Cantonese · noodle
Beef Chow Fun
干炒牛河 · Gān Chǎo Niú Hé
Flat rice noodles dry-fried with silky marinated beef, beansprouts and spring onion over a fierce wok flame.
Gān chǎo niú hé (literally 'dry-fried beef river noodles') is a test of a Cantonese chef's wok skill. Wide, fresh ho fun rice noodles are tossed with marinated beef (typically flank or brisket), beansprouts and spring onion in a very hot wok using minimal soy and no added liquid, relying instead on wok hei — the smoky, slightly charred flavour produced by flame contact — to season the dish. The noodles should be separated, not clumped, and carry a dry, slightly burnished surface rather than a wet sauce. Beef is velveted in baking soda and cornflour before cooking to keep it tender. A wet version (sautéed in oyster sauce) also exists but is less celebrated among Cantonese food enthusiasts.
Where to try
Hong Kong: cha chaan teng (Hong Kong-style cafés) throughout the city. Guangzhou: Cantonese restaurants near the Liwan district. This is a universal Cantonese staple.
Dietary notes
Contains beef, soy, wheat. The velveting process uses baking soda; oyster sauce may appear in some versions.
Cities to try Beef Chow Fun
Other south dishes
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