KL Hokkien Mee. Chewy thick noodles in a sweet, savoury sauce with prawns, pork belly, cabbage, and gai-lan. This quick and easy KL Hokkien Mee is made with simple ingredients in 30 minutes. Great as a weeknight meal!
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What is it
Kuala Lumpur Hokkien Mee features thick yellow noodles cooked over high heat with a sweet dark soya sauce, prawns, pork belly, Chinese cabbage and fish cakes.
A very popular noodle dish in Southeast Asia, especially in Malaysia and Singapore. These KL hokkien noodles are known for its dark sauce and smoky flavours, thanks to the "wok hei" or the smoky created in a wok.
The dish was invented by Ong Kim Lian who migrated Fujian, China to the capital of Malaysia. Now they are served at mamak stands in Malaysia or hawker centers in Singapore. This is the Kuala Lumpur version of this popular noodle dish, hence the name.
Whenever my husband and I travel back to his hometown in KL Malaysia, we must have these noodles! I love this dish because it uses humble ingredients, made in one pan, and done in little time!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
Note: The Asian grocery store will carry most these ingredients.
- Thick egg noodles: or substitute with any thick needs that are made with wheat flour, like udon noodles or miki noodles.
- Pork belly: Or substitute with thinly sliced bacon, chicken thighs, or beef.
- Jumbo Shrimp: Buy the pre-peeled deveined kind to make it easier. Or substitute with scallops or squid rings.
- Garlic cloves
- Chinese cabbage or substitute with Napa Cabbage.
- Gai lan: or substitute with bok choy or yu choy
- Chicken stock: low sodium kind
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil that has a low smoke point.
Sauce mixture
- Sweet dark soy sauce: aka kecap manis. It's the sweet version of thick dark soy sauce. You can also substitute with dark soy sauce or regular soy sauce and add 1 teaspoon of sugar.
- Dark soy sauce: this is thicker and darker than regular soy sauce. But if you can't find this, substitute with regular soy sauce.
- Sugar
- Cornstarch
- Water
Variations
- For a vegetarian version: substitute the pork and shrimp with extra-firm tofu and the chicken stock with vegetable stock.
Expert Tips
- Prepare all of your ingredients in advance as the cooking process is fast!
- Do not over blanch the noodles. They will be stir fried over high heat and can easily get soggy if you do.
- Don't overcook the shrimp. Once it turns slightly pink, proceed with the next steps.
- Do not overcook the noodles. Once everything is incorporated, remove off heat immediately.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make KL Hokkien Mee:
Make sauce and blanch noodles
First in a small bowl, combine Sauce ingredients as listed above. Set aside.
Then in a wok or large pan filled with water, bring to a boil. Blanch your noodles for only 20-30 seconds or until loosened.
Strain noodles and fry pork belly
Next strain noodles immediately. Any longer and your noodles will be soggy.
Heat oil in the pan on medium heat. Fry the pork belly slices until they have released some fat and are browned on the edges.
Add shrimp, noodles and sauce
Toss in garlic and shrimp. Fry until shrimp is 50% cooked.
Increase to medium-high heat. Toss in noodles and prepared sauce. Allow the sauce to reduce for 45-60 seconds.
Toss in Veggies with Stock
Add cabbage, gai-lan and chicken stock. Finally mix everything together and cook until there's a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the pan. Remove off heat and enjoy!
Storage
- Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, microwave for 2-3 minutes or reheat on the stovetop in a pan on medium heat until hot.
- Freezer-friendly? I wouldn't recommend freezing this cooked dish as the freezing will change the texture of the greens making them mushy.
Pairing Suggestions
This serves well egg rolls or egg drop soup as a starter, with more cooked vegetables like bok choy, spicy garlic bok choy, choy sum, gai lan, garlic green beans.
FAQ
No, a large pan will work too! But if you want that smoky taste that you'll find in most Asian takeout, use a steel wok. When the oil hits the hot steel, it creates a smoke in the air that envelops the food making it taste smoky.
This can be made in advance and you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge and it'll last up to 4 days. When ready to enjoy, reheat it in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat.
📖 Recipe
Quick & Easy KL Hokkien Mee
Ingredients
- 1 lb thick egg noodles or sub with udon noodles
- 1 cup pork belly sliced
- ¾ cup large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 cup Chinese cabbage or Napa Cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 cup gai lan chopped
- ¼ cup chicken stock unsalted
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
Sauce:
- 1.5 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon kecap manis aka sweet soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon white granulated sugar
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine Sauce ingredients as listed above. Set aside.
- In a large pan or wok filled halfway with water, bring to a boil. Blanch your noodles for only 20-30 seconds or until loosened. Strain immediately. Any longer and your noodles will be soggy.
- Dry your pan or wok. On medium heat, add oil and pork belly. Fry until the pork belly has released some fat and is browned on the edges.
- Toss in garlic and shrimp. Fry until shrimp is 50% cooked.
- Increase heat to medium high. Add noodles and Sauce. Mix the sauce into noodles allowing the sauce to reduce a bit, about 45-60 seconds.
- Then add cabbage, gai-lan and chicken stock. Toss everything together and cook until there's a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the wok. Remove off heat and enjoy!
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 🙂