Easy Takeout-Style Beef Chow Fun

Ingredients

• 300 g wide rice noodles (ho fun) (fresh preferred; pulled apart if stuck together)
• 4 oz beef (flank, skirt, sirloin, or chuck; thinly sliced against the grain)
• 0.25 tsp baking soda (for beef marinade)
• 0.5 tsp sugar (for beef marinade)
• 0.5 tbsp soy sauce (for beef marinade)
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce (for beef marinade)
• 1 tsp cornstarch (for beef marinade)
• 1 tbsp water (for beef marinade)
• 0.5 tbsp oil (to seal beef marinade)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (for noodle seasoning)
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce (for noodle seasoning)
• green onions (whites and greens separated and cut)
• mung bean sprouts (a handful)
• 3 tbsp oil (divided for stir-frying)

Steps

1. 1

   Slice the beef thinly against the grain. Soak the sliced beef in water for 5 minutes to remove excess blood, then drain and pat dry.

2. 2

   In a bowl, combine the beef with 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp dark soy, 1 tsp cornstarch, and 1 tbsp water. Massage the mixture into the beef until all liquid is absorbed.

3. 3

   Seal the marinated beef with 1/2 tbsp oil and set aside to tenderize.

4. 4

   Prepare the vegetables by cutting the green onions and separating the white parts from the green parts.

5. 5

   If using fresh rice noodles that are stuck together, carefully pull them apart into individual strands.

6. 6

   In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tsp dark soy sauce. Pour this mixture over the noodles and toss gently to coat before stir-frying; this prevents the noodles from breaking later.

7. 7

   Heat a generous amount of oil in a non-stick pan or wok over high heat. Add the beef and cook just until the color changes. Remove the beef and drain the excess oil.

8. 8

   In the same pan, stir-fry the white parts of the green onions until fragrant. Add the green parts and the mung bean sprouts and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Remove the vegetables from the pan.

9. 9

   Clean the pan and add more oil. Over medium heat, add the rice noodles in a single layer. Let them sit undisturbed for 30 seconds on each side to develop a charred exterior.

10. 10

    Increase the heat and toss the noodles to develop 'wok hei' (breath of the wok).

11. 11

    Return the cooked beef and vegetables to the pan. Use chopsticks to gently mix everything together until well combined and heated through.

Notes

Pro tip: Mixing the soy sauce into the noodles before they hit the pan is the best way to ensure even color without overworking and breaking the delicate rice noodles. Slicing the beef against the grain is essential for tenderness.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• dinner
• stir-fry
• Chinese
• noodles
• beef
• takeout-style