Beef Chow Fun

Gōn cháau ngàuh hó (Cantonese) 干炒牛河 (Mandarin: Gān Chǎo Níu Hé)

Beef Chow Fun has appeared on Chinese menus here and on the mainland almost as long as there has been restaurants.  In spite of this, searching for consistent chow fun recipes is a daunting task.  On the internet, there are as many versions as there are sites, the best being Andrea Nguyen's.  Published cookbook literature by Chinese authors are nearly as varied.  The recipe presented here is the one you'll encounter most often in Hong Kong (a city that rules the roost for Southern Chinese cuisine), and at Dim Sum restaurants, either as "special" item on one of the roving carts, or a menu item traditionally ordered along with the small snacks of dim sum.

Dry rice noodle can be used with acceptable results, but it is highly recommended that you buy fresh rice noodles (Cantonese: ho fun; Mandarin: he fen)these should be available if you live in an area that has a sizable Asian community and grocery stores serving that community. But fresh rice noodles are literally a delicacy: make sure you can purchase them unrefrigerated, or fresh from a noodle maker.  Otherwise, the cold ho fun will often be so stiff and compact, you will not be able to separate the noodles.  Moreover, it's a good idea to use the noodles as soon as they are purchased.  I bought a few pounds of ho fun from a producer on Friday, and by Sunday they were beginning to break down.

Other than the challenges of the noodle, Beef Chow Fun is easy to make, and works well in a vegetarian version, omitting the beef.

1 lb Fresh rice noodles (ho fun, at least 1/2" wide

7 oz Beef Tri Tip, sliced 1/8" thick across the grain, appx 2" x 2 1/2"

1/2 Lb.  bean sprouts

2 tsp fermented black beans, minced

2 lg cloves garlic, minced

1" x 1" pc ginger, minced

3 - 4 green onion, cut into 2" sections, white portion split lengthwise

3/4  small or 1/2 med yellow onion

4 Tab peanut or cooking oil

Meat Marinade: 

1  Tab soy

2  Tab rice wine

1 round tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

2 tsp cornstarch

Sauce:

2 Tab Soy light

2 tsp dark soy

1 Tab Rice wine

1/2 rounded tsp salt (or to taste)

1 round tsp sugar

Sesame oil and a spring or two of cilantro for garnish

Marinate the meat for at least a few hours; overnight is even better.  Carefully separate the strands of ho fun and set them aside lightly covered with film or damp towel.

On high heat, with 2 Tablespoon of oil, add garlic, ginger, and both kinds of onion; toss a couple of times, then press onion to the wok to facilitate browning.  After half a minute or so, turn the onions and garlic/ginger over and press gently again.  As soon as you observe browning on the onion, move the mixture to the side of the wok.

Add a tablespoon more oil, allow to heat, then add the beef slices.  Separate the slices with a pair of chopsticks or with the wok shovel and press this gently to the bottom.  When the meat is browned, stir fry everything for a few seconds, until the meat is barely cooked.  Immediately remove to a platter. 

Wash wok, reheat on medium high, and swirl in the remaining tablespoon of cooking oil.  When the oil just begins to smoke,  add the rice noodles in a layer and gently press them to the wok.  In about a minute, when they begin to brown, flip the noodles over and repeat the procedure.  Add bean sprouts, gently stir fry for a few seconds, then add all other ingredients, including the sauce, and gently but quickly stir fry and mix the ingredients to combine and heat through.  

Pile on a serving platter and garnish with a little sesame oil, cilantro and slivers of red pepper

Chi You Chao Mian (Soy Sauce Chow Mein)

Chi You Chao Mian (Soy Sauce Chow Mein)

One of the lesser known items enjoyed at Chinese dim sum restaurants is a chewy, savory noodle dish known in English as Soy Sauce Chow Mein.  This is not usually seen on the ordinary steam carts circling the dim sum restaurant; instead, you'll find it on a cold cart featuring other specials, such as salt-and-pepper squid, roast duck, steamed greens with oyster sauce, etc.  Its unique texture and flavor requires a thin steamed wheat noodle, often labeled  won ton noodle,  beansprouts, green and white onion, and soy sauce, all stir fried to perfection.  The Hong Kong style "won ton" noodles can be purchased fresh at most Asian groceries; however, it is essential to use the steamed version, which isn't always labeled as such, but you can also buy the raw noodle, and steam it yourself in a bamboo steamer: spread the noodles out in a steamer tray 1" to 2" thick, and steam for approx 7 minutes.   As soon as they are cool enough to handle, separate and fluff the noodles and set aside.

