Penang char kway teow. Everybody loves it but not many people know how to make it. You’ll be surprised how easy and how quickly it can be done at home.

Unlike Singapore’s char kway teow, the Penang version doesn’t contain dark soy sauce. The seasoning comprises oyster sauce, light soy sauce, white pepper and chilli powder. Most of the stalls I went to in Penang served their char kway teow red and fiery. Prawns were always used but cockles were only found in a few of the stalls. Since I’m cooking for kids here, I won’t be using so much chilli powder. Neither am I using as much oil as most of the hawkers out there.

Finally, I like to add my bean spouts last because I like them crunchy. You may of course make it softer if that suits your taste. Go ahead. Try this at home. Your family will love it.

© Chan Joon Yee