Cantonese Kway Teow

My mom really likes Madam Kwan’s Cantonese kway teow. She tends to order Cantonese kway teow anyway whenever we eat out and if it’s on the menu, but highly likely she’ll say other places can’t compare to the one at Madam Kwan’s. I agree with her opinion.

Unfortunately, ordering food deliveries from Madam Kwan’s too often isn’t healthy for my pocket, so I started thinking of ways to make it myself. Besides, all that seafood isn’t good for my mom’s gout, so having better control over the ingredients is always a huge plus. I know I won’t be able to fully emulate the amazing wok hei in restaurant cooking, but I’d like to get as close to it as possible.

I sought inspiration from Sherson Lian’s beef ginger kway teow recipe, Che Nom’s Cantonese kway teow recipe, and of course Madam Kwan’s version. I’m quite proud of the end result, and I think it is a worthy copycat of the version my mom loves. Yum!

Step by Step

First, prepare the kway teow. If your noodles have been refrigerated, bring to room temperature, remove from packaging and gently separate any noodles stuck together.

In a large wok over medium high heat, heat the oil. Add the noodles, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce, and toss until evenly coated.

Leave to cook undisturbed for a few seconds, to let the soy sauce caramelize and the noodles to brown a bit. Remove from the wok and set aside.

Next, marinate the meats. In a medium-sized bowl, add the chicken, shrimp, oyster sauce, soy sauce, ground white pepper, and cornstarch. Toss until evenly coated.

Flash fry the meats. In the same wok over medium high heat, heat the oil. When the oil has started smoking, add the marinated chicken and shrimp and cook, stirring constantly, until the meats has just turned opaque. Remove from heat.

Now, make the gravy. In the same wok over medium high heat, heat the oil. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds.

When the garlic is fragrant, add 4 cups water.

Add the chicken stock cube, oyster sauce, and soy sauce. Stir to combine, and adjust the seasoning to taste.

Make a cornstarch slurry. In a small bowl, add the cornstarch and remaining ½ cup water, and stir to combine. Add to the pan, and bring the gravy to a boil to thicken.

Add the choy sum stalks and cook, about 1 minute.

Return the chicken and shrimp to the pan.

Add the sliced fish cakes and choy sum leaves.

Add the beaten eggs, swirling it around the entire pan in a thin stream. Cook undisturbed, until the eggs are set, about 1 minute.

Ladle the gravy generously over plates of noodles, and garnish with the sliced green onions.

Serve hot.