Malaysian Hokkien Mee

Dark, rich, and glossy – this Malaysian Hokkien Mee is the noodle dish of your dreams! Malaysian Hokkien Mee is a flavorful noodle dish that is rich, savoury, and incredibly satisfying… my rendition is quick and easy and is bound to be a new weekday rotation in your home.

In this version, I’ve swapped out the traditional pork belly for succulent chicken thighs, making it a versatile and delightful option for everyone.

Malaysian Hokkien Mee vs Singapore Hokkien Mee

Malaysian Hokkien Mee is a noodle dish cooked in a rich, dark soy sauce and typically features thick yellow noodles, a variety of meats, and leafy greens. This dish is known for its dark glossy colour, and savoury and slightly sweet flavour. On the other hand, there’s Singapore Hokkien Mee. Though both versions share a name, they are both very different!

The main difference is in the sauces used. Malaysian Hokkien Mee relies heavily on dark soy sauce, giving it a rich and caramelised flavour. Singapore Hokkien Mee uses no dark soy sauce at all and uses seafood (often prawn) based broth as its main flavouring agent, giving it a much lighter look. As such, the flavour greatly differs too. The Malaysian version has a salty, slightly sweet fatty flavour, while Singapore Hokkien Mee has a pronounced seafood umami taste.

In terms of the proteins, vegetables, and noodles used – they are often the same, but with very slight differences in which ingredient is featured in the dish.

In both variations, pork belly is used as a protein to give that richness. However, variations without pork are prominent throughout Malaysia; it is a predominantly Muslim country! In this recipe, I use chicken thighs to give it that fatty flavour. If you want to use pork belly, feel free to; the steps are exactly the same.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Rich Flavour: The dark soy sauce brings a deep, savory, and slightly sweet flavour.
• Versatile: Easily adaptable to different proteins or even vegetarian versions.
• Quick and Easy: Perfect for a weeknight dinner.
• Comforting: A true comfort food with hearty noodles and delicious sauce.
• Customizable: Add your favorite vegetables or proteins to make it your own.

Key Ingredients: Malaysian Hokkien Mee

• Thick Yellow Noodles: This is also known as Hokkien Mee! The backbone of this dish absorbs all the wonderful flavors. The fresh ones are available here very easily. As good practice, I always give the noodles a quick rinse, just to remove as much of the oil coating as possible. Fresh versions are highly recommended, but if you can only find dried noodles, these will work. I recommend cooking to al dente to avoid sogginess later on.
• Chicken Thighs: Preferably with fat and skin on! Juicy and tender, a perfect substitute for pork belly. That said, if you want to keep this on the healthier side, you can use chicken breast. It will not be as rich as this recipe, but it’s still delicious!
• Dark Soy Sauce: For that signature rich, caramelized flavor! This is a thick, savoury, and slightly sweet sauce.
• Kicap Manis (kecap manis): To add an extra layer of flavour and depth, I add kicap manis! This is also a soy-sauce-based sauce that is very similar to dark soy sauce, except it’s runnier, sweeter than dark soy sauce.
• Prawn and Fish Cake: Optional, but traditional additions that add depth to the dish.
• Garlic and Shallots: Essential aromatics to enhance the taste.
• Vegetables: For a well-rounded dish with freshness, add your vegetable of choice. Kailan or Chinese Broccoli is traditionally used, but feel free to replace it with your Asian green of choice. I like to add other vegetables; in this recipe, I added beansprouts to the dish… Beansprouts and Hokkien noodles just go great together!

Key Steps to Making Malaysian Hokkien Mee

1. Prepare Ingredients:

• Mince the garlic, slice the onion, slice the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces, peel and devein the prawns, and prepare the vegetables.
• In a small bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients: dark soy sauce, kecap manis, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch, and water. Stir well to dissolve the cornstarch and set aside.
• Prepare the noodles by rinsing off the fresh noodles under water to separate them and remove the coating of oil. If using dried noodles, cook according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
• Make sure to have all of your ingredients ready and prepped before starting the stir fry process – it’s a quick one!

2. Stir-Fry Proteins

• Place wok or pan over medium heat. Once hot, add oil and the chicken thighs (or pork belly). Spread in the wok or pan, and let the chicken cook through, and the oils rendered.
• Add prawns next, and stir fry for 1 minute, or just until the surface is orange.

3. Add Aromatics

• Add the sliced onions and minced garlic, and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

4. Combine Noodles, Sauce and Vegetables

• Add the cooked yellow egg noodles to the wok, and pour in the prepared Hokkien Mee sauce.
• Add the chopped bok choy and bean sprouts to the wok. Stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes until the vegetables are tender but still crisp.

• Toss everything together for 2-3 minutes to ensure the noodles and ingredients are well coated with the sauce. The sauce would also have thickened slightly.

4. Serve:

• Transfer the Malaysian Hokkien Mee to a serving platter or individual bowls.
• Garnish with spring onions, a wedge of lime, and a dollop of sambal.
• Enjoy your delicious Malaysian Hokkien Mee hot and fresh!

How to Serve

Serve your Malaysian Hokkien Mee hot, straight from the wok.

Garnish with fresh green onions, a wedge of lime, and if you like a bit of heat, a dollop of sambal.

There you have it! Malaysian Hokkien Mee with a delicious twist using chicken thighs. This dish is sure to win over your taste buds with its rich flavors and comforting appeal. Happy cooking!