8 oz  thin steamed Chow Mein Noodles,  aka: "won ton noodles" (i.e. Wan Hua Foods brand) 

3/4 med yellow onion

2 or 3 green onion

7 oz beansprouts

3 Tab Soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt

2 rounded tsp sugar

Dash of vinegar

Dash of dry white sherry, or XiaoShing wine...

Sesame oil

Submerge steamed noodles in hot (150 degree) water for 2 minutes.  Drain well.

Cut yellow onion into tapered slivers, about 1/2 " wide.  Cut green onion into 1-1/2" sections; slice the white portions in half and break apart.  Mix soy with sugar and dash of vinegar and set aside.

Heat 3 Tablespoons of peanut oil in a wok, until just beginning to smoke, and add yellow and white portion if green onion.  Gently flatten the onions to the wok with the shovel, allowing to brown for 20 seconds or so; add beansprouts, green onion pieces, and a dash of wine, then stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, till the sprouts just begin to soften.  Add steamed noodles and soy sauce/sugar mixture; it's a good idea to chop into the mass of noodles with the spatula 2 or 3 times to shorten them, then toss until sauce is thoroughly incorporated and the noodles are hot.  Serve on oval platter and garnish with sesame oil.

Xia Ren Chao Mian (Shrimp Fried Noodles)

Xia Ren Chao Mian (Shrimp Fried Noodles)

Anyone traveling to China, and Asia in general, will notice that noodles are everywhere, at all hours, in every variety.  It is an understatement to call it a staple--it is more like a way of life, especially among the working classes. Nevertheless, perhaps no Chinese dish has suffered more in its passage from the mainland to the West than chao mian (Chow mein).  In China, particularly the north, chao mian is a mainstay dish akin to fried rice (chao fan) in its simplicity and adaptation to the ingredients on hand; with this freedom in mind, one would have thought “Chow Mein,” as it is seen in Chinese-American restaurants, would bear at least a passing resemblance to those versions on the mainland.  In a very few cases, this is true, but most Americans have experienced “Chow Mein” as a sodden, glutinous mass of starchy sauce, overcooked bean sprouts and any number of ingredients standing in for fresh noodles.  In parts of the Eastern and Southern United States,  chao mian will be served without any noodles whatsoever!  In these places, one must order “Lo Mein” to receive noodles.

Chinese chao mian may differ widely from household to household, restaurant to restaurant, and north to south.  If there is a tradition to chao mian, it may be limited to the following: fresh wheat noodles or egg noodles, fried, with some vegetables and flavoring ingredients; its sauce will serve to season the dish, subservient to the noodles, not to overwhelm or bind it together.   With this in mind, one has a great deal of leeway; almost any kind of meat or vegetable can be used, as well as the type of noodle and technique for its frying.  In Southern China and elsewhere, it is more customary to see a thin egg noodle, fried crisp on one or more sides, (Cantonese: Leung Mein Wong) with the meat, vegetables and sauce applied to the top after it’s plated.  In other parts of China, the noodles are fried in the wok along with the other ingredients, and may or may not be crisped, but only heated through and saturated with flavor.  It should also be noticed that while countless traditional recipes exist with the above characteristics, the term chao may not appear in the name, in recipes or menus, though it certainly falls within the category of fried noodles.

One can—and has—written books on the subject of Chinese noodles. [See Florence Lin's Complete Book of Chinese Noodles, Dumplings and Breads.] Making noodles at home, however, is an activity reserved for die-hard food enthusiasts, ones that don't mind the near destruction of their kitchens.  No matter how much care is taken, flour inevitably winds up on the floor, ceiling, clothing, hair and walls.  In China, cooks seem to know better: folks rarely make their own fresh noodles, they are cheap and available on nearly every block.  Here, the faint of heart can buy fresh wheat noodles at any Asian grocery. The version below is based on chao mian I’ve enjoyed in several Sichuan street restaurants.  Keep in mind, you may want to vary the meat, or omit it for a vegetarian version; chilies, dried mushroom, red or green peppers, doufu, can all be utilized if desired, without changing the essential tradition of Chao mian.  It is recommended however, that the garlic, ginger, yellow onion and sprouts be retained, since their flavor and texture is a key to the character of this dish.

