Beef Chow Fun

also called gon chow ngau ho · gan chao niu he · 乾炒牛河 · dry fried beef ho fun · beef ho fun · beef chow fun

The table

8 oz(225 g; sliced thin across the grain)flank steaktoss the beef in cornstarch and soda, rest 20 minsear the beef 1 min, lift it outchar the noodles 3 min, still between turnstoss it together 1 min, and get it onto the plate
2 tsplight soy sauce
1 tspShaoxing wine
2 tspcornstarch
1/8 tspbaking soda
1 Tbswater
1 tsppeanut oil
1 Tbspeanut oil
12 oz(340 g; ho fun, at room temperature and pulled apart by hand)fresh wide rice noodles
1 Tbspeanut oil
2 tspdark soy saucestir the sauce, no cornstarch in it
1 Tbslight soy sauce
2 tspoyster sauce
1 tspsugar
1 tsptoasted sesame oil
2 cups(150 g)bean sprouts
3(cut in 2-in lengths)scallions
1 oz(30 g; in 2-in lengths)yellow chives
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.19 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1toss the beef in cornstarch and soda, rest 20 min

2stir the sauce, no cornstarch in it

3sear the beef 1 min, lift it out

goes in with what step 1 made

4char the noodles 3 min, still between turns

goes in with what step 3 made

5toss it together 1 min, and get it onto the plate

goes in with what steps 2 and 4 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 25 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
5 minof the steps that give a time

One of the 5 steps never says how long it takes, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 40 min.

  1. toss the beef in cornstarch and soda, rest 20 min

    20 minwalk awayfrom the start

  2. stir the sauce, no cornstarch in it

    not timedfrom the start

  3. sear the beef 1 min, lift it out

    1 minneeds you20 min in

  4. char the noodles 3 min, still between turns

    3 minneeds you21 min in

  5. toss it together 1 min, and get it onto the plate

    1 minneeds you24 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them.

You'll need wok

See how it is written
>> title: Beef Chow Fun
>> category: Noodles
>> tags: beef, rice noodles, chinese, wok, dry-fried
>> counters: Dim Sum Counter
>> aka: gon chow ngau ho, gan chao niu he, 乾炒牛河, dry fried beef ho fun, beef ho fun, beef chow fun
>> servings: 2
>> time: 40 min
>> step.1: toss the beef in cornstarch and soda, rest 20 min
>> step.2: stir the sauce, no cornstarch in it
>> step.3: sear the beef 1 min, lift it out
>> step.4: char the noodles 3 min, still between turns
>> step.5: toss it together 1 min, and get it onto the plate

Toss @flank steak{8%oz}(225 g; sliced thin across the grain) with @light soy sauce{2%tsp}, @Shaoxing wine{1%tsp}, @cornstarch{2%tsp}, @baking soda{1/8%tsp}, @water{1%Tbs} and @peanut oil{1%tsp}, and leave it to ~rest{20%min}. The cornstarch and that pinch of soda are the whole reason restaurant beef is soft.

Stir @dark soy sauce{2%tsp}, @light soy sauce{1%Tbs}, @oyster sauce{2%tsp}, @sugar{1%tsp} and @toasted sesame oil{1%tsp} together in a bowl. Dry-fried means exactly this: soy and heat, and no cornstarch gravy anywhere in the pan.

Sear @&(~2)beef{} in @peanut oil{1%Tbs} in a #wok{} over the fiercest heat you have for ~stirfry{1%min}, then lift it out while the middle is still pink.

Char @fresh wide rice noodles{12%oz}(340 g; ho fun, at room temperature and pulled apart by hand) in @&(~1)wok{} with @peanut oil{1%Tbs} for ~stirfry{3%min}, pressing them flat and leaving them alone between turns. Cold noodles snap instead of separating — take them out of the fridge an hour ahead, or steam them briefly to loosen.

Toss @&(~1)noodles{} with @&(~3)sauce{}, @bean sprouts{2%cups}(150 g), @scallions{3}(cut in 2-in lengths) and @yellow chives{1%oz}(30 g; in 2-in lengths) for ~stirfry{1%min}, and get it onto the plate — the sprouts should still be raw in the middle.