Wok Star Eleanor Hoh

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How to make Malaysian Street Food, Char Kuey Teow in your Wok!

By 8 Comments

If you love Asian food, Char Kuey Teow, a famous and very popular Malaysian street food is heavenly. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll crave it and dream about it.  Its heady aroma, spicy complex flavors and textures are downright addictive. It doesn’t matter how many times you eat it, you’ll want MORE, it’s that good.
My mom used to make Char Kuey Teow on special occasions and it became one of my family’s all time favorite dishes. Today is one of those special occasions because it would have been my mom’s 90th and I wouldn’t be teaching wok cooking if it weren’t for her!
kueyteow-wok-fry
I didn’t make the Char Kuey Teow in this post, I was acting as sous chef for my sister so I could watch, take photos, shoot videos and learn all the secrets to share with you!  It’s a lot of work but with 3 sisters prepping, it’s not as intimidating, so invite your family and friends to lessen the load, it’s always much more fun cooking together.
If you follow these tips, you’ll get a better chance of success! It’s the same approach I teach in wok cooking…
1. use good, fresh ingredients
2. use a well seasoned, lightweight cast iron wok for better wok hei (high heat) Otherwise, a cast iron skillet but definitely NOT nonstick because it can’t withstand high heat required to make this dish!
3. high heat is ESSENTIAL, preferably gas not electric…
– so the noodles don’t stick and get all goopy
– to get that wonderful umami flavor when soy sauce hits the heat
4. Make small batches, the smaller the better the results. In Penang, they make enough for only one person at a time and it’s perfect every time!
Visit Char Kuey Teow Pork Jerky for tips and substitutions which are all part of being a Wok Star and my mom would have approved, she used to do that too and no one was the wiser. Make Char Kuey Teow your memory anchor for good times and I would love to hear how your dish turns out?
Char Kuey Teow was a perfect fit for this month’s Let’s Lunch theme for a summer dish from our childhood memories.  Whenever I eat this dish, all my childhood memories start flooding back, like my family at the beach or at a picnic and having a fantastic time.  But my best and favorite memory is of cooking with my sisters and mom, giggling and having a blast!
Let’s Lunch is a monthly virtual gathering of foodies from all over the world and take turns hosting with a theme. Anyone can join, just use #letslunch on twitter and someone will reach out to you or leave a comment below. Check out other Let’s Lunchers’ posts, they’re always an interesting read…
Betty Ann‘s Suam Na Mais (Corn Soup with Shrimp and Spinach) at Asian in America
Eleanor‘s Mom’s Malaysian Char Kuey Teow at Wok Star
Grace‘s Mung Bean Popsicles at HapaMama
Karen‘s Watermelon Salt Water Taffy at GeoFooding
Linda‘s Auntie Number One’s Fresh Peach Ice-Cream at Spicebox Travels
Lisa‘s Aunty Myrna’s Cabbage Rolls at Monday Morning Cooking Club

1. Prep of Kuey Teow ingredients, top left to right: blanched rappini (sub for choy sum), 4 eggs, bean sprouts, ready fried shrimp, scallions, chopped garlic, diced red chilies, dried chili flakes,
1. Prep of Kuey Teow ingredients, top left to right: blanched rappini (sub for choy sum), 4 eggs, bean sprouts, ready fried shrimp, scallions, chopped garlic, diced red chilies, dried chili flakes. If you can get Chinese pork sausage, slice thin and fry on medium heat to render the fat and soften the pork.
2. Lightly cook wide and thin dried rice noodles, should be al dente. Dry well with dish towels. But best is to use fresh noodles.
2. Lightly cook wide and thin dried rice noodles, should be al dente. Dry well with dish towels. Best is to use fresh rice noodles, just separate each strand so it doesn’t goop up.
3. Lightly stir fry bean sprouts, scallions and rappini.
3. Lightly stir fry bean sprouts, scallions and rappini (typically choy sum but you can omit and will be fine) Notice nice patina of my sister’s cast iron wok, same as mine. She had a gas stove and I got her to use the smaller burner which focuses heat at base of her wok and resulted in much better heat distribution.
4. Lightly stir fry shrimp with garlic.
4. Lightly stir fry shrimp with garlic and chilies.
5. Fry chilies and garlic, then add in one portion of rice noodles.
5. Fry chilies and garlic, then add in one portion of rice noodles.
6. Add in bean sprouts, shrimp to noodles and combine. This is when you taste and add your dark soy and little salt so it's not too dark. Test for spiciness. Push your noodles to one side and fry some chilies in wok first before recombining.
6. Add in 1/2 of bean sprouts and shrimp to noodles and combine. This is when you taste and add your dark soy and little salt so it’s not too dark. Test for spiciness. Push your noodles to one side and fry more chilies in wok first before recombining noodles.
7. Push noodles to one side and add drop 2 eggs into wok, cover the eggs with noodles to cook them a bit. Then frantically start stir frying everything so the eggs get to cook through into yummy chunks and coat the noodles.
7. Push noodles to one side and drop 2 eggs (1 egg per person) into wok, cover the eggs with noodles to cook them a bit. Then frantically start stir frying everything so the eggs get to cook through into yummy chunks and coat the noodles.  Do the whole process with the other portion and cook it fresh to eat immediately.
Ta Da! Mom would be proud of my sister's masterpiece!
Ta Da! Mom would be proud of my sister’s masterpiece!
EleanorHoh-Mom-kids-waterfallEleanorHoh-mom-beachEleanorHoh-Dad-kids
 
 
 
 

How to make Malaysian Street Food, Char Kuey Teow in your Wok!

