Dry-Fried Beef Hor Fun (干炒牛河)

Method14 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Slice the 200 g beef across the grain without making the slices excessively thin. Keep it cold; do not rinse raw meat.

   Uses 200 g beef, to slice across the grain

2. 2

   Step 2: Mix the beef with ¼ tsp sodium bicarbonate, 1 tsp marinade oil, 1 tsp marinade light soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, the dash of pepper, 1 tbsp cornflour and 3–4 tbsp marinade water. Cover and refrigerate at 4°C (40°F) or below while completing all the remaining preparation.

   Uses Sliced raw beef · ¼ tsp sodium bicarbonate, for the beef marinade · 1 tsp oil, for the beef marinade · 1 tsp light soy sauce, for the beef marinade · 1 tbsp oyster sauce, for the beef marinade · 1 dash pepper, for the beef marinade · 1 tbsp cornflour, for the beef marinade · 3–4 tbsp water, for the beef marinade

3. 3

   Step 3: Prepare the 5 slices peeled Bentong ginger, peel and thinly wedge the small yellow onion (1 small), and wash and cut the spring onion (1 stalk) into 5 cm lengths. Have the 2 tsp chopped garlic ready. If using chilli garnish, wash and slice it now and keep it separate.

   Uses 5 slices peeled Bentong ginger · 1 small yellow onion, to peel and slice into thin wedges · 1 stalk spring onion, to cut into 5 cm lengths · 2 tsp chopped garlic · Chilli, as desired, optional, sliced to garnish · Clean water, as needed to wash chye sim, bean sprouts, spring onion and optional chilli

4. 4

   Step 4: Wash the 4–5 stalks chye sim, using a little of the optional washing salt if desired and rinsing it away. Separate leaves from stems. Trim roots, peel fibrous stem skin and cut the stems into 5 cm lengths; keep leaves and stems separate.

   Uses 4–5 stalks chye sim, leaves and stems separated · Clean water, as needed to wash chye sim, bean sprouts, spring onion and optional chilli · A little salt, optional, for washing chye sim; rinse away

5. 5

   Step 5: Trim the heads and roots from the bean sprouts (100 g), rinse and drain well. Only if they are starting to dry out, revive them in cold water in the refrigerator, then drain thoroughly. Gently separate the fresh hor fun (500 g) and have both noodle sauces, vinegar and finishing seasonings ready before frying the beef.

   Uses 100 g bean sprouts, to trim, wash and drain · Clean water, as needed to wash chye sim, bean sprouts, spring onion and optional chilli · Cold water, only if needed to revive dry bean sprouts in the refrigerator; drain away · 500 g fresh ready hor fun (flat rice noodles), gently separated

6. 6

   Step 6: Heat the 100 ml beef frying oil in a wok over high heat. Fry the marinated beef for about 1–2 minutes, first checking at 1 minute, until mostly cooked as the author’s roughly 80% guide. Lift the beef onto a plate and retain the used oil separately. Continue immediately through the noodle and vegetable stages below to finish the beef in the same cooking session.

   Briefly fry beef before finishing · 1 minUses 100 ml oil, for frying the beef and the later measured cooking draws · Beef with its marinade

7. 7

   Step 7: Heat the wok until very hot and just smoking. Add 2 tbsp of the retained beef frying oil for the noodles.

   Uses 2 tbsp retained used beef frying oil for the noodle stage

8. 8

   Step 8: Add the separated 500 g fresh hor fun, 2–3 tbsp noodle light soy sauce, 1 tbsp black sweet vinegar and the separate 1 tsp noodle dark soy sauce. Toss gently until evenly coated and slightly charred, then lift onto a plate.

   Uses Hot wok with the two-tablespoon noodle oil draw · Only the separated fresh hor fun, excluding sprouts and wash water · 2–3 tbsp light soy sauce, for the noodles · 1 tbsp black sweet vinegar, for the noodles · 1 tsp dark soy sauce, for the pre-fried noodles

9. 9

   Step 9: Heat 1 tbsp of the retained beef frying oil in the wok over medium heat. Add the prepared ginger and chopped garlic and fry until aromatic.

   Uses 1 tbsp retained used beef frying oil for the vegetable stage · Only the five ginger slices and two teaspoons chopped garlic, excluding onion, spring onion and garnish

10. 10

    Step 10: Add the prepared onion wedges and chye sim stems and stir-fry for about 1 minute.

    Fry onion and chye sim stems · 1 minUses Wok with the fried ginger, garlic and vegetable-stage oil · Only the prepared onion wedges, excluding the spring onion and garnish · Only the prepared chye sim stems, excluding leaves and washing water

11. 11

    Step 11: Add the prepared chye sim leaves and ½ tsp finishing salt, or adjust that salt amount to taste. Toss to combine.

    Uses Aromatics, onions and chye sim stems in the wok · Only the prepared chye sim leaves, excluding stems and washing water · ½ tsp salt, or to taste, for the vegetables

12. 12

    Step 12: Immediately return the lifted beef and pre-fried noodles to the vegetables. Add the separate 1 tsp finishing dark soy sauce, drained bean sprouts and prepared spring onion. Toss and stir-fry until the noodles are hot, the greens and sprouts are thoroughly cooked and hot through, and the beef is fully cooked, reaching at least 63°C (145°F). Remove from the heat and allow at least 3 minutes before serving.

    Uses Vegetable-and-aromatic wok mixture after adding chye sim leaves · Only the lifted partly cooked beef, excluding the separately retained frying oil · Only the pre-fried seasoned noodles from their holding plate · 1 tsp dark soy sauce, for the final beef-and-vegetable stir-fry · Washed drained bean sprouts from the 100 g supply, excluding trimmed ends and discarded water · Only the prepared spring onion lengths, excluding other aromatics and garnish

13. 13

    Step 13: Let the finished dish stand off the heat for at least 3 minutes after the beef has reached 63°C (145°F).

    Stand after beef reaches temperature · 3 minUses Fully cooked beef, noodles and vegetables after reaching the beef endpoint

14. 14

    Step 14: Transfer the finished beef hor fun to a serving dish. Add the prepared optional sliced chilli if desired and serve hot. Set aside unused frying oil for disposal after cooling.

    Uses Finished beef hor fun after the three-minute stand · Only the prepared optional chilli garnish, excluding the cooked aromatics