Beef Chow Fun 干炒牛河
Beef Chow Fun is a classic Cantonese stir-fried noodle dish made with tender beef, fresh rice noodles, crunchy bean sprouts, and savory soy sauce. With this recipe you can recreate the flavor at home—no fancy wok skills or restaurant burner needed!
Equipment
- 1 Non-stick pan
Ingredients
- 300 g rice noodles ho fun/shahe fen – use the wide, fresh kind made for stir-frying (*see note)
- 114 g 4 oz beef – Preferably flank steak or skirt steak, but sirloin, tenderloin, or chuck also work. Thinly Sliced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce for noodles – increase to 1.5 tbsp or add salt later if needed
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce for noodles
- 3 tbsp oil for stir-frying
- 1 stalk green onion separate white and green parts
- 1 handful mung bean sprouts
Beef Marinade:
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp water
- ½ tbsp neutral oil
Instructions
Prep the Beef
- Thinly slice beef against the grain. Soak slices in water for 5 minutes to remove excess blood, then drain. Mix with baking soda, sugar, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cornstarch and water. Massage until beef absorbs all the liquid. At oil at the end to seal the moisture. Marinate for 10 minutes.
Prep the Veggies
- Cut the green onions, keeping the white and green parts separate. Trim both ends of the mung bean sprouts if you want that clean, refined look you see in Cantonese restaurants.
Prep the Noodles
- Gently pull apart the rice noodles (take your time with this if they’re sticking). You can warm them up in the microwave in 30-second intervals to soften them, which makes separating much easier. Mix the noodles with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce.
Cook the Beef
- In a non-stick pan, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add marinated beef, cook just until it changes color (1–2 mins). Drain excess oil and set beef aside.
Stir-Fry the Veggies
- In the same pan, add a bit more oil if needed. Toss in the white part of green onion, sauté 15 seconds. Add the green part and bean sprouts, stir-fry 30 seconds. Remove and set aside.
Pan-Fry the Noodles
- Wipe the pan with a paper towel to avoid oil splashing. Add 1 tbsp oil over medium heat. Spread noodles evenly and let sit for 30 seconds to char slightly. Gently flip with chopsticks or tongs, let it sit for another 30–60 seconds.
Combine Everything
- Add the beef and veggies back in. Toss everything together until heated through and evenly coated. Using chopsticks to toss can help prevent the noodles from breaking while still mixing everything well.
Notes
Note: If you're using soaked dried rice noodles instead of fresh ones, make sure to toss them with a bit of oil before cooking—this helps prevent them from sticking together. When stir-frying, use a little more oil than usual to keep the noodles separated and give them a nice, even sear.
