Beef chow fun is one of the best-loved noodle dishes in Cantonese cuisine, served at both high-end restaurants and hole-in-the-wall spots. Unlike many other Chinese noodle dishes, it incorporates the technique of dry stir-frying, which means that no stocks or sauces are used other than a small amount of soy sauce and oyster sauce. In this dish, the beef and noodles develop a lightly caramelized flavor from the pan searing. Bigger Chinatowns usually have specialty noodle and tofu shops that make wide rice noodles fresh every day. It’s best to use them the same day you buy them. If you can’t find fresh wide rice noodles, use dried wide rice noodles and follow the soaking instructions on the packaging.
Ingredients
marinade
- 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ pound flank steak, cut against the grain into ¼-inch-thick
- slices
- seasoning
- 3 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon fermented black beans
- 1 pound wide fresh rice noodles or 12 ounces wide dried rice
- noodles
- 3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- 3 scallions, julienned
- 4 ounces (about 2 cups) fresh bean sprouts
- Freshly ground black pepper
How to Make It
- Marinate the beef: In a medium bowl, stir together the rice wine, soy sauce, and cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved. Add the flank steak and stir gently to coat. Allow the beef to marinate at room temperature while you prepare the other ingredients.
- . Prepare the seasoning: In a small bowl, stir together the the rice wine, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, rinse the fermented black beans with water to remove any grit. Mash them with the back of a spoon.
- If your fresh noodles are still in a sheet and not precut, slice them into ½-inch-wide strips. If you’re using dried noodles, soak them according to the package instructions.
- eat a wok or large skillet over high heat until a bead of water sizzles and evaporates on contact. Add 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry until just fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add the beef and allow it to sear on one side undisturbed for about 1 minute. Add the black beans. Stir-fry for about another minute until the beef is brown on the outside but not yet cooked through. Transfer everything to a plate and set aside. Wipe out any stray bits of garlic or black beans in the wok with a paper towel.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and swirl to coat the bottom again. Spread the noodles in the wok in one layer and allow to cook over high heat undisturbed for 1 minute, until the edges of the noodles begin to crisp. Add the scallions and bean sprouts and stir-fry for about another minute, until they begin to wilt. Return the beef to the wok and pour in the seasoning mixture. Stir-fry for about 1 minute, making sure the beef and noodles are evenly coated with seasoning. Add pepper to taste. Transfer to a plate and serve.
