Singapore Stir-Fried Flat Rice Noodles with Prawns and Chinese Sausage

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A beloved hawker classic from Singapore, this smoky stir-fried noodle dish marries slippery flat rice noodles with juicy prawns, sweet-savory Chinese sausage, and crisp bean sprouts in a glossy dark soy sauce. Wok hei, the breath of the wok, is the signature flavor that separates an authentic plate from a mediocre one. Best eaten hot straight from the pan with a side of pickled green chilies.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 540 kcalCalories
• 22 gFat
• 6 gSaturated Fat
• 58 gCarbs
• 3 gFiber
• 6 gSugar
• 26 gProtein
• 1180 mgSodium
• 460 mgPotassium
• 110 mgCalcium
• 4 mgIron
• 15 mgVitamin C
• 90 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the noodles and proteins

• 450 g fresh flat rice noodles (kway teow), separated
• 225 g large prawns, peeled and deveined
• 2 Chinese sausages (lap cheong), thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 100 g fish cake, sliced into thin strips
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups fresh bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup Chinese chives (garlic chives), cut into 5 cm pieces

For the sauce and aromatics

• 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp sambal oelek, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp toasted belacan (shrimp paste), crumbled (optional)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp water
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp lard or neutral oil

Directions

1. Soak the rice noodles in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes until pliable, then drain thoroughly and toss with 1 tbsp of oil to prevent clumping; set aside.
2. Whisk the dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sambal, belacan, sugar, and water together in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves; set the sauce near the stove.
3. Heat 1 tbsp of lard in a hot carbon-steel wok over the highest flame until smoking, then add the Chinese sausage and fry for 30 seconds until the edges curl and the fat turns translucent.
4. Push the sausage to one side, pour the eggs into the cleared space, and let them puff for 20 seconds before scrambling roughly and tossing with the sausage.
5. Add the prawns and stir-fry for 45 seconds until just pink, then toss in the garlic and shallots and stir for another 15 seconds until fragrant.
6. Add the drained noodles and pour the sauce evenly over the top; toss continuously with a spatula and a pair of chopsticks for 2 to 3 minutes, lifting and flipping to coat every strand and charring the edges lightly.
7. Toss in the fish cake, bean sprouts, and chives, then stir-fry for another 30 seconds just until the sprouts are barely wilted and still crunchy.
8. Slide onto a warmed plate, serve immediately with a small dish of sambal and pickled green chilies on the side, and repeat with the remaining ingredients for a second batch.
9. Repeat for a second batch if your wok is small, dividing the remaining noodles, prawns, and aromatics evenly between batches to maintain intense heat.

Cook’s Notes

• Use the highest possible heat and a carbon-steel wok to achieve true wok hei; a nonstick pan will not give you the smoky char.
• Cook in two batches rather than crowding the pan, or the noodles will steam and turn mushy instead of getting those lightly singed edges.
• Substitute 1 tbsp of lard mixed with 2 tbsp of neutral oil if you cannot find pure lard; it adds authentic fragrance and helps the noodles crisp against the wok.
• Adjust sambal up or down for your heat tolerance; some Singapore versions add a second spoon, while vendors in Penang keep it mild and savory.
• Prewarmed plates help the noodles stay piping hot, which is essential because CKT cools quickly and loses its slippery appeal as it sits.

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