By 8 Comments

If you love Asian food, Char Kuey Teow, a famous and very popular Malaysian street food is heavenly. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll crave it and dream about it.  Its heady aroma, spicy complex flavors and textures are downright addictive. It doesn’t matter how many times you eat it, you’ll want MORE, it’s that good.
My mom used to make Char Kuey Teow on special occasions and it became one of my family’s all time favorite dishes. Today is one of those special occasions because it would have been my mom’s 90th and I wouldn’t be teaching wok cooking if it weren’t for her!
kueyteow-wok-fry
I didn’t make the Char Kuey Teow in this post, I was acting as sous chef for my sister so I could watch, take photos, shoot videos and learn all the secrets to share with you!  It’s a lot of work but with 3 sisters prepping, it’s not as intimidating, so invite your family and friends to lessen the load, it’s always much more fun cooking together.
If you follow these tips, you’ll get a better chance of success! It’s the same approach I teach in wok cooking…
1. use good, fresh ingredients
2. use a well seasoned, lightweight cast iron wok for better wok hei (high heat) Otherwise, a cast iron skillet but definitely NOT nonstick because it can’t withstand high heat required to make this dish!
3. high heat is ESSENTIAL, preferably gas not electric…
– so the noodles don’t stick and get all goopy
– to get that wonderful umami flavor when soy sauce hits the heat
4. Make small batches, the smaller the better the results. In Penang, they make enough for only one person at a time and it’s perfect every time!
Visit Char Kuey Teow Pork Jerky for tips and substitutions which are all part of being a Wok Star and my mom would have approved, she used to do that too and no one was the wiser. Make Char Kuey Teow your memory anchor for good times and I would love to hear how your dish turns out?
Char Kuey Teow was a perfect fit for this month’s Let’s Lunch theme for a summer dish from our childhood memories.  Whenever I eat this dish, all my childhood memories start flooding back, like my family at the beach or at a picnic and having a fantastic time.  But my best and favorite memory is of cooking with my sisters and mom, giggling and having a blast!
Let’s Lunch is a monthly virtual gathering of foodies from all over the world and take turns hosting with a theme. Anyone can join, just use #letslunch on twitter and someone will reach out to you or leave a comment below. Check out other Let’s Lunchers’ posts, they’re always an interesting read…
Betty Ann‘s Suam Na Mais (Corn Soup with Shrimp and Spinach) at Asian in America
Eleanor‘s Mom’s Malaysian Char Kuey Teow at Wok Star
Grace‘s Mung Bean Popsicles at HapaMama
Karen‘s Watermelon Salt Water Taffy at GeoFooding
Linda‘s Auntie Number One’s Fresh Peach Ice-Cream at Spicebox Travels
Lisa‘s Aunty Myrna’s Cabbage Rolls at Monday Morning Cooking Club

1. Prep of Kuey Teow ingredients, top left to right: blanched rappini (sub for choy sum), 4 eggs, bean sprouts, ready fried shrimp, scallions, chopped garlic, diced red chilies, dried chili flakes,
1. Prep of Kuey Teow ingredients, top left to right: blanched rappini (sub for choy sum), 4 eggs, bean sprouts, ready fried shrimp, scallions, chopped garlic, diced red chilies, dried chili flakes. If you can get Chinese pork sausage, slice thin and fry on medium heat to render the fat and soften the pork.
2. Lightly cook wide and thin dried rice noodles, should be al dente. Dry well with dish towels. But best is to use fresh noodles.
2. Lightly cook wide and thin dried rice noodles, should be al dente. Dry well with dish towels. Best is to use fresh rice noodles, just separate each strand so it doesn’t goop up.
3. Lightly stir fry bean sprouts, scallions and rappini.
3. Lightly stir fry bean sprouts, scallions and rappini (typically choy sum but you can omit and will be fine) Notice nice patina of my sister’s cast iron wok, same as mine. She had a gas stove and I got her to use the smaller burner which focuses heat at base of her wok and resulted in much better heat distribution.
4. Lightly stir fry shrimp with garlic.
4. Lightly stir fry shrimp with garlic and chilies.
5. Fry chilies and garlic, then add in one portion of rice noodles.
5. Fry chilies and garlic, then add in one portion of rice noodles.
6. Add in bean sprouts, shrimp to noodles and combine. This is when you taste and add your dark soy and little salt so it's not too dark. Test for spiciness. Push your noodles to one side and fry some chilies in wok first before recombining.
6. Add in 1/2 of bean sprouts and shrimp to noodles and combine. This is when you taste and add your dark soy and little salt so it’s not too dark. Test for spiciness. Push your noodles to one side and fry more chilies in wok first before recombining noodles.
7. Push noodles to one side and add drop 2 eggs into wok, cover the eggs with noodles to cook them a bit. Then frantically start stir frying everything so the eggs get to cook through into yummy chunks and coat the noodles.
7. Push noodles to one side and drop 2 eggs (1 egg per person) into wok, cover the eggs with noodles to cook them a bit. Then frantically start stir frying everything so the eggs get to cook through into yummy chunks and coat the noodles.  Do the whole process with the other portion and cook it fresh to eat immediately.
Ta Da! Mom would be proud of my sister's masterpiece!
Ta Da! Mom would be proud of my sister’s masterpiece!
EleanorHoh-Mom-kids-waterfallEleanorHoh-mom-beachEleanorHoh-Dad-kids
 
