Beef Chow Fun (Gan Chao Niu He)

The story

Gan chao niu he — dry-fried beef ho fun — is the dish Cantonese chefs use to judge a wok cook: broad rice noodles tossed until smoky and glossy without breaking. Home version uses a wide pan and honest high heat; the smoky char is achievable with patience in batches.

Ingredients (6 + pantry staples)

• Fresh wide rice noodles (ho fun) — 1 lb / 450 g
• Flank steak, sliced thin — 10 oz / 300 g
• Soy sauce — 2 tbsp
• Dark soy sauce — 1 tsp
• Bean sprouts — 1 cup (optional)
• Scallions — 3, cut in 2-inch lengths

Pantry staples used (don't count toward the 6): sugar (1 tsp), cooking oil (3 tbsp), cornstarch (1 tsp). Not stocked yet? See the pantry page.

Steps

1. Velvet the beef with soy + cornstarch; rest 10 minutes. Separate the noodles gently.
2. Sear beef hot and fast; remove.
3. Noodles in a very hot wide pan with oil — let them sear 1 minute before tossing; repeat until edges char.
4. Beef, dark soy, sugar and scallions; toss 1 minute. Bean sprouts at the very end.

Swaps

Fresh ho fun is 🔶 at Asian groceries (they freeze well). Dried wide rice sticks are the backup — soak, then the same method.