Char kway teow

{{Cuisine of China}}

The dish was often sold by fishermen, farmers and cockle-gatherers who doubled as char kway teow hawkers in the evening to supplement their income.{{Cite web|url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_2015-07-28_134215.html|title=Char kway teow | Infopedia|website=eresources.nlb.gov.sg}} The high fat content and low cost of the dish made it attractive to these people as it was a cheap source of energy and nutrients.{{Cite web|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/kick-your-char-kway-teow-habit|title=Kick your 'char kway teow habit'|date=8 November 2016|website=The Straits Times}}

The term "char kway teow" is a transliteration of the Chinese characters 炒粿條 (in simplified Chinese 炒粿条). The dish's name is Hokkien (chhá-kóe-tiâu^?), but the dish may have its roots in Chaozhou in China's Guangdong province and is mostly associated with the Teochew.{{cite web|url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_2015-07-28_134215.html|title=Char kway teow |work=Singapore Infopedia |first=Bonny |last=Tan |publisher=National Library Board}} The word kóe-tiâu (literally meaning "ricecake strips") generally refers to flat rice noodles, which are the usual ingredient in Singapore and West Malaysia. There is no fixed way of spelling chhá-kóe-tiâu, and many variants can be found: examples include "char kueh teow", "char kuey teow", "char koay teow", "char kueh tiao", "char kuay tiaw", "char kueh tiaw" and so on.{{cite web|url= https://www.malaymail.com/news/life/2021/03/02/its-kuetiau-dbp-standardises-bahasa-melayu-spelling-of-beloved-flat-rice-no/1954054|title= It's 'kuetiau', DBP standardises Bahasa Melayu spelling of beloved flat rice noodles|date= 2 March 2021}}

The dish is sometimes called {{lang|ms|kwetiau goreng}} or {{lang|ms|kuetiau goreng}} in Malay, which conveys the same meaning.{{cite web |title= Char Kway Teow/Fried Flat Rice Noodles (炒粿條) |date= 26 August 2010 |work= My Cooking Hut |url= http://www.mycookinghut.com/2010/08/26/char-kway-teowfried-flat-rice-noodles-%E7%82%92%E7%B2%BF%E6%A2%9D/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100830194015/http://www.mycookinghut.com/2010/08/26/char-kway-teowfried-flat-rice-noodles-%E7%82%92%E7%B2%BF%E6%A2%9D/ |url-status= dead |archive-date= 30 August 2010 |access-date= 5 February 2016 }} In some regions of Indonesia,{{where |date=May 2025}} the dish is called mitiau goreng.{{cn |date=May 2025}}

Owing to the dish's popularity and spread to Cantonese-speaking areas, the term "char kway teow" has been corrupted into "炒貴刁" ({{zh|cy=cháau gwai dīu|p=cháo guì diāo|first=j}}) when presented in the aforementioned areas. The term "{{linktext|貴|刁}}" has no real meaning, but its pronunciation in Cantonese and Mandarin is similar to "粿條" in Min Nan.

"Gourmet" versions of char kway teow, in which the dish may be prepared with more seafood, with crab meat{{cite web| url=http://sigmatestudio.com/2010/03/char-kway-teow-penang-sister/| title=Char Kway Teow – Penang – Sister| date=7 March 2010| publisher=sigmatestudio.com| access-date=28 March 2010}} and with duck eggs, may be found in major Malaysian cities like Ipoh and Penang.{{Cite web|date=2009-11-03|title=Penang Fried Flat Noodles - Char Kuey Teow|url=https://rasamalaysia.com/char-kuey-teow/|access-date=2021-01-19|website=Rasa Malaysia|language=en-US}} In Penang, char kway teow is commonly served on a piece of banana leaf on a plate, which is intended to enhance the aroma of the dish.{{Cite web|url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/eat-drink/2015/07/05/on-the-char-kway-teow-trail-in-ipoh/927465|title=On the char kway teow trail in Ipoh | Malay Mail|first=James|last=Tan|website=www.malaymail.com}}

Char kway teow is a popular, inexpensive dish usually eaten for breakfast and sold at food stalls in Singapore.Cheong, S. (2007, March 24). Orr koay teow, anyone. New Straits Times. Retrieved from Factiva. Blood cockles and prawns are standard fare in typical hawker preparations, while more expensive or luxurious versions incorporate cuttlefish, squid, and lobster meat. Singaporean style char kway teow mixes yellow wheat noodles with flat rice noodles. Some cooks prepare more health-conscious versions with extra vegetables and less oil.{{cite web|url=http://www.visitsingapore.com/dining-drinks-singapore/local-dishes/|title=Singapore Food – VisitSingapore|work=visitsingapore.com}}

Char kway teow prepared by Muslims in Malaysia and Singapore excludes lard and pork products, and may incorporate alternative ingredients like beef or chicken. Some versions by Malay cooks may emphasise the use of kerang (Malay for cockles) as a key ingredient, and it may be prepared with or without gravy.{{Cite web|title=Resepi Kuey Teow Kerang Yang Confirm Sedap |url=https://saji.my/resepi-kuey-teow-kerang-yang-confirm-sedap/|access-date=2021-03-30|author=Fazeeda Abdul Malik|website=Saji|date=8 June 2018 |language=ms}}{{Cite web|date=2020-09-24|title=Cara Masak Char Kuey Teow Kerang Sedap Secara Homemade |url=https://www.rasa.my/cara-masak-char-kuey-teow-kerang-sedap-secara-homemade/|access-date=2021-03-30|website=Rasa|language=ms}}

Many Southeast Asian restaurants in Hong Kong offer char kway teow as an overseas specialty, although it is of Southeast Asian Chinese origin. The char kway teow offered in Chinese restaurants which serve Hong Kong-style Cantonese cuisine is an entirely different dish: stir-fried Chinese-style flat rice noodles with prawns, char siu, onions, and bean sprouts, seasoned with curry powder which renders it bright yellow in colour.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/magazine/1984/04/01/big-wong/a9ecdd0f-9345-4438-b6d6-f15170973660/|title=Big Wong|first=Phyllis|date=April 1, 1984|last= Richman|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=2021-03-30}} In some places this is known as Fried "Good Dale", a transliteration of the characters "炒貴刁".{{cite web|url=http://dcist.com/2008/07/fried_good_dale.php|title=Fried Good Dale: A Translation Run Amok|work=DCist|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100217022056/http://dcist.com/2008/07/fried_good_dale.php|archive-date=17 February 2010|df=dmy-all}}

File:Charkwayteow.JPG|A large serving of char kway teow

File:Char kway teow.JPG|Singaporean-style char kway teow, cooked with a mixture of yellow wheat noodles and flat rice noodles

File:Char kway teow in parit buntar.jpg|Penang-style char kway teow, here served on a piece of banana leaf

File:Plates of Char kway teow.jpg|Small plates of char kway teow served at a Singapore carnival

• Beef chow fun
• Chinese noodles
• Mee goreng
• Mie goreng
• Otchahoi
• Pad thai
• Pad see ew
• Kuai tiao

{{Commons category}}

{{Malaysian cuisine}}

{{Singaporean cuisine|state=collapsed}}

{{Chinese noodles}}

{{Portalbar|Food|China|Malaysia|Singapore}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Char Kway Teow}}

Category:Fried noodles

Category:Hong Kong noodle dishes

Category:Malaysian noodle dishes

Category:Singaporean noodle dishes