Homemade Fresh Noodles

• 3-1/2 cups flour (approx.)
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp oil

The amount of flour used in this recipe will depend on the type of flour, its age, and humidity.  Adjust as necessary.  Combine the flour, water, salt and oil and knead until the dough roughly coheres in a ball.  The dough should be dry and somewhat stiff.  Begin running the dough through the machine on the largest setting, folding it each time, until it is smooth and begins to feel slightly sticky.  Dust the dough repeatedly with flour as you do this, until it will not absorb any more.  The idea is to make a very strong dough with a high proportion of flour to water.  Wrap and allow the dough to rest for several hours—this will relax the gluten and distribute the moisture.  You can now repeat the process of rolling and adding more flour, until you have a very strong,  elastic dough.   Now divide the dough into 3 or 4 equal parts and run it through the machine, trimming the width if necessary, dusting with flour when needed, and decreasing the dimension, until the sheets are approximately 1/16” thick and at least 15” long, depending on the type of noodle desired.  Run the sheet through the narrow cutter attachment, producing a strand approximately 1/16” by 1/16” in diameter, and 15” to 20” long.  Dust with cornstarch. The dimensions of a chao mian noodle can vary: it can be flat, like an Italian fettuccine, or somewhat larger, resembling a Japanese udon; the Chinese, however, consider a long noodle best, as it traditionally symbolizes long life, and is a customary—we should say, mandatory—dish served at Birthday celebrations.

The noodles should be refrigerated, dried, or frozen, however homemade noodles do not hold up as well as commercially made, so it is best to use them as soon as possible.

Xia ren chao mian:

15 oz fresh noodle

7-8 oz shelled de-veined shrimp or prawn

2-3 garlic cloves, very finely minced

1” x1/2” pc ginger, peeled and finely minced

1/2 yellow onion, cut into small wedges

8 oz beansprouts

3 green onions

4 oz green cabbage or bai cai

Sauce: 

1 Tab ground bean sauce

3 Tab soy

1 rounded tsp sugar

1 tsp sweet vinegar

Garnish:

A few shreds sweet red pepper

A few shreds green tops of green onion

Sesame oil

Boil fresh noodles for two minutes, checking them every quarter minute for desired doneness.  They should be slightly undercooked, since they will undergo a second cooking in the wok.  Remove the noodles when they are done, drain, and spread on a countertop to cool and dry.  As soon as the surface of the noodles have dulled, drizzle a small amount of peanut oil on them to prevent sticking.

Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients:  wash and trim shrimp, if necessary, and drain thoroughly.  Cut yellow onion into wedges along its axis, and separate them.  Cut green onions into 2” sections; cut white portion into quarters lengthwise, then shred 2 or so tablespoons of the green portion to use as a garnish.  Shred a few pieces of sweet red pepper for garnish. Cut the cabbage into 1/4” shreds.  Combine the sauce ingredients.

Dredge the shrimp or prawn in cornstarch and thoroughly shake off excess.  On high, heat wok til it begins to smoke and add 2-3 Tab of peanut oil; add dusted shrimp and stir fry quickly just until they loose their transluscence.  Remove and set aside.  Add another tablespoon or two of oil and when wok is very hot, toss in yellow and green onion but do not stir—you want to achieve some caramelization on the onion pieces (if you have a professional wok burner, this will not be necessary); when wok is hot again, add ginger and garlic, toss, then cabbage and sprouts and stir fry for 1 or 2 minutes until sprouts barely begin to wilt.  Add the noodles and begin tossing with the other ingredients.  The noodles will tend to roll up and turn over without suspending the other ingredients; it is necessary to gently pull the noodles apart as you stir fry, to combine it all.  Using large chopsticks rather than the shovel, is sometimes helpful.  After 2 minutes or so, add sauce ingredients and continue mixing, trying to pull the noodles apart as you go, until the noodles and ingredients are thoroughly heated through.  When you plate the dish, roll the mass onto the platter and heap any remaining onions or flavoring ingredients onto the top of the noodles.  Arrange the shrimp on top as well, before garnishing with shredded onion, red pepper and sesame oil.

