Beef Chow Fun
Serves 2 · Prep: 20 minutes · Cook: 10 minutes · Total: about 30 minutes
Beef chow fun is the dish my grandpa always knew how to make. His beef was tender, the noodles stayed in one piece, and nothing came out wet or clumpy.
At home, I'm mostly trying to get close: hot pan, dry noodles, beef cooked first, sprouts and scallions at the end. You won't get full restaurant wok hei, but you can still get the noodles to taste fried instead of steamed.
Ingredients
Beef
- 8 oz flank steak, sirloin, or ribeye, thinly sliced against the grain
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda (optional)
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil
Noodles
- 1 lb fresh wide rice noodles
- 2 to 3 tablespoons neutral oil
- ½ small onion, sliced
- 2 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1½ cups bean sprouts
- 1 garlic clove, minced (optional)
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
Instructions
- 1
Marinate the beef
Mix the beef with light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, sugar, baking soda if using, and oil. Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes.
- 2
Mix the sauce
Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
- 3
Loosen the noodles
Loosen the rice noodles with your hands. If they are cold or stiff, microwave them for 30 to 60 seconds until they separate more easily. Do not soak fresh rice noodles unless the package tells you to.
- 4
Sear the beef
Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Add the beef in a single layer and sear until mostly cooked, about 60 to 90 seconds. Remove it from the pan.
- 5
Start the noodles
Add another tablespoon of oil. Add the onion and cook for 30 seconds. Add the garlic if using, then add the rice noodles.
- 6
Sauce the noodles
Spread the noodles out and let them sit against the hot pan for a few seconds before tossing. Add the sauce around the edges of the pan, then toss gently so the noodles get coated without breaking too much.
- 7
Add beef and vegetables
Add the beef back in. Add the bean sprouts and scallions. Toss for another 30 to 60 seconds, just until the sprouts start to soften but still have crunch.
- 8
Serve
Serve immediately. Chow fun does not improve by sitting around.
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