Beef chow enjoyable (干炒牛河) is a traditional Cantonese dish that comes from southern China and is firmly rooted in genuine Chinese language delicacies relatively than Western Chinese language takeout. It combines vast rice noodles (ho enjoyable) stir fried over excessive warmth with beef, aromatics, and a lightweight brown sauce, a method that highlights wok cooking and ingredient stability.
I created this recipe as a result of it is without doubt one of the noodle dishes I prepare dinner most frequently at dwelling and one I grew up seeing in Cantonese kitchens and eating places. I make it in about half-hour by marinating sliced beef, searing it rapidly, then stir frying rice noodles with ginger, garlic, bean sprouts, and sauce earlier than combining all the pieces collectively.
What surprises most individuals is how straightforward it’s to prepare dinner at dwelling, and it’s a good instance of the recipes you’ll discover in my Genuine Chinese language noodle recipes assortment after getting the precise elements. I hope you give this recipe a strive at dwelling and skip takeout, since all the pieces tastes higher when it’s comprised of scratch.
Substances
I divide all of the elements I take advantage of into three groupings, together with the marinade, the sauce, and the stir fry elements. I additionally clarify the various kinds of noodles you should use to make this beef chow enjoyable recipe. Since cooking beef chow enjoyable strikes rapidly, I like to recommend making ready all the pieces upfront earlier than beginning the stir fry.
For the marinade
I preserve it easy and sensible with beef flank steak, gentle soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and cornstarch.
To make the sauce
I take advantage of a quite simple sauce for my beef chow enjoyable, despite the fact that many variations embrace oyster sauce. A Cantonese chef buddy as soon as shared that conventional kitchens usually stick with soy sauce for a cleaner, extra refreshing style, so my sauce solely consists of rooster broth, gentle soy sauce for umami, darkish soy sauce for coloration and delicate sweetness, and a contact of sugar.
For the stir fry, I take advantage of recent thick rice noodles, together with peanut oil for cooking. I add ginger, garlic, white onion, and bean sprouts for freshness and texture, then end with inexperienced onions and a small quantity of sesame oil proper on the finish.
Sorts of rice noodles to make use of
The kind of rice noodles you utilize makes the largest affect on beef chow enjoyable.
Contemporary rice noodles
I desire utilizing recent rice noodles as a result of that is what we generally use in China and so they supply the most effective texture. These thick, chewy noodles are comprised of rice flour and water and are sometimes offered as massive sheets or pre minimize noodles at Chinatown, Chinese language, or Thai markets. They’re often packaged in plastic and offered with different recent gadgets relatively than refrigerated. This is the reason I take advantage of them on this recipe at any time when they’re accessible.
Dried Chinese language ho enjoyable
Sha he fen (沙河粉), often known as ho enjoyable or sha hor enjoyable, are vast, flat rice noodles that come from Shahe in Guangzhou and are a staple in Cantonese cooking. They’ve a easy texture with a lightweight chew that works effectively in stir fried noodles. After I use dried ho enjoyable, my favourite model comes from The Mala Market as a result of the noodles prepare dinner up skinny and easy and take up sauce very effectively.
Dried Thai or Vietnamese rice noodles
The opposite rice noodles I see most frequently are the Thai and Vietnamese sorts, with manufacturers like Style of Thai and Three Girls providing vast noodles that work effectively for beef chow enjoyable. These noodles are thicker and chewier than Chinese language sha ho enjoyable, which some individuals could desire.
Tips on how to make
Put together the rice noodles
Contemporary
After I use recent noodles like I did on this recipe, I minimize the rice noodle sheets into vast strips and separate them by hand. I keep away from rinsing them with water as a result of that makes the noodles soggy and extra prone to break through the stir fry. I additionally don’t retailer recent noodles within the fridge, since chilly temperatures make them stiff and troublesome to separate later.
Dried
After I use dried rice noodles, I soak or prepare dinner them earlier than stir frying and all the time observe the package deal directions. I cease a bit early so the noodles keep al dente, which helps them maintain up within the scorching pan. This retains the feel chewy and prevents the noodles from breaking up through the stir fry.