 
 
 

How blogs can help you be a Wok Star!

By 47 Comments

BelleLive-Blogtour
One of the things I’ve always struggled with is providing content to support my customers who are new Wok Stars and reach potential Wok Stars!  For some reason, I always thought I should be blogging about just food and provide my customers with lots of meal ideas because I don’t teach ‘recipes’.

Well, these thoughts were banished when I watched Creative Live’s Build a Successful Creative Blog with April Bowles-Olin!  
The biggest takeaway from April’s course was…
Blog about the topic you are an expert in, that’s what your audience want and expect from you.
April helped me open my eyes to blogging more than just about cooking in a wok but to focus on solutions why folks have not succeeded in wok cooking or offering tips how to succeed in wok cooking through reading my blogs!
Crafting titles to attract the right audience is the most important element to blogging, and this is something I must learn and fast!

I love helping people solve problems, so after April’s course, I posted a blog describing how folks who’ve used the wrong wok and stove were never successful until they bought my Kit and Stove and are now Cast Iron Wok Converts!
Providing tips for Easy Wok Dinner and eating healthier is also a popular topic!
Sharing tips about woks
Dispelling misinformation by so called ‘experts’, a subject that irks me something rotten and itching to blog about!
and the list goes on and on.
My problem has always been how to manage all this because it’s overwhelming.  April provided us with a clear procedure. It’s what I teach people about wok cooking and should apply to myself!  Thank you so much April.
And when I flounder with blogging topics, I have to keep reminding myself that when I provide content that helps people make decisions, they become your avid fans!
Buyers always tell me that the content and solutions I provide were what helped them decide to buy from me.  Now, if I can entice more folks to visit my blog, I believe they will understand a little more that what I provide in my Wok Star Kit Bundle will help them be successful Wok Stars!

Click this tweet!

My Wok Star Kit Bundle with everything to help you succeed: right wok, gas stove, good knife and seasonings!

I’ll leave you with some very touching comments from Wok Stars!…
“Wonderful website…Brilliant business plan, instructional approach (Zen easy-style)…my dear EH…I am profoundly impressed by your digital entrepreneurship and the intelligence of your website!!! I am SO happy to have found you…” Ralph A.
“I like your style of wok cooking because it has a healthy fresh spin on cooking.
Also you make it fun and easy! I will also join your newsletter and be one of your Wok Stars! Thanks,” Billy
“Wok so much…can’t tell you enough how much you have changed my eating habits and inspired so much enjoyment for cooking. :)” Dr. Eric, busy OBGYN
“I picked you as your site was the most informed and you actually know what you’re talking about.  I found your site personalized and friendly as well as smart. Most sites I’ve visited I found were rubbish, no idea what they were talking about and obviously don’t use woks and or don’t believe in what they are selling.” Kind regards, Julia
“Without the knowledge you’ve shared on your site, I would’ve spent a lot of money just to get poor results because my existing equipment is inadequate.”  Brian
“I felt that when I saw your Youtube clips and reading your website.  I can see your passion in what you’re doing as that was very obvious…you are the only one that took the time and effort to put everything together and at it’s most simplest and easiest form of understanding.  So–TO ME—that is GOLD, my dear!!…YOU stand out and sets YOU far above the others when someone is really serious about eating healthy and looking at wok cooking to assist them in their journey.  So–Don’t Stop What You’re Doing!!  You are the WOK STAR in my book!!” Holly
“With your kit and the butane stove, we’ve got the perfect setup now.  I just wish I hadn’t wasted all that money before finding your kit and stove!”  Thanks so much!”  Joe & Cristina
“Your kit is thoughtfully put together, with the selling points for me being the organization and ease. I am looking to eat healthier and have fun, I think you made that happen for me.” Daniel
“I love that you take the time to explain why you are so insistent about recommending a very specific product. In general, I respond to real people who are passionate about what they do.  When I saw your website, I knew I wanted to support you.”  Nathan
 
This post is a part of the “What ‪#‎BelleLive‬ Taught Me” blog tour. In order to continue your journey, visit Kris Windley’s, Blogging is a Team Sport: How to Build Community Online – and Why You Have to
and Laura Kuenzig’s, Done is better than perfect
or for a full list of participants please visit Jo Cavagnis, It’s All About You