Dan Dan Mian (Dan Dan Noodles)

Dan Dan Mian (Dan Dan Noodles)

The name of this dish derives from the verb dan, to carry on a pole, referring to the time, until recently, when Sichuanese street vendors carried the makings for snack noodles on bamboo poles and called out their offerings,"dan dan mian!". Among devotees of this dish there is much discussion with regards to the addition or omission of sesame paste. It's worth noting the difference, since sesame paste is intensely flavorful and the two versions would seem to be at odds within the tradition of dan dan mian. The fact is, both are common in Sichuan, though the exported version of Dan Dan Mian seems to always contain the sesame paste. Common elements to look for are pork, chili oil, scallion and ya cai, (preserved vegetable), and sichuan peppercorn (Hua Jiao)--the latter being included in countless traditional Sichuan preparations. In my time in Chengdu, the capitol of Sichuan province, I enjoyed this snack many times in the small restaurants that one found in the side streets of that city.

12 oz fresh wheat noodles

4 oz pork, minced

3/4 tsp Sichuan peppercorn, lightly roasted and ground

1 med clove garlic, minced

1-1/2 Tab Sichuan pickled vegetable ya cai (editor: Tianjin preserved vegetable works well)1 Tab soy sauce

1 Tab rice wine

Sauce/topping:

2 tsp dark soy sauce

1 Tab Soy sauce

1 Tab chicken stock

1 tsp ChingKiang black vinegar

1/2 tsp sugar

2 Tab chili oil

1/4 tsp of salt

2 scallions, green portion only, sliced thin--reserve a few for garnish

Cook the fresh noodles for 2 minutes or so, and check for desired doneness. Remove, drain until the noodles begin to stick together, then toss with a small amount of oil; portion out to 2 or 3 bowls.

Combine the sauce ingredients.

Heat the wok on medium heat until it just begins to smoke and add 3 or 4 tablespoons of oil. When the oil is hot, add minced pork and stir fry, taking care to break up the meat; quickly add the garlic, peppercorn and preserved vegetable and toss. Splash in a tablespoon each of soy sauce and rice wine, toss, and remove.

Portion out the sauce/topping equally over each bowl of noodles; garnish with sesame oil and a few slices of green scallion

To make the sesame paste version: use the recipe above, omitting the Chingkiang vinegar and dark soy sauce. Also, to the sauce/topping ingredients, add 1 round Tablespoon of sesame paste and another tablespoon of chicken stock, and mix very thoroughly to dissolve the sesame paste.

Ma Yi Shang Shu (Ants Climbing a Tree)

Ants Climbing a Tree (Ma Yi Shang Shu)

This Sichuan dish has an imaginative name, and its unique appearance, texture and delicious flavors justify the poetry:  it derives from the finely minced pork, which when combined with the noodles properly, suggests ants clinging to the branches of a tree--well, you may have to use your imagination for this one!  Ma Yi Shang Shu has survived the ages, however, by the pleasing use of wok simmered, translucent, mung bean noodles, commonly found in soups, known in Chinese as fen si.  In the west, it has been called bean thread, cellophane, and vermicelli noodles, and is produced from the same legume as the venerable bean sprout.  Its texture is smooth and slippery, and constitutes a very unique experience among the countless noodles dishes of China.

6 - 7 oz dry bean thread noodle (fen si).
5-6 oz lean pork, minced carefully 1/8” pcs.
2 green onions, white portion fine mince, greens shredded for garnish
2 med cloves garlic, finely minced
1 heaping Tab ginger, finely minced
1 tsp chili paste

Meat marinade:

1 tsp dark soy sauce
4 tsp shao xing wine or dry sherry
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp cornstarch

Sauce:

1 1/2 to 2 CUPS homemade or low sodium chicken stock
2 Tab shao xing wine or dry sherry
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt

Soak the beanthread noodles in hot water for an hour or so, until pliable, then drain.  Cut the noodles in half or thirds with scissors, cover and set aside.

Preparing the pork is important; the appearance of the dish is enhanced by mincing the meat in fairly uniform “ant-like” pieces.  Putting the pork in the freezer until it is very firm but not frozen helps; slice the meat across the grain, 1/8” thick, then cut the slices into 1/8” diameter matchsticks; align the pieces and cut them into 1/8” dice; marinate the meat for at least 30 minutes in the marinade ingredients.

