Beef Chow Fun (Gān Chǎo Niú Hé 干炒牛河)
This classic Cantonese dish combines silky wide rice noodles (hé fěn 河粉) with juicy slices of beef, wok-fried over high heat.
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 200 g beef about 7 oz, flank steak or sirloin
- 200 g wide rice noodles (hé fěn) about 7 oz, fresh or dried
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- ½ onion sliced
- 50 g mung bean sprouts about 1 cup
- 2 scallions cut into 4 cm (1½-inch) pieces
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp water for the marinade
- pinch of salt and white pepper
Instructions
- Slice the beef against the grain into 3 mm (⅛-inch) thick slices and place in a small bowl.
- Mix the beef with 1 teaspoon of the light soy sauce, the cornstarch, salt, white pepper and 1 tablespoon of water (or stock). Let it rest for 20–30 minutes.
- If using dried noodles, soak them in warm water according to the package directions. Fresh noodles just need to be gently separated.
- Heat the wok over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and quickly sear the beef until browned. Remove from the wok.
- Add another tablespoon of oil to the wok and fry the garlic and onion, then add the noodles, the remaining light soy sauce, the dark soy sauce and the sugar. Toss quickly.
- Return the beef to the wok and add the bean sprouts and scallions. Toss and stir-fry until everything is well combined.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
To make slicing the beef easier, put it in the freezer for a little while so it firms up without freezing solid. It will slice much more cleanly.
Fresh wide rice noodles (often labeled "ho fun" or "chow fun noodles") are sold in the refrigerated section of Asian grocery stores. Dried flat rice noodles work too.