Beef stir fry with flat rice noodles

Beef stir fry with flat rice noodles (Beef Ho Fun) (乾炒牛河) is a dish that you will find in many Cantonese restaurants and food stalls (dai pai dong) in Hong Kong. It looks simple, but a real test for many chefs. I am often disappointed by how it is made in restaurants. They tenderise the beef with baking soda which changes the flavour and texture of the meat, and the noodles are often drowned in oil.

An important factor is wok hei (鑊氣) which means wok energy or more poetically, the “breath of wok”. This is achieved by cooking over intense heat which produces the unique umami flavour. You don’t need a lot of oil to prevent the noodles from getting stuck to the wok. The intense heat, together with quick tossing and flipping the noodles in the wok, will minimise such risk. The cooking technique is called “pow wok”, which is achieved by holding onto the wok handle, lifting it off the flame and flipping the food. Marinating the beef with a little bit of water and oil will make the meat velvety and moist. This is far better than tenderising it with baking soda. I also suggest infusing the cooking oil with ginger. This will significantly enhance the flavour, although many chefs have forgotten about this crucial step. 

Traditionally, yellow chives are often added to this dish. This is difficult to find in the UK, but if you can, add a handful together with the beansprouts during cooking.

Beef stir fry with flat rice noodles (乾炒牛河)

Print

Serves: 2 Prep Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes 15 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 300g skirt or ribeye steak, sliced across the grain
• 250g fresh flat rice noodles (Ho Fun) (or 200g dried flat rice noodles, cooked as per packet instructions, cooled under running water, drained and coated with a little oil)
• 4 tbsp groundnut oil
• 1.5 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1.5 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp roasted sesame oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• 5g fine julienne ginger.
• 150g beansprouts
• 2 spring onions, cut into long sections, split lengthwise

For the marinade:

• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1.5 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp potato starch or cornstarch
• 2 tsp water
• 2 tsp groundnut oil

Instructions

1. Mix the beef with the marinade ingredients. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.
2. Heat a wok under high heat and add 2 tbsp of the groundnut oil. Stir fry the beef slices for 1-2 minutes until it is slightly browned but still with a hint of pink. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Clean the wok.
3. Combine the light and dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar and roasted sesame oil in a bowl, and set aside.
4. Heat the wok and add the remaining 2 tbsp of oil. Turn the heat to the highest possible. When the oil begins to smoke, add the ginger. Fry until it is fragrant. Add the noodles, toss with the fragrant oil, and stir fry for a few mins using the pow wok technique. Use a wok spatula or a pair of chopsticks to further mix the noodles, but take care not to break them up.
5. Add the beansprouts and cook until it starts to become soft. Then add the beef, spring onion and the soy mixture. Continue the pow wok actions and the mixing (with the spatula or chopsticks) until the noodles and the meat are evenly coated with the sauce.