Dry-fried Beef Ho Fun 乾炒牛河

This classic Cantonese dish features tender beef slices and silky flat rice noodles wok-fried with bean sprouts and chives in a savory soy sauce blend, achieving a perfect "wok hei" aroma. It's a flavorful and satisfying meal that captures the essence of Cantonese stir-frying.

Nutrition (per serving)

Ingredients

• 300g beef sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp cooking oil (for marinade)
• 500g fresh flat rice noodles (ho fun), loosened
• 150g bean sprouts
• 50g yellow chives (or regular chives), cut into 5cm lengths
• 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-3 bird's eye chilies (optional), sliced
• 3 tbsp cooking oil (for stir-frying)
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce (for sauce)
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce (for sauce)
• 1 tsp sugar (for sauce)
• 1/2 tsp white pepper (for sauce)
• 1 tbsp water (for sauce)

Steps

1. Marinate the beef: In a bowl, combine sliced beef with baking soda, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, cornstarch, and water. Mix well until absorbed. Drizzle with cooking oil and mix again. Let it marinate for at least 15 minutes.
2. Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, white pepper, and water. Set aside.
3. Heat the wok: Heat cooking oil in a large wok over high heat until smoking. Add the marinated beef and stir-fry quickly for about 1-2 minutes until just browned on the outside. Remove beef from the wok and set aside.
4. Stir-fry aromatics: Add the remaining cooking oil to the wok. Add minced garlic, sliced onion, and chilies (if using). Stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Add noodles and sauce: Add the loosened ho fun noodles to the wok. Pour the prepared sauce over the noodles. Using two spatulas or tongs, quickly and gently toss the noodles to coat them evenly with the sauce without breaking them.
6. Add vegetables and beef: Add the bean sprouts and yellow chives to the wok. Return the cooked beef to the wok. Continue to toss and stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes until the noodles are well-coated and slightly charred, and the vegetables are tender-crisp.
7. Serve: Transfer the Dry-fried Beef Ho Fun to a serving platter immediately and serve hot.

Related recipes

More Hong Kong recipesBeef recipes

Stir-fried Long Beans with Preserved Olive Vegetables and Minced Garlic Roast Duck Rice Yuenyeung Money Bag Tripe Stir-fried Spring Vegetables with Bean Sprouts, Crispy Garlic and Salted Fish Stir-fried Beef with Broccoli in Oyster Sauce