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    Home » Recipes » Mains

    KL Hokkien Mee (Malaysian Noodles)

    Modified: Apr 13, 2024 · Published: Nov 16, 2023 by Christie Lai · This post may contain affiliate links · 10 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Video

    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!

    KL Hokkien Mee
    Jump to:
    • What is it
    • Ingredients & Substitutions
    • Expert Tips
    • Instructions
    • Storage
    • Pairing Suggestions
    • FAQ
    • Other recipes you may like
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    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.

    KL Hokkien Mee

    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. 

    key ingredients to make this recipe

    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

    sauce ingredients to make this recipe
    • 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

    make sauce

    First in a small bowl, combine Sauce ingredients as listed above. Set aside.

    blanch noodles

    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

    strain noodles

    Next strain noodles immediately. Any longer and your noodles will be soggy.

    fry pork belly

    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

    cook shrimp

    Toss in garlic and shrimp. Fry until shrimp is 50% cooked.

    add noodles

    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!

    add greens and stock

    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

    Do I need a wok to cook this?

    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.

    Can I make this in advance?

    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.

    Other recipes you may like

    • Penang Char Kway Teow
    • Mee Goreng
    • Thai Drunken Noodles
    • Pad See Ew Woon Sen
    • Authentic Chicken Pad Thai
    • Hoisin Beef Noodle Stir-Fry
    • Chicken Pad See Ew

    📖 Recipe

    KL hokkien mee

    Quick & Easy KL Hokkien Mee

    Christie Lai
    KL Hokkien Mee. Savoury chewy noodles smothered in a sweet salty soy sauce with prawns, pork belly, cabbage, and gai-lan. The perfect meal for dinner or lunch. Ready in 30 minutes!
    4.84 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Asian, Chinese, South-East Asian
    Servings 2
    Calories per serving 1077 kcal

    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!
    Enjoyed my recipe?Please leave a 5 star review (be kind)! Tag me on social media @christieathome as I'd love to see your creations!

    Suggested Equipment & Products

    • Measuring Set
    • Santoku Knife
    • Cutting Board
    • Wok
    Nutrition
    Calories: 1077kcal | Carbohydrates: 160g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 72g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 32g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 254mg | Sodium: 1046mg | Potassium: 870mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 258IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 5mg

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. phelicia

      May 05, 2025 at 8:53 pm

      can we sub the pork belly with mince pork?

      Reply
      • Christie Lai

        May 06, 2025 at 5:35 pm

        Yes!

        Reply
    2. Arik

      June 29, 2023 at 8:41 am

      5 stars
      Quick easy ... yummm.
      Eat it with raw green mongkey chillies

      Reply
      • christieathome

        July 04, 2023 at 5:48 pm

        Thanks for making my recipe, Arik and for leaving this kind review!

        Reply
    3. Richard Storey

      January 04, 2023 at 5:54 am

      4 stars
      Just as I remember it from my time in KL. ate this on every possible occasion. Also, chicken satay skewers.

      Reply
      • christieathome

        January 05, 2023 at 5:35 pm

        Awesome! Glad it hits the spot! Thanks for making my recipe, Richard!

        Reply
    4. Sarah

      July 16, 2022 at 7:21 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks a mil Christie
      Super simple, super tasty
      SJ

      Reply
      • christieathome

        July 18, 2022 at 9:07 pm

        Thank you so much Sarah for the kind review! I'm so glad you enjoyed it and have a lovely day!

        Reply
    5. Heidi | The Frugal Girls

      December 07, 2020 at 3:42 pm

      5 stars
      The beautiful combination of the soft noodles and the Hokkien mee sauce would tempt me any day of the week. Yum!!!

      Reply
    6. Michelle | Sift & Simmer

      December 01, 2020 at 6:10 pm

      5 stars
      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 🙂

      Reply

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    Christie

    Christie is an Recipe Blogger with an expertise on Asian recipes! She makes Asian cooking approachable with step-by-step pictures, ingredient & recipe tips and a helpful cooking video. Her quick and easy recipes have been featured on BuzzFeed Tasty, Food52, The Kitchn, The FeedFeed, Sur La Table, Yummly and more! With a following of over 1M+, her recipes are made repeatedly by her loyal readers.

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