Chewy thick noodles tossed in a sweet, savory sauce with shrimp, pork belly, and vegetables. This one-pan, easy KL Hokkien Mee recipe is ready in just 30 minutes! A better-than-takeout meal that's family-friendly and great for busy weeknights.
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KL Hokkien Mee is a popular Malaysian noodle dish from Kuala Lumpur. It features thick Hokkien noodles stir-fried with prawns, pork belly, greens, and aromatics in a sweet and savory dark sauce.
It's served as a main dish at Malaysian restaurants, food stalls, and occasionally at hawker centers in Singapore.
The noodles have a unique smoky flavor thanks to the "wok hei" aroma, created when the ingredients hit a hot steel wok. You can make this dish in a regular pan, but you won't get that same smoky taste.
The “KL” stands for Kuala Lumpur, the origin of this dish. It was created by Ong Kim Lian, an immigrant from Fujian, China.
Whenever my husband and I travel back to his hometown of Kuala Lumpur, we must have these noodles! I love this dish because it uses humble ingredients, but the flavors are bold.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Hokkien Noodles: These are thick, yellow, wheat-based noodles available at select Asian grocers. If you can't find them, use fresh lo mein noodles or udon noodles.
- Pork Belly Strips: Or use sliced pork belly, pork shoulder, chicken thighs, or beef.
- Jumbo Shrimp: Or use large shrimp or sliced fish cake.
- Garlic Cloves
- Chinese Cabbage: Or use napa cabbage.
- Chinese Broccoli (aka 'Gai Lan'): Or use bok choy or yu choy sum.
- Chicken Stock: Ideally the low-sodium kind.
- Neutral Oil: Use a neutral oil like avocado, sunflower, grapeseed, peanut, vegetable, or canola oil. Avoid olive oil or any low-smoke-point oil.
Noodle Sauce
- Sweet Soy Sauce (aka 'Kecap Manis'): Or use dark soy sauce mixed with 1 teaspoon of sugar.
- Dark Soy Sauce: Or use dark mushroom soy sauce.
- White Granulated Sugar: Or use cane sugar.
- Cornstarch: Or use potato starch, tapioca starch, or arrowroot starch.
- Water: Cold or room temperature.
Note: Asian ingredients are typically available at most Asian grocery stores or check online.
Variations
- Vegetarian version: Replace the pork and shrimp with extra-firm tofu or scrambled eggs and the chicken stock with vegetable stock.
- Gluten-free version: Use gluten-free udon noodles instead of hokkien noodles. Replace both soy sauces with tamari sauce, coconut aminos, or gluten-free soy sauce and add sugar to taste.
Expert Tips
- Prepare the ingredients in advance as the cooking process is fast!
- Don't overblanch the noodles or they will become soggy after stir frying.
- Don't overcook the shrimp and cook about halfway done as they will remain in the pan to cook the remaining ingredients.
- Don't overcook the noodles. Once the noodles are incorporated with the other ingredients, remove from heat.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make KL Hokkien Mee:
- Make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the noodle sauce ingredients as listed above and set aside.
- Blanch and strain noodles: Then bring a large pan filled halfway with water to boil on medium-high heat. Blanch the noodles until loosened, about 20-30 seconds and strain.
- Fry pork belly: Heat vegetable oil in the pan on medium heat. Fry sliced pork belly until slightly browned on the edges and the fat renders.
- Fry shrimp: Add garlic and shrimp and cook shrimp halfway through.
- Add noodles and noodle sauce: Increase to medium-high heat and add noodles and noodle sauce. Toss until evenly coated and there's little sauce left on the bottom of the pan.
- Add vegetables and stock: Add cabbage, Chinese broccoli and chicken stock. Toss until combined and the noodles have mostly absorbed the stock. Remove from heat and enjoy!
Storage & Reheating
- KL Hokkien Mee can last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge once cooled. To enjoy, reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot throughout.
- I don't recommend freezing KL Hokkien Mee as the noodles and vegetables will become soggy.
Pairing Suggestions
KL Hokkien Mee pairs well with:
- Condiments: Sambal Oelek
- Starters: Malaysian Curry Puffs
- Noodle Dishes: Char Kway Teow, Penang Char Kway Teow, Bami Goreng, Bihun Goreng, or Mee Goreng.
- Rice Dishes: Nasi Goreng
- Vegetable Dishes: Chinese Garlic Gok Choy, Spicy Garlic Bok Choy, Chinese Garlic Yu Choy, Chinese Garlic Gai Lan, Garlic Green Beans or Stir-fried Snow Pea Leaves.
- Protein Dishes: Curry Chicken, Curry Chicken Wings, Curry Fried Fish or Curry Tofu
- Desserts: Kuih Seri Muka, Apam Balik, or Pandan Custard Cake.
FAQ
KL Hokkien Mee can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge once cooled. To enjoy, reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot throughout.
A wok is not required to cook KL Hokkien Mee. You can use a regular large pan, but if you own a wok, I recommend using one to achieve that smoky flavor (aka 'wok hei').
KL Hokkien noodles are not gluten-free because the noodles and the soy sauces contain gluten.
📖 Recipe
Quick & Easy KL Hokkien Mee
Ingredients
- 1 lb Hokkien noodles or fresh lo mein noodles / udon noodles
- ½ lb pork belly strips sliced into ½" wide pieces
- ½ lb jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 cup Chinese cabbage or napa cabbage, chopped
- 1 cup Chinese broccoli chopped into 2" long pieces and stalks thinly sliced
- ¼ cup chicken stock low-sodium
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
Noodle Sauce
- 1.5 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce aka kecap manis
- ½ tablespoon white granulated sugar or cane sugar
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch / tapioca starch
- ½ cup water room temperature / cold
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the noodle sauce ingredients as listed above and set aside.
- Then bring a large pan filled halfway with water to boil on medium-high heat. Blanch the noodles until loosened, about 20-30 seconds. Then strain the noodles.
- Heat vegetable oil in the pan on medium heat. Fry sliced pork belly the fat renders out and they're slightly browned on the edges.
- Add garlic and shrimp and cook shrimp halfway through.
- Increase to medium-high heat and add noodles and noodle sauce. Toss until evenly coated and there's little sauce left on the bottom of the pan.
- Add cabbage, Chinese broccoli and chicken stock. Toss until combined and the noodles have mostly absorbed the stock. Remove from heat and enjoy!
phelicia
can we sub the pork belly with mince pork?
Christie Lai
Yes!
Arik
Quick easy ... yummm.
Eat it with raw green mongkey chillies
christieathome
Thanks for making my recipe, Arik and for leaving this kind review!
Richard Storey
Just as I remember it from my time in KL. ate this on every possible occasion. Also, chicken satay skewers.
christieathome
Awesome! Glad it hits the spot! Thanks for making my recipe, Richard!
Sarah
Thanks a mil Christie
Super simple, super tasty
SJ
christieathome
Thank you so much Sarah for the kind review! I'm so glad you enjoyed it and have a lovely day!
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
The beautiful combination of the soft noodles and the Hokkien mee sauce would tempt me any day of the week. Yum!!!
Michelle | Sift & Simmer
Mmm those thick noodles! I haven't had Hokkien noodles before, but I'll have to give it a try! I think my boys would devour this 🙂