Char Kway Teow and Nutmeg Juice at Chowrasta Market, Penang, Malaysia

Char Kway Teow and Nutmeg Juice

at Chowrasta Market, Penang, Malaysia

Char Kway Teow is one of Penang's most iconic street food dishes, celebrated for its smoky, savory, and slightly spicy flavor profile. This Malaysian dish consists of flat rice noodles stir-fried in a scorching hot wok, giving the dish its signature charred, smoky aroma, known as wok hei ("the breath of the wok"), the iconic smoky flavor developed by rapidly tossing ingredients in a smoky oiled wok over blistering fire.

char kway teow and a glass of iced nutmeg juice in Penang, Malaysia at

In Penang, char kway teow is traditionally cooked with cubes of rice cake, bean sprouts and scrambled eggs, fried in lard and often topped with burnt and crispy pork lard for added texture. The thick rice noodles are stir-fried in a mix of soy sauce, chili paste, and fermented shrimp paste, which contributes to the dish’s rich, umami taste.

This dish is almost always served on top of a banana leaf, even when served with a plate. It's said to enhance the flavor in a subtle but crucial way.

Penang-style char kway teow in Georgetown, Malaysia

We enjoyed our meal with a very special local drink, something that is sort of an icon of Penang: nutmeg juice.

iced Malaysian nutmeg juice

Nutmeg is a small tree-grown fruit that is popular in Malaysia, and the nutmeg tree even shows up on the Penang state flag. The cold and refreshing nutmeg juice was bright red and mildly sweet with a subtle spiced flavor that tasted very a bit like a Western Christmas drink.

Location

I bought this plate of char kway teow and glass of nutmeg juice at the famous Chowrasta Market in Penang. The market, which is one of the oldest street markets in Penang, is located at Lot 124, Jln Penang, George Town, 10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia right in the heart of the old UNESCO heritage town in Georgetown.

char kway teow shop at Chowrastra Market, Penang, Malaysia