Heat the wok to med high, add peanut oil, and stir fry the minced pork, using chopsticks to thoroughly separate the meat pieces as they cook.  Fry the pork until it is completely done and begins to darken.  Push the pork up the sides of the wok and add more oil if necessary so that a couple of tablespoons is available for the rest of the frying (To enhance the “ant” appearance, 2 or 3 tablespoons of meat can be taken out at this point to use as a garnish).  Add ginger, the white part of the minced onion, and garlic; stir fry for 30 seconds or so, then add chili paste and stir fry until well blended.  Add the sauce ingredients, then the drained bean thread noodles and mix thoroughly.  At first it may seem that you've used too much sauce, but it will be absorbed in time. Simmer the noodles for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, and adding small amounts of water if the noodles appear to be drying out.  When the mung bean noodles are soft and velvety,  turn the noodles over, making sure the minced ingredients are picked up from the bottom of the wok, and slide the mass onto a platter.  Garnish with a little sesame oil, a few green onion  shreds, and the reserved cooked pork.

Liang Mian (Cold Noodles)

Liang mian, cold noodles, is a traditional snack food in China, little known to westerners. It is sold by street vendors and small cafes in many parts of the country; this version is based on one I enjoyed while visiting Chengdu, Sichuan; thus it is firery and intensely flavored. In terms of traditional liang mian, you will encounter broadly two types: a vinegar/soy slightly sweet version as in the present recipe, and a more common rich, nutty version featuring sesame paste and often chicken, and described as “sesame noodles,” or “sesame noodles with chicken” (Ji Si Liang Mian). The famous Sichuan noodle dish, Dan Dan Mian, should be included in this category, although it is not, strictly speaking, always served cold, but often a combination of cold noodles with a freshly cooked meat and sesame based sauce topping. In this recipe, none of the sauce ingredients require cooking, making this an exceptionally fast and easy dish to prepare.

1 Tab Chili oil
2 tsp chili paste
1 Tab light Soy sauce
1 tsp sweet black vinegar
1 scallion, white portion minced, green portion finely sliced for garnish
2 medium cloves garlic, very finely minced
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 Tab Zhejiang vinegar
3 tsp sugar
Sichuan peppercorn, lightly toasted and ground, for garnish
Sesame oil for garnish

At least 2 1/2 cups cooked wheat noodles, cooled.

Mix all the sauce ingrdients and store in an airtight container. Place 2 1/2 cups or so of cooked, cool noodles in a bowl and top with about 2 Tablespoons of sauce.

Garnish with sesame oil, roasted and ground Sichuan peppercorn (hua jiao) and green onion.

The sauce recipe above will season approximately 8 cups of cooled cooked noodles.

Chao Rou Gu Mian (Pork and Mushroom Fried Noodle)

Chao Rou Gu Mian (Pork and Mushroom Fried Noodle) is a street noodle preparation I encountered my first day in the ancient capital city, Xian, in central China.  The secrets to this Chao rou gu mian is using steamed noodle, which has a distinctive texture, and marinating the shredded mushroom in wine, soy and a dash of sweet vinegar.

4 oz pork
12 oz fresh steamed noodles (see "steamed noodles" in the Technique section
3 fresh red cayenne chilis, slivered on the diagonal (dried chilis can be used)
2 large scallions, sliced on the diagonal
Peanut oil
4 chinese dried mushrooms
1 large cloves Garlic slivered
1" x 3/4" peeled, ginger slivered
wine
dash vinegar

Sauce:

1-Tab bean sauce ground
1 Tab sweet bean (or hoisin) sauce
2 TAB stock
1/2 tsp salt

For garnish:

sesame oil
slivered scallion or carrot
Put the mushrooms in very hot water and allow to soak for about an hour. When they are completely softened, put them in a towel or cheesecloth and wring out as much water from them as possible. Slice into matchstick shreds, making sure to trim out any hard portions. Marinate in soy sauce, wine and sweet black vinegar, about a teaspoon or so each, and set aside.
Cut the pork into matchstick shreds (see Technique section for hints on cutting) Add a marinade of a little soy sauce, wine and cornstarch. Mix thoroughly, add a tablespoon of oil and mix again. Set aside.
Put the steamed noodles into boiling water, when returns to a boil, they are about ready. Check them for desired texture.
Mix sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Heat the wok and when it just begins to smoke, add 2 or 3 tablespoons of peanut oil and swirl around the wok. Stir fry meat until it barely begins to brown, and move to the side; when oil reheats, add the garlic and ginger, toss a few times, then add chilis; add scallions, turn a few times, keeping meat to the side. Add mushrooms, stir fry until well mixed; splash in wine, and vinegar, then incorporate meat, and add sauce mixture. When sauce is hot, add noodles and stir fry, occasionally allowing the noodles to "rest" in the wok to brown them a little.
When the noodles are hot and slightly browned, plate the dish and garnish with sesame oil and green onion slices.