Put it collectively
1. Marinate the meat: Slice the meat in opposition to the grain into skinny items and switch them to a small bowl. Add the sunshine soy sauce and Shaoxing wine and blend by hand till absorbed, then add the cornstarch and blend once more. Let the meat marinate for quarter-hour whereas making ready the remaining elements.
2. Combine the sauce: Mix all of the sauce elements in a small bowl. Stir till absolutely blended and put aside.
3. Sear the meat: Warmth one tablespoon of oil in a big skillet over excessive warmth till scorching. Add the meat in a single layer and prepare dinner till the underside aspect browns, then flip briefly and prepare dinner till calmly browned. Switch the meat to a plate instantly.
4. Prepare dinner the aromatics: Add the remaining oil to the identical skillet and decrease the warmth to medium. Add the ginger, garlic, white onion, and the white a part of the inexperienced onions, then stir and prepare dinner.
5. Add the noodles: Toss the noodles as soon as extra to separate them, then add them to the skillet. Use tongs to combine the noodles with the aromatics and coat them with oil.
6. Mix beef and sauce: Return the meat to the skillet and pour within the ready sauce. Use tongs or chopsticks to toss all the pieces collectively till effectively blended.
7. Add sprouts: Add the bean sprouts and proceed tossing till they start to melt.
8. Add the inexperienced onions: Add the inexperienced elements of the inexperienced onions and toss a couple of occasions to mix.
9. Closing toss: I give all the pieces a last toss till the noodles are effectively coated and heated by means of.
Skilled Ideas
Secret to juicy tender beef
When making ready the meat, I all the time slice it in opposition to the grain, both into skinny slices or barely thicker strips relying on choice. I additionally marinate the meat with cornstarch, which provides taste, retains the meat tender, and protects it from overcooking, a method I take advantage of throughout many cuisines. With these two steps, many cuts work effectively, although I often select flank or skirt steak as a result of they’re inexpensive and effectively marbled.
Use a beneficiant quantity of oil
I by no means skimp on the oil as a result of rice noodles want sufficient fats to prepare dinner correctly. Eating places usually use a beneficiant quantity, and whereas I take advantage of much less at dwelling, there nonetheless needs to be sufficient to maintain the noodles from sticking or breaking up. The oil additionally carries the flavour of the aromatics all through the dish. If I’m not utilizing a nonstick pan, I add a bit extra oil since rice noodles have a tendency to stay to the pan.
Much less is extra
Identical to pizza toppings, I take advantage of fewer elements for higher outcomes, as a result of overcrowding the pan traps moisture and turns the noodles right into a stew as an alternative of a stir fry.
Serving solutions
I sometimes serve Beef chow enjoyable as a foremost dish, both by itself or with a easy veggie dish like Chinese language broccoli with oyster sauce. In Cantonese cooking, it usually seems as a part of a shared meal, the place it’s positioned within the heart of the desk alongside lighter stir fry vegetable dishes or easy genuine Chinese language soups.
Ceaselessly requested questions
What are the important cookware gadgets I have to make this recipe?
For beef chow enjoyable, I like to recommend utilizing a heavy nonstick skillet relatively than a wok for those who’re simply beginning out with Chinese language cooking, or shouldn’t have a wok burner at dwelling. As a result of you may be coping with quite a lot of starchy elements, wok cooking will be difficult and issues will stick for those who can’t preserve a very popular pan or not aware of the cooking methods. A big pan offers sufficient floor space, particularly with electrical or induction range, so the temperature stays steady when the sauce is added. I additionally think about a pair of tongs or cooking chopsticks important for tossing the noodles cleanly with out making a large number.
Why do my rice noodles break throughout cooking?
Rice noodles often break when they’re too delicate earlier than hitting the pan or when there’s not sufficient oil. I cease cooking the noodles early and coat the pan effectively so the noodles can transfer freely through the stir fry.
