Char Koay Kak is a classic Penang street food dish and it is a stir-fried delight combined using soft savoury rice cakes (koay kak) pan-fried with crunchy preserved radish, garlic, eggs, bean sprouts and delicious sauces. Each bite is a salty treat of crunchy outside, soft inside and savoury spices. If you’re hunting for an authentic Char Koay Kak recipe, this traditional dish from Penang Char Koay Kak stalls won’t disappoint.

This simple clay-based plate is commonly prepared on a huge flat iron griddle in hawker stalls and a mouthwatering and smoky aroma spreads. Char Koay Kak hawker food is plain yet delicious and leaves one extremely satisfied with its combination of chilli with preserved radish (chai poh) sprinkled on top. The locals and tourists like to eat it as a breakfast or supper dish and it remains a traditional Malaysian breakfast recipe adored by generations.

Char Koay Kak is not a dish, it is a perception. It has a taste that is slightly burnt, tender morsels of rice cake and crunchiness of sprouts and eggs which make it that comforting kind of food with the wok smell (wok hei) that is typical of the best Malaysian street food culture.

About Char Koay Kak

Char Koay Kak or Fried radish cake are originally from Teochew Chinese immigrants and is a favourite hawker food in Malaysia, particularly in Penang. The base is prepared by taking steamed rice flour cake and cutting it into cubes after which it is stir-fried with garlic, preserved radish, eggs and bean sprouts. Some variations include the addition of fish or dark soy sauce to give depth of flavour. You can also try making an easy Char Koay Kak at home with store-bought radish cakes for convenience.

Conceptually it is similar to the Singaporean Chai Tow Kway, but tends to be darker in color using dark soy sauce and more vigorous in flavour. The cubes are fried so that they crisp on the outside and stay soft inside, a contrast that contributes to its being one really engaging snack or light meal. 

The Char Koay Kak is the typical morning market snack or a snack sold in stalls at night and it is normally accompanied by some chilli, Chinese sausages or even seafood and this has made it a versatile food throughout the generations. When you are searching for Southeast Asia rice cake recipes, Char Koay Kak is one of the basic ones that you cannot pass easily.

Ingredients and Substitutes for Char Koay Kak

• Rice Cakes (Koay Kak)- Made of rice flour, water and some tapioca flour. These steamed cakes are not hard. The radish cake can be bought at the store, or prepared. Alternative: use firm rice noodles in a pinch, but it is not going to taste the same.

• Salt or sweet- Salty pickled radish stores preserved radish adding a crunchy bite of flavour and a rich burst of umami to the dish. It is available in Asian stores. Wash and cut to use.

• Garlic- Brings fragrance and deeper flavour. The chopped garlic should be fresh.

• Eggs- This would make the dish rich and balance the saltiness of the radish as it was scrambled into the dish.

• Bean Sprouts- They are crunchy and fresh. Not necessary but advisable to get texture contrast.

• Dark Soy Sauce- Adds caramel flavour and sweet tone. In case of absent use, combine regular soy sauce with molasses.

• Light Soy Sauce- Produces savory, salty taste. Tamari may replace it to make it gluten-free.

• Chilli Paste or Sambal- Optional and puts a kick. Regulate your level of tolerance of spices.

• Spring Onions/Chives- Finely chopped one final garnish inside, or used as a garnish around the plate or cup, fresh and slightly onion-like in its aroma.
  
• Preferably Lard or Peanut Oil- Lard is recommended to give a classical taste. To make it lighter, one can use peanut oil or vegetable oil

How to cook Char Koay Kak?

Prepare the Ingredients for Char Koay Kak

In case homemade or store-bought rice cakes will be used, cut them into small bite-sized cubes and steam them slightly in the fridge. Cut 23 cloves of garlic, wash and cut 2 tablespoons of canned radish and crack 12 eggs. Wash and drain a few sprouts of beans.

• 1 cup cubes of rice cake
• 2 clove garlic (chopped)
• 2 tbsp radish that has been preserved (chopped)
• 1-2 eggs (lightly beaten)
• 1/2 cup of bean sprouts

Frying Aromatics

Melt 1-2 tablespoons of oil (or lard) in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add preserved radish and garlic that is cut into pieces. Stir-fry until aromatic and a little bit crispy. This is the tasteful foundation of this dish.

• 1&1/2 tbsp lard or oil
• Garlic & pickled radish 

Add-in the Rice cakes

Add the cubes of the rice cakes and fry them for up to 3-5 minutes, turning them over so that they can become crispy on the sides. Then to brown it further and to aid in the absorption of flavors, press with your spatula.

Add the Sauces and Eggs

Add 1 tbsp of dark soy sauce and 1 tbsp of light soy sauce (to taste). Stir that well until all the pieces of rice cakes are well-coated. Fry everything to one side of the pan, then into it pour the beaten eggs. Fry them a bit then stir them together with the rice cakes. Be careful when scrambling so as not to overcook.

• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• Beaten eggs

Add Bean Sprouts and cover

Toss in the bean sprouts after adding the eggs that are cooked and mixed. Take only 1 minute to stir-fry to keep them crunchy. Add in 1/2 tsp of chilli paste, or have it on the side, if you prefer spice.

Optional: chilli paste or sambal

Decoration and Serving

Switch off the heat and garnish with spring onions or chives which have been chopped. Having a piece of lime or sambal chilli alongside it upon serving makes it even more perfect to taste.

• 1 tbsp spring onion/ chives, chopped
• Optional: place lime wedge into extra sambal

It is really good when it is fresh out of the wok, smoky, tasty and redolent with memories. This Penang-style fried radish cake, known as Char Koay Kak, delivers that signature wok hei and umami punch that is typical of Malaysian street food. So, if you are at home cooking food or having a quick meal in a Malaysian night market, this food is not going to fail you.

Want some more dishes including radish cake? Let me know in the comments, and what you would like as a vegan version or how to make it yourself using this easy Char Koay Kak recipe.