Simple Chow Fun Recipes

BEEF CHOW FUN

Steps:

• For marinade: Add steak and 1/4 cup water to a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle in the meat tenderizer and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle in the baking soda and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle in sugar, chicken bouillon, white pepper and MSG if using and mix thoroughly. Pour in soy sauce and mix thoroughly, then sprinkle in potato starch and mix thoroughly. Pour in sesame oil and vegetable oil and mix thoroughly. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes.
• For rice noodles: Heat some water in a large pot and fit it with a steamer rack. Using a grain mill, grind the soaked rice with the soaking water, catching the ground mixture in an extra-large bowl. Add 1/2 cup water in increments if mill stone is not saturated enough with water to get a fine grind. Add oil, salt, tapioca starch, half the potato starch and half the cake flour to the ground rice water. Using a hand blender, blend all ingredients together, being careful not to splatter. Add about 1/2 cup water if the mixture is too thick. Once the mixture is blended and smooth, add the remaining potato starch and cake flour. (If the mixture is too thick, add water slowly in increments of 1/2 cup at a time.) When the mixture sticks to your blender beaters and drips a single trail of liquid back into the bowl, the mixture is ready for cooking.
• Cover a flat surface with plastic wrap and brush the plastic with oil. Put a 9- to 10-inch round cake pan into the steamer rack and cover. (Have the heat on high to ensure the water is on a constant boil.) When the pan is hot, remove the lid and brush the pan with oil. Ladle in a thin layer of the rice mixture to cover the bottom of the pan. Replace cover and steam, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove pan from the pot and flip the noodle sheet out onto the oiled plastic wrap. Fold noodle sheet into halves or thirds and set aside to cool. Continue with remaining rice noodle mixture. Cut noodles 1/2-inch thick.
• For chow fung: Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat; add 1 tablespoon oil. When oil is hot, add rice noodles. Sear each side of noodles to golden brown. Adjust heat as necessary to avoid burning or under-browning the noodles. When noodles are golden brown, turn of heat and remove noodles from skillet. Set aside.
• Mix together oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, sugar, white pepper, MSG, if using and 1 teaspoon cooking wine in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Heat a wok (or large skillet) over high heat; add remaining 2 tablespoons peanut oil. When oil is hot, add steak. Separate steak pieces for even cooking. Add remaining teaspoon cooking wine, spreading it over the steak. Turn steak once to cook both sides to medium, about 1 minute for each side.
• Add Spanish onions, stirring, about 2 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-high. Add seared rice noodles and stir to mix all ingredients together. Add the sauce mixture, spreading to cover as much of the noodles and steak as possible. Toss everything so sauce will coat all ingredients.
• Add mung bean sprouts and green onions. Toss to mix all ingredients together. Turn off heat, plate and serve.

BEEF CHOW FUN

Steps:

• Combine the beef and marinade ingredients and marinate for about 1 hour.
• Some fresh rice noodles come as large sheets, while others are already cut. If you have the sheets, slice the rice noodles so they're about 1 inch wide. If the noodles are very stiff and stuck together, bring a wok full of water to a boil, and add the noodles. Blanch them for 30 seconds to loosen. Transfer to an ice bath and drain thoroughly.
• Heat your wok over high heat until smoking, and add 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to coat the wok. Add the beef and sear until browned. As long as your wok is hot enough, the meat shouldn't stick. Set aside. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons more vegetable oil to the wok. Add the ginger to infuse the oil with its rich flavor for about 15 seconds. Add the scallions.
• Spread the noodles evenly in the wok and stir-fry on high for about 15 seconds. Add the Shaoxing wine around the perimeter of the wok.
• Next, add the sesame oil, soy sauces, pinch of sugar and the seared beef. Stir-fry, making sure your metal wok spatula scrapes the bottom of the wok. Lift the noodles in an upward motion to mix well and coat them evenly with the sauce.
• Add a bit of salt and white pepper to taste (taste the noodles before adding salt). Add the bean sprouts and stir-fry until they are just tender. Serve!

EASY TO MAKE CHOW FUN (CANTONESE STYLE)

Steps:

• Whisk all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl, and keep whisking until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
• Soak the flat rice noodles for 15-30 minutes in cold or hot water. Make sure to follow the instructions on the package you have so the texture of the noodles is right. You want the noodles to be springy, not mushy or too hard.
• In a large wok or skillet over high heat, add oil. When the oil is hot, add bell peppers and sugar snap peas and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables have soften but still yield a crunch. It's important not to overcook sugar snap peas as they will become stringy otherwise.
• Stir the sauce and add it to the pan with the noodles.
• Toss until the noodles are evenly coated with the sauce and are the desired consistency.
• Add scallions and mung bean sprouts and toss again.
• Turn the heat off, transfer the noodles to a serving plate and serve immediately.

CHOW FUN

Steps:

• Slice the meat into thin slices (if you freeze the meat for about 1/2 hour it makes it easier to slice).
• Mix the 4 marinade ingredients together and stir in the meat.
• Let marinate for 15 minutes.
• Mix the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
• Heat a wok or large frying pan and add 2 Tbs.
• of peanut oil.
• Toss the noodles about in the oil until they are very hot and begin to color just a bit on the edges.
• Remove to a serving platter and set aside.
• Heat the wok again and add 3 more Tbs.
• of peanut oil, along with the garlic and ginger.
• Stir fry for a moment and add the rinsed black beans and the wine (or sherry).
• Add and stir fry the onion and green pepper, just until very hot.
• Remove all to the serving platter.
• Heat the wok a 3rd time and add the remaining peanut oil.
• When hot, add the meat.
• Stir fry until it begins to brown, and return the vegetables and noodles to the wok.
• Toss with the meat and then add the sauce.
• Toss until just heated throughout.
• Add the bean sprouts, and toss just a minute or so more, then serve.
• NOTE: If you can't get the black beans, you can substitute a tablespoon of black bean garlic sauce, which is usually easily found in the Chinese food section of the supermarket.