What makes this beef chow enjoyable style like restaurant variations?
Restaurant type chow enjoyable depends upon excessive warmth and sensible timing. From my expertise cooking Chinese language meals at dwelling and professionally, I’ve discovered that straightforward seasoning and stable approach matter most, so I deal with searing the meat, protecting the noodles shifting, and avoiding an overcrowded pan so all the pieces stays crisp, chewy, and effectively seasoned.
Chinese language Cooking Made Straightforward
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This selfmade Beef Chow Enjoyable 干炒牛河 options thick, chewy rice noodles, tender steak, and crisp greens coated in a savory brown sauce. I prepare dinner these restaurant type fried noodles in simply half-hour, making it a satisfying foremost dish to serve my household.
Forestall your display screen from going darkish
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Slice beef in opposition to the grain into 1/8” (3mm) thick and a pair of” (5 cm) lengthy items, and switch the items to a small bowl. Add the sunshine soy sauce, Shaoxing wine. Use your hand to softly combine the meat till the sauce is absolutely absorbed. Add the cornstarch and blend once more till evenly distributed. Let marinate for quarter-hour whereas making ready the remainder of the elements.
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Mix all of the sauce elements. Combine effectively and put aside.
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If utilizing dried noodles: Prepare dinner (or soak) the rice noodles in line with the directions minus 1 minute, till cooked by means of, however nonetheless a bit chewy inside. Rinse rice noodles with chilly water and drain. To keep away from sticky rice noodles throughout stir fry, add 1 teaspoon sesame oil to the drained noodles. Gently toss noodles by hand to separate and evenly coat them with a skinny layer of oil.
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If utilizing recent noodles: slice the rice noodle sheet into noodles, then separate the noodles together with your arms. Don’t soak the noodles in water.
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Warmth 1 tablespoon of oil in a big nonstick skillet over excessive warmth till scorching. Unfold the meat slices within the skillet in a single layer. Prepare dinner till the underside aspect of the meat turns golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the meat and prepare dinner the opposite aspect till browned, however the inside continues to be a bit pink, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Switch beef to a plate instantly.
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In the identical skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and switch to medium warmth. Add the ginger, garlic, white onion, and the white a part of the inexperienced onion. Stir and prepare dinner till the aromatics flip gentle golden on the perimeters, 1 minute or so.
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Toss the cooked noodles once more to separate gently, and add them into the skillet. Use a pair of tongs to toss the noodles with the remainder of the elements to coat effectively with the oil.
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Add the meat again into the skillet. Pour within the blended sauce. Instantly use a pair of tongs or chopsticks to toss and blend all the pieces.
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Add the bean sprouts. Preserve tossing gently (to keep away from breaking up the noodles) till the bean sprouts simply begin to soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Then add the inexperienced onion. Toss a couple of extra occasions, till the sauce is absorbed by the noodles, and the veggies are softened however nonetheless crunchy. Flip off warmth and switch all the pieces to serving plates instantly. Serve scorching as a foremost dish.
Ingredient Substitution Information
Serving: 1serving, Energy: 706kcal, Carbohydrates: 100g, Protein: 13.6g, Fats: 27.2g, Saturated Fats: 4.8g, Ldl cholesterol: 22mg, Sodium: 1555mg, Potassium: 299mg, Fiber: 4.9g, Sugar: 5.9g, Calcium: 52mg, Iron: 6mg
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Recipe replace notes
This recipe was revealed again in 2017 and I up to date it in 2024. I’ve made it numerous occasions over time, making an attempt to good the recipe. Within the newest model, I eradicated the broccolini and elevated the quantity of bean sprouts, to present the dish a extra genuine presentation. For the sauce, rooster broth is used instead of Shaoxing wine for a extra balanced style. The ratio of sunshine and darkish soy sauce was barely adjusted for the proper darkish brown coloration (Whole continues to be 3 tablespoons. Relying on the darkish soy model you utilize, you would possibly nonetheless wish to use 2 tablespoons gentle and 1 tablespoon darkish.)
