Beef chow fun is a Cantonese dish prepared by stir-frying previously marinated beef slices together with flat, wide rice noodles (hor fun), and bean sprouts. Because of the preparation method, beef chow fun is a true measure of any accomplished Cantonese chef.
Chinese Beef Chow Fun (干炒牛河 – Gàn Chǎo Niú Hé)
Course: MainCuisine: ChineseDifficulty: Medium2
servings15
minutes15
minutes484
kcal30
minutesBeef chow fun is a Cantonese dish prepared by stir-frying previously marinated beef slices together with flat, wide rice noodles (hor fun), and bean sprouts. Because of the preparation method, beef chow fun is a true measure of any accomplished Cantonese chef.
Ingredients
- Marinade
1/2 pound (226 grams) beef flank , skirt, sirloin, or tenderloin
1 tablespoon light soy sauce (*Footnote 1)
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
- Sauce
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
- Stir Fry
1 batch broccolini (or 1 small head broccoli) , tough ends removed and chopped into bite sized pieces (*Footnote 2) (Optional)
7 ounces (200 grams) wide dried rice noodles
3 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1/4 white onion , sliced
1 cup bean sprouts
4 green onions , chopped
2 teaspoons sesame oil (Optional)
Directions
- Slice beef against the grain into 1/8-inch (1/3-cm) thick pieces or 1/4-inch (1/2-cm) strips, and transfer the pieces to a small bowl. Add the light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and cornstarch. Use your hand to gently mix the beef and the added ingredients, until the beef is coated with a thin layer of the mixture. Let marinate for 15 minutes while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
- Combine all the sauce ingredients with 2 tablespoons water. Mix well and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the broccolini (or broccoli) until tender, 1 minute or so. Drain and set aside. Reserve the boiling water to cook the noodles.
- Cook or soak the rice noodles according to the instructions until cooked through, but still a bit chewy inside. Rinse rice noodles with cold water and drain. To avoid sticky rice noodles during stir fry, add 1 teaspoon sesame oil to the drained noodles. Gently toss noodles by hand to separate and evenly coat them with a thin layer of oil.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat until hot. Spread the beef slices in the skillet in a single layer. Cook until the bottom side of the beef turns golden brown, about 1 minute. Flip the beef and cook the other side until browned, but the inside is still a bit pink, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer beef to a plate immediately.
- In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and turn to medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, and onion. Stir constantly until you can smell a strong fragrance, 15 seconds.
- Toss the cooked noodles again and add them into the skillet. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil onto the noodles. Use a pair of tongs to toss the noodles with oil. If the noodles start to get sticky, swirl in 2 tablespoons water.
- Add the beef back into the skillet. Pour in the mixed sauce. Immediately use a pair of tongs to toss and mix everything.
- Add the green onion. Toss a few more times, until the sauce is absorbed by the noodles.
- Add bean sprouts and cooked broccolini back into the skillet, swirl in the sesame oil (if using), and give it a final toss. Turn off heat and transfer everything to serving plates immediately.
- Serve hot as a main.
