By Ali Slagle
Updated Oct. 13, 2023
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 50 minutes
- Rating
- 4(172)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Chewy, caramelized, slightly charred noodles are the star of beef chow fun, the Cantonese classic. (“Chow” means “stir-fry” and “fun” means “rice noodles.”) Scorching wide, springy rice noodles on a very hot surface achieves something similar to wok hei, the smoky savoriness that is the signature of wok stir-fries. The dish’s history is not certain, but according to “The Wok” by J. Kenji López-Alt (W. W. Norton & Company, 2022), some believe it originated at a food stall in Guangzhou (then Canton), China, during the Japanese occupation in the late 1930s and early 1940s. A Japanese military commander ordered hor fun noodles, but the stall was out of the starch needed to make the gravy. The cook improvised, stir-frying the beef and noodles with a thin, savory soy sauce until it was absorbed. It was so good that it stood the test of time.
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- 8ounces dried wide rice noodles (for fresh noodles, see Tip 1)
- 1teaspoon cornstarch
- 1teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine or dry Sherry
- 1tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
- ¼teaspoon baking soda (optional, for more tender meat)
- 8ounces skirt or flank steak
- 1tablespoon dark soy sauce (for substitute, see Tip 2)
- 2tablespoons neutral oil, such as peanut or rice bran
- 1small yellow or white onion, thinly sliced
- 3 to 4ounces mung bean sprouts
- 3scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Salt and ground white pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
359 calories; 7 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 54 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 18 grams protein; 730 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Place noodles in a large bowl and cover with hot tap water. Drain and replace with more hot tap water every 10 minutes until the noodles are white, limp and partially tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Gently separate any noodles that stick together as you go. Drain and set aside.
Step
2
In a medium bowl, stir together the cornstarch, sesame oil, 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine, 1 teaspoon soy sauce and the baking soda, if using. Cut the steak lengthwise (with the grain) into 2-inch-thick pieces, then thinly slice each piece against the grain. (If you’re having trouble getting the steak thin enough, freeze the meat for 10 to 15 minutes to firm slightly.) Add the steak to the marinade and let sit for at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours.
Step
3
In a small bowl, make the sauce by stirring together the dark soy sauce, remaining 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon water.
Step
4
Heat a 14-inch wok or well-seasoned 12-inch cast-iron skillet over high heat until smoking. Swirl in 1 tablespoon of the neutral oil. Add the steak in a single layer, leaving any excess marinade in the bowl. Cook, undisturbed, until browned underneath, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir-fry until no longer pink, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate.
Step
5
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and onion and stir-fry until the onion is crisp-tender and charred in spots, 1 minute. Add the noodles, toss to combine and spread into an even layer. Cook, undisturbed, until the noodles are crusty and slightly charred underneath, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the bean sprouts, scallions and garlic. Return the beef and any of its juices to the wok. Pour the sauce around the perimeter of the noodles. Stir-fry until the beef is cooked, the sauce is dry and the noodles are starting to sizzle, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
- This recipe also works with 12 ounces fresh hor fun noodles, which are available at Asian groceries. If they are refrigerated and stiff, after Step 3, sprinkle the noodles with 1 teaspoon of water and microwave in 30-second intervals until softer, 1½ to 2 minutes. Slice 1-inch long if necessary. Gently separate and toss with neutral oil until ready to use. If your noodles are soft, slice 1-inch long if necessary and add them to the wok in Step 5.
- Dark soy sauce is sweeter, thicker and richer than regular soy sauce and is available at Asian groceries. To replicate dark soy sauce, combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce with 1 teaspoon molasses.
Ratings
4
out of 5
172
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Cooking Notes
Robin
Equally good with chicken or pork. Haven’t tried tofu but it would probably work too.
Aaron
I doubled the meat, marinade, and sauce, although for two, the original amount would be fine. Things went off the rails with the noodles, which never crisped, just turned to mush. Otherwise, it’s a tasty dish that would serve as a good base for additional veggies, other meats/proteins, and hot chilis or sauces.
RobinC
I thought this was very good, but not quite flavorful enough. Next time I plan to double the sauce and use more beef and bean sprouts. 8 ounces of steak is not enough for 4 servings.I used flap meat (less expensive than flank steak here) and the marinade made it very tender. Also could not find wide rice noodles anywhere so used Italian pappardelle wide noodles instead. Pappardelle was good and held up well when reheating leftovers a few days later which rice noodles do not (they dissolve).
Carol Johnson
oooooooh... you had me at toasted sesame oil!Yummy beef. mmmmmm.
Tabby
I added a bell pepper to the onions and a little white pepper at the end, per suggestion from the comments. Very good! Great, easy, fun!
Andrea
This is a solid, weeknight dinner. I added a red pepper and jalapeño to the veggies, and added chili oil, rice vinegar, white pepper, and red pepper flakes to the sauce. Turned out great!
Neeta
There was not enough marinade for the steak and I didn't find that it had flavor either. I added a lot of siracha at the end.I also had trouble with the noodles. I drained them, but they had a lot of water in them. At Step 5 combining all the ingredients, basically, the noodles turned into mush. I also added broccoli at the very end which helped the dish.
Rachel
I followed the recipe precisely, and I found that it had no flavor. My husband applied a lot of chili oil just to make it through dinner. I will not make this version again.
SuchA Fan
Stellar… the marinade (2hrs) made the meat spoon-tender. White pepper makes this pop. Just added a little bit of habaneros for fire and for the plate drizzled some of the Sriracha-syrup I had left over from the Kimchi-omelette the other day. So good! Ate so much I can hardly walk… Oh- and didn’t have dark soy sauce or molasses so used soy sauce plus some sugar, was fine.. Thanks!
bippitybop
Splashed it with rice vinegar at the end. Broccoli would have been nice cut very slender. Keeping the noodles separate was hard, especially if you're marinate takes longer than the noodle soak. It's a beautiful dark color, just some veggies in tiny size (I didn't add them - I speculate) and acid at the end. Easy because all steps can be easily prepped. If the recipe appeals to you as yiu read it, you'll like.
Robin
Equally good with chicken or pork. Haven’t tried tofu but it would probably work too.
George C
Is dark soy sauce the same as black or double black soy sauce?
Laura
Cannot find link to ratings.
Beth K
Would this dish work well with any other meat, or ideally with no meat (tofu, tempeh, etc?)
Deb Z
Use vegan meat. Wicked Kitchen has a great vegan "beef" roast. Excellent.
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