mg, Sodium: 1866mg, Potassium: 331mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin A: 17IU, Vitamin C: 45mg, Calcium: 129mg, Iron: 4mg
Diet data is mechanically calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.
