Dry-fried beef chow fun

Method

1. 01

   Velvet the beef

   Mix 280 g flank steak, sliced 3 mm across the grain, with 20 ml water, 1 g baking soda, 5 g cornstarch, 10 ml oyster sauce, 10 ml Shaoxing wine, and 5 ml light soy sauce. Massage for 2 minutes until tacky, cover, and marinate 30 minutes.

   

2. 02

   Loosen noodles and mix the sauce

   Let the sealed 340 g fresh wide rice noodles stand at room temperature for 20 minutes, then separate them gently by hand. Do not soak or rinse; discard pieces that remain hard or smell sour. Mix 30 ml Shaoxing wine, 30 ml light soy sauce, 10 ml dark soy sauce, 5 ml sesame oil, 2 g sugar, and 0.5 g white pepper.

   

3. 03

   Sear the beef

   Heat a wok over high heat until a water drop evaporates instantly. Add 15 ml oil and sear the beef in a single layer for 60–90 seconds per side. Remove it when browned and about 80% cooked so it will finish later.

   

4. 04

   Bloom ginger and scallion

   Wipe out burnt bits, return the wok to high heat, and add the remaining 30 ml oil. Stir-fry 15 g thinly sliced ginger and 80 g scallion pieces for 30 seconds, until fragrant.

   

5. 05

   Toss in the noodles

   Add the separated noodles and toss with a lifting motion for 2 minutes. Keep the strands moving without crushing them; they should begin to heat through while staying intact.

   

6. 06

   Add the sauce around the hot wok

   Pour the mixed sauce around the hot sides of the wok and stir-fry for another 1–2 minutes. The noodles should be hot, separate, lightly charred, and not wet or saucy.

   

7. 07

   Return beef and sprouts

   Return the seared beef and add 150 g bean sprouts. Toss for 45–60 seconds, stopping when the sprouts remain crisp and the beef reaches 71°C at the centre for immediate serving.

   

8. 08

   Serve for wok hei

   Turn off the heat and transfer the dry-fried noodles immediately. Serve within a minute so the wide noodles retain their seared wok hei and the sprouts stay crisp.