• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
    • Mission
  • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Copyright
  • Contact
  • Malaysian Chinese Kitchen
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
Malaysian Chinese Kitchen

Malaysian Chinese Kitchen

Food • Culture • Stories

  • Video Recipes
  • Web Stories
  • Recipe Index
    • Main Ingredient
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Pork
      • Fish
      • Shrimp
      • Shellfish
      • Eggs & Tofu
      • Rice
      • Noodles
      • Vegetables
  • Tutorials
  • Journal
    • Culture
    • Stories
    • Glossary
  • Ingredients
    • Beans and Seeds
    • Dips and Sauces
    • Dried Fruits
    • Dried Seafood
    • Eggs and Tofu
    • Herbs and Spices
    • Melons and Tubers
    • Noodles
    • Vegetables
Home / Courses / Breakfast & Brunch / Char Koay Kak (Fried Rice Cake)

Char Koay Kak (Fried Rice Cake)

By: 👩‍🦳 Linda · Published: 🖨 September 9, 2016 · Updated: 💻December 6, 2021 · 🗨 3 Comments

Recipe ▼

Char Koay Kak (Fried Rice Cake) is a popular Penang breakfast or supper usually served in small portions. Super tasty and easy to prepare.

Char Koay Kak (Fried Rice Cake) served with a cup of tea.

When you think of Penang food, most people will immediately shout out Char Koay Teow and that would be correct. However, Penangites will be quick to point out that it has a delicious cousin, Char Koay Kak (Fried Rice Cake). Both share similar characteristics but rice cake imparts a flavor and texture all of its own when combined with finely chopped chai poh (pickled radish).

Another distinct difference between the two is the kind of pan used. Char Koay Teow is stir fried in a wok whereas Char Koay Kak is twice cooked in a huge flat pan, about 2½ feet in diameter. The cubes of rice cake are pan fried on one side while the finished dish is stir fried on the other side.

Char Koay Kak for Breakfast or Supper

Char Koay Kak is usually served in small portions, perfect for breakfast or supper. In the morning, the travelling vendors park themselves close to the market to catch customers going in and out. Many find it convenient to grab a packet to-go as it is common practice for people to buy breakfast home. In the evenings, they move to a different part of the city to serve the supper time crowd. Supper time in Penang is 9:00pm and after.

Char Koay Kak (Fried Rice Cake) with egg. Char Koay Kak literally means fried squares of rice cake. The texture of the rice cake can range from soft to firm and springy. It is all a matter of personal preference and both types have their following.

Basic Version

This Fried Chili Paste uses only a few ingredients and is easy to prepare. The most basic version of Char Koay Kak is rice cake fried with dark soy sauce, chopped chai poh, and bean sprouts. Many people opt for the “extra” with egg. If you like it spicy, you can also request for the vendor to stir in a little chili paste. Yet others will order the “deluxe” version with shrimps. Some vendors also throw in a little kuchai (Chinese chives) for color.

Deluxe Version

Char Koay Kak (Fried Rice Cake) in wok. For my home cooked version, I decided to make the “deluxe” version with eggs, shrimps, and kuchai. I like kuchai because it has a slight garlicky fragrance. I also think it makes the dish look more attractive with some green in the mix.

Char Koay Kak (Fried Rice Cake) with shrimp.

Char Koay Kak From Scratch

If you want to make this dish from scratch, it is a three-step process. First, you need to steam your own rice cake. Second, you pan fry the steamed rice cake. Third, you stir fry the pan fried rice cake. Lucky me, I found prepackaged steamed rice cake from my local Asian market. Maybe someday I will make my own steamed rice cake but for now, I am happy I can take a little short cut. 😉 Buy or make your own, it is your choice but don’t take too long to decide. You really need to make this tasty dish ASAP!

Homemade Steamed Plain Rice Cake

Update (March 20, 2018): Due to popular request, I finally got round to making my own Steamed Plain Rice Cake and am sharing the recipe here with you.

Please click on the picture below to get to the recipe.

Make Steamed Plain Rice Cake with the perfect texture using only 3 ingredients for Char Koay Kak (Fried Rice Cake), a popular Penang street food. | MalaysianChineseKitchen.com


Similar Tools Used in Making This Char Koay Kak (Fried Rice Cake)

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy here.

Char Koay Kak (Fried Rice Cake) with shrimp.
Print Pin Rate
5 from 1 vote

Char Koay Kak (Fried Rice Cake)

Char Koay Kak (Fried Rice Cake) is a popular Penang breakfast or supper street food usually served in small portions. Easy to prepare and super tasty.
Author : Linda Ooi
Course : Main Course
Cuisine : Malaysian
Keyword : char koay kak, char kueh kak
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 718kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 1 packet rice cake (32 oz/900g)
  • 5 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 oz chai poh / pickled radish, chopped (30g)
  • 2 tsp chili paste
  • 6 oz shrimps (peeled and deveined) (170g)
  • 2 tsp sweet soy sauce
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 oz Chinese chives (cut into 1-inch lengths) (115g)
  • 8 oz bean sprouts (trimmed) (225g)

Instructions
 

  • Cut rice cake into ¾ inch cubes.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in non-stick fry pan. Pan fry cubed rice cakes until lightly brown in color, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and set aside.
  • Heat a large wok on the stove. Add remaining 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil when wok is heated. Sauté garlic, chai poh (pickled radish), and chili paste for 30 seconds.
  • Add shrimps and continue to stir fry for 1 minute.
  • Then add pan fried rice cubes, sweet soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
  • Create a well in the center of the wok. Crack in the eggs. Stir and toss rice cubes over eggs to get them coated.
  • Add Chinese chives and bean sprouts. Stir for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  • Remove and serve immediately.

Notes

Char Koay Kak is best stir fried in small batches. Ingredients may be halved to stir fry two servings at a time.

Nutrition

Calories: 718kcal
Tried this recipe?Mention @MalaysianChineseKitchen or tag #MalaysianChineseKitchen

Char Koay Kak (Fried Rice Cake) in wok.

1.1K shares

Categories: 🗂 Breakfast & Brunch, Chinese, Egg & Tofu, Rice, Shrimp, Video Recipes Tags: 📋 Malaysian Chinese

About Linda

Linda is a food writer and photographer who hails from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She now lives in Wyoming, USA. Her other blogs are Roti n Rice and Tea Tattler.

Malaysian Chinese Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Previous Post: « Kong Tau Yew Bak (Braised Pork in Soy Sauce)
Next Post: Red Bean Paste »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. A T says

    June 12, 2017 at 1:33 am

    5 stars
    How to make rice cake from scratch? Rice powder or sweet rice powder?

    Reply
  2. Patricia xavier says

    October 7, 2017 at 7:37 am

    This may should silly can I use ketupat? I live in the Netherlands and I have this ready made ketupat packs which I bought at a Asian shop. I thought of trying it.

    Reply
    • Linda says

      December 18, 2017 at 11:03 pm

      Ketupat has a different texture and consistency. It will probably fall apart when fried.

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

I can do all things through Christ
who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13

Linda and Paul

Linda and Paul inviting you to discover the world of Malaysian Chinese cuisine.
Read about us here →
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
Malaysian Chinese Kitchen

Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Copyright

© 2015–2023 · Malaysian Chinese Kitchen · All Rights Reserved