There is nothing quite like THE Penang Char Kway Teow.
It is comfort food to many Penangites and if you were to utter 'Penang' under your breath, Char Kway Teow and Assam Laksa always comes to mind. However, Penang style CKT is not often found in the south of Malaysia and Singapore. 'Southern style' Char Kway Teows (Johor and Singapore) are usually fried, laden with sweet sauce and fried wet. If you had not seen the cook at work, you might even think it is a braised dish. Travel further up in the north further than Penang, reachingThailand, you will discover that the Thais have something similar to Penang style, Pad Thai, also flat rice noodles without sweet sauce, fried dry. The colour is also lighter, compared with Singapore CKT that has dark soya sauce. Hence, Singapore CKTs are also commonly known as 'Or Kway Teow' (Or = Black in local dialect).
Penang Char Kway Teow has always been popular among foodies. Among the ingredients are Prawns, Cockles, Chinese Sausages, Beansprouts and Koo Chye (Chinese Chives), fried in either vegetable oil or lard. These are must-haves. For some health conscious foodies, they would opt out Cockles and Pork Lard.
In the later years, slices of Fishcake become apparent since prices of Prawns and Chinese Sausages have soared. Not many CKT cooks uses Fishcake slices but I know of a lady who fried it in school canteen in early 80s uses it all the while. For a plate costing 50cents to school kids it was too costly to use prawns and chinese sausages, don't you think so.
In recent years, prices of CKTs have really soared, with that I heard that prices can be as expensive as RM$6 - RM$8 per plate? Is it true? Average price when I last went home (March 2000) for a visit was about RM$3.50 - RM$6.00. Only Penangites can confirm..
Getting Acquainted
If you are a Penangite living in Singapore, it takes a very very long time to get accustomed to the Singapore style CKT. I know of many who still can't. Singapore CKT is something, I would classify as 'cultivated taste'. It needs alot of time and patience because once one is so used to Penang CKT with all that 'wok-hei' flavour, a wet and sweet dish becomes a straight turn-off. I, for one took almost 15 years before I learnt to appreciate this dish, unbiased and without any negative influence.
It works the same for Singaporeans who think about Laksa and just cannot appreciate the sourish taste of Penang Assam Laksa. It will take them time and patience to understand that 'Laksa' by name does not have to be a 'curried and coconut gravied' noodle dish alone.
Eat with an open mind, without preconceived opinion, without prejudice. Discover the joy in each find.
