Succulent beef slices stir-fried with soft, springy rice noodles then seasoned with soy sauce, beef chow fun is a classic Cantonese delicacy not to miss.
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Pin ItWhen I was working in Beijing, I always loved visiting Hong Kong-style Cha Can Ting/Cha chaan teng (茶餐厅, literally meaning Tea restaurant) for lunch. I’d order a plate of beef chow fun and a cup of Hong Kong-style milk tea.
Simple, tasty and very satisfying! While there are no local outlets serving an authentic version of this dish near to where I live in England, I’m lucky enough to be able to find all the ingredients needed locally to make Beef Chow Fun (Beef Ho Fun, 干炒牛河) in my own kitchen.
What is beef chow fun
Beef chow fun consists of tender, succulent beef slices; soft, springy rice noodles; crispy beansprouts and aromatic Chinese chives. It’s tasty, comforting and nutritious (protein, vegetable and starch in one plate).
The Chinese name of this dish “干炒牛河” literally means “Dry fried beef and ho fun (a particular type of rice noodles)” As it suggests, the dish should look dry. That is to say, there shouldn’t be any excessive oil or sauce left on the plate when finished.
It’s not a complicated task to cook this delightful dish at home. However, I’d like to share a few tips and tricks to help you have a fail-proof experience.
Make the beef tender
- Choose the right cut of beef. This is the key to tender, tasty beef stir fry dishes. I recommend flank or skirt steak.
- Remember to slice the beef against the grain, especially if you use a cheaper cut of beef.
- Marinate the beef with soy sauce, cornstarch, water and a pinch of sugar. Massage the meat until it absorbs all the liquid. Then coat with a little oil to lock in the moisture.
Choose the right noodles
There are many types of Chinese rice noodles and they come in different shapes and forms. Authentic beef chow fun calls for a particular type named Sa-ho fun (沙河粉).
- Sa-ho fun are wide, slightly thick, non-transparent rice noodles. They are different from the extra thin rice vermicelli used in Chow Mei Fun or the round rice noodles found in Yunnan Rice Noodle Soup.
- You may find them with different spellings such as Sa-ho fan, Sha he fen, etc. Show Chinese character 沙河粉 to the shop assistant if you have trouble finding them in Chinese stores.
- Use fresh sa-ho fun if available. They often come in a block pre-cut into strands. Prior to frying, gently separate them.
- Dried Sa-ho fun also work for this recipe. Follow the instructions on the package. Always remember not to overcook them and rinse under cold water right after boiling.
Use two types of soy sauce
Beef chow fun doesn’t require complicated seasoning. Two types of Chinese soy sauces are all that you need:
- Light soy sauce for its aromatic, sharp saltiness.
- Dark soy sauce for giving the dish an appetizing brown colour and a hint of sweetness to balance the taste.
Stir fry in sequence
To ensure the best texture of your homemade beef chow fun, please follow these steps when stir-frying:
- Quickly fry the beef in oil. Transfer out as soon as it turns pale (Do not overcook).
- In the remaining oil, stir fry sa-ho fun using a pair of chopsticks (They work better than spatular which breaks the noodles more easily).
- Add in beansprouts & onion slices. Cook them for a short period of time to retain their crispiness.
- Finally stir in the beef, Chinese chive and the seasoning. Dish out as soon as everything is evenly coated with the sauce.
Another note: Make sure you use a well-seasoned wok or a non-stick wok.
Beef Chow Fun (Beef Ho Fun, 干炒牛河)
Ingredients
For the beef:
- 5 oz beef, preferably flank/skirt steak
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 pinch sugar
- 1 teaspoon cooking oil
You also need:
- 1 lb fresh sa-ho fun, see note 1
- 2 tablespoon cooking oil
- 2 oz beansprouts
- ¼ onion, thinly sliced
- 1 oz Chinese chives, see note 2
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
Instructions
Marinate the beef
- Slice the beef against the grain. Mix with light soy sauce, rice wine, cornstarch, water and sugar. Coat with oil then leave to rest for 15 minutes.
Prepare the rice noodles
- If using fresh ones: Gently separate the sa-ho fun by hand into long strands (try not to break them into small pieces).
- If using dried ones (reduce the quantity to 8oz/230g): follow the instructions on the package to cook then rinse under cold water prior to stir-frying.
Stir fry
- Pour oil into a hot wok. Stir in the marinated beef slices. Fry until they just turn pale (do not overcook). Dish out and leave the oil in the wok.
- Put in sa-ho fun. Gently stir around with a pair of chopsticks. When the sa-ho fun begins to wilt, add in beansprouts and onion. Fry for 30 seconds or so.
- Add the beef and Chinese chives. Pour in light soy sauce and dark soy sauce. Cook for a further 30 seconds.
Notes
Your Recipe Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Didn’t have bean sprouts but had boc choy growing. Very simple, easy and most importantly Yummy! Will be doing this one again for sure. Easy to do gluten free too.
Thanks for the feedback, Gordon! Glad you enjoyed cooking and eating this dish.
Thank you, thank you, thank you Wei. There are so many dishes that I love in Chinese cuisine, but this has to be in the top ten for me. Having lived in Hong Kong for 20 years, I find your blog the gateway for me to obtain the flavors, tastes and aromas that I crave here in the U.S. Your recipes always come out great and I’m lucky to have a huge
You’re welcome Joseph! So happy to know my recipe has satisfied your craving.
Thanks for a great recipe, it was delicious – just as I hoped it would be! We also made Kung Po and Char Siu buns, your recipes are great!
How wonderful to hear that! So happy that you find my recipes helpful.
Love the beef chow fan, so delicious that I can’t stopped eating it
Yes, they’re irresistible!
Awwww my noodles were too starchy and I added a little too much of the rice wine. My partner still everything in his bowl tho!
I like your recipes,thank you
Thank you Wei for the care you take over the recipes that you share with us where each step is properly set out and which makes it easy to follow a recipe. This beef chow fun is a favourite in our house as it is just delicious. I prefer the sa ho fun which is normally used for noodles with soup as the strands are finely cut and they soften quicker than the noodles for stir fry. I finished the dish with a drizzle of your appetising homemade chilli oil and that just lifted the noodles to the next level!
My pleasure to share Susan! So happy to know you’ve enjoyed this dish. Yes, a dash of chilli oil makes every dish shine!
Comforting food for a chilly night. It’s making me hungry.
Thanks for the recipe.
Regards.
Margaret.
My pleasure to hear Margaret!
Hi Wei!
Is it also possible to add other vegetables to this dish? Could you recommend me some? Thank you kindly in advance 🙂
Very well explained,easy to follow recipe.
I love beef ho fun and now I can make it myself! Still needs some work but very good for a first attempt. I used fresh noodles and didn’t get them fully separated, will do better next time.
Thank you
It can be difficult sometimes to separate fresh flat rice noodles. My trick is to freeze the whole package then defrost in the fridge. You’ll find it much easier to loosen them.