Penang Hokkien Char Noodles

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Penang's signature char noodles combine thick yellow egg noodles and rice vermicelli in a richly seasoned pork and prawn broth. Toasted prawn shells give the dish its deep seafood backbone, while dark soy sauce colors the noodles a glossy mahogany. Topped with halved egg, fried shallots, and chili, every bowl delivers sweet, smoky, briny satisfaction.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 580 kcalCalories
• 22 gFat
• 6 gSaturated Fat
• 65 gCarbs
• 3 gFiber
• 5 gSugar
• 32 gProtein
• 1240 mgSodium
• 480 mgPotassium
• 110 mgCalcium
• 4 mgIron
• 18 mgVitamin C
• 95 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the prawn shell broth

• 500 g prawn heads and shells
• 2 L water
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 inch ginger, sliced

For the noodles and toppings

• 400 g fresh thick yellow egg noodles
• 200 g rice vermicelli (bee hoon)
• 200 g pork belly, thinly sliced
• 12 medium prawns, peeled and deveined
• 150 g squid, cleaned and sliced into rings
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp sambal belacan (optional)
• 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 200 g bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, halved
• 3 tbsp crispy fried shallots
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 red chili, sliced
• 2 limes, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Build the broth first: heat 1 tbsp oil in a heavy pot and toast the prawn shells over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until they turn deep orange and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add 2 L water, the smashed garlic, and sliced ginger, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve and reserve 4 cups of the broth.
2. Heat the remaining 3 tbsp oil in a large wok over high heat. Add minced garlic and stir-fry for 20 seconds until just golden. Toss in the pork belly and sear until the edges crisp and turn lightly caramelized, about 3 minutes.
3. Stir in the prawns and squid rings and cook just until the prawns turn pink and the squid is opaque, about 2 minutes. Add sambal belacan if using and toss for 30 seconds to bloom the flavor.
4. Pour in the dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, and sugar. Stir well to coat the proteins evenly, then add both the yellow noodles and rice vermicelli along with 2 cups of the reserved prawn broth. Toss and fold gently so the noodles absorb the sauce for 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Add the bean sprouts and fold once more, cooking just 1 minute so they stay crisp. The dish should be moist with a small amount of broth pooling at the bottom of the wok.
6. Divide the noodles among four serving bowls, making sure each gets a generous portion of broth, prawns, squid, and pork. Top each bowl with 2 egg halves, a sprinkle of fried shallots, scallions, and sliced chili. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over.

Cook’s Notes

• Toast the prawn shells until they look brick-red, not just pink, to extract maximum umami for the broth.
• Fresh yellow egg noodles (sold in the refrigerated section of Asian grocers) are essential; dried noodles will not absorb the broth the same way.
• Substitute sambal oelek plus 1/2 tsp toasted shrimp paste if sambal belacan is unavailable.
• Both egg noodles and rice vermicelli are traditional; use only one if you prefer, but the combination is the classic Penang style.
• The finished dish should be moist, not dry, with a thin pool of broth at the bottom of each bowl.

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