Looking for an easy and delicious dinner? Then try my hearty beef chow mein. The beef is so tender and juicy that the noodles are soaked up by the sauce. It’s delicious, balanced with protein and vegetables and less greasy. And it’s ready in less than 20 minutes. Best of all, it’s cheaper and healthier than takeaway.
Anna’s tips:
- Add oil to the cooked noodles to mix it evenly. This prevents the noodles from sticking together and makes it easier to fry with other ingredients later.
- Fry the beef – to get the beef a nice golden brown color, you need to heat the pan to medium high before adding the beef.
Turn the beef after the bottom is golden brown. If you turn the beef immediately, it will become watery and won’t get a nice golden brown color. It will taste less delicious. - Cook the noodles with the sauce before you add the other ingredients. This allows the noodles to absorb the sauce and become tasty. This is a PRO-TIP from Chinese restaurants and this secret applies to all fried noodles. The sauce must be cooked before you add the noodles.
What do you need:
300g fresh chow mein noodles
1/2 onion
100g bean sprout (remove it’s tail – optional)
4 stalks spring onion
MARINADE BEEF:
0.45 lb economic beef, (200g, sliced 1/4 inch thick)
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon rice wine, Shaoxing wine, or dry sherry
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch
CHOW MEIN SAUCE:
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
How to make:
1.Preparing beef – To make the beef more tender economically, always cut it against the grain.
2. You can refer to my other post: “How to cut beef for stir fry?” There I show you how to cut the beef and tenderize it.
3. Marinate the beef – add soy sauce, baking soda powder, white pepper powder, rice wine and corn starch and massage it so that it absorbs the sauces better.
Finally, add oil and mix them well.
4. Mix the sauce: Mix soy sauce, oyster sauce and water in a medium bowl until well combined. Set aside.
5. Prepare vegetables – Cut the white part of the spring onion to give it more flavor. Separate the white and green parts. Remove the ends of the bean sprouts and slice the carrots. Cut the onions along the grain for a sweeter texture.
6. Cook the noodles and then rinse with cold water. Drain and set aside. Add the oil and toss well after draining.
7. Fry the aromatics – Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the onions, carrots and the white part of the spring onion. Stir fry for 1 minute. Transfer to a plate.
8. Add the beef – don’t turn it, but wait 1 to 2 minutes to turn it. This will give it a nice brown color. Stir fry for another 1 minute, that’s enough. Remove to a plate and set aside.
9. Add the noodles and chow mein sauce and toss for about 1 minute.
Add the beef, onions, spring onions and bean sprouts. Toss everything together with the noodles for 1 to 2 minutes. Then you’re ready to serve.
10. Serve hot as a main course or as a side dish.
Watch how to make:
More beef stir fry recipes:
★ PF Changs Mongolian Beef
★ Chinese Beef Stir Fry With Potato
★ Beijing Beef Panda Express
★ Szechuan Beef
★ Pepper Steak With Onion
★ Beef Chop Suey – Easy Classic Chinese Beef Stir Fry
★ Best Beef Stir Fry With Ginger
★ Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 300 g fresh chow mein noodle
- 1/2 onion
- 100 g bean sprout, (remove it's tail – optional)
- 4 stalks spring onion
MARINADE BEEF:
- 0.45 lb economic beef (200g, sliced 1/4 inch thick)
- 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp rice wine, Shaoxing wine, or dry sherry
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp oil
CHOW MEIN SAUCE:
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
Instructions
- Preparing beef – To make the economic beef more tender, always cut it against the grain. You can refer to my other post: "How To Velvet Beef For Stir Fry?" There I show you how to cut the beef and tenderize it.
- Marinate the beef – add soy sauce, baking soda powder, white pepper powder, rice wine and corn starch and massage it so that it absorbs the sauces better. Finally, add oil and mix them well.
- Mix the sauce – Mix soy sauce, oyster sauce and water in a medium bowl until well combined. Set aside.
- Prepare vegetables – Cut the white part of the spring onion to give it more flavor. Separate the white and green parts. Remove the ends of the bean sprouts and slice the carrots. Cut the onions along the grain for a sweeter texture.
- Cook the noodles and then rinse with cold water. Drain and set aside. Add the oil and toss well after draining. (Note 1)
- Fry the aromatics – Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the onions, carrots and the white part of the spring onion. Stir fry for 1 minute. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the beef – don't turn it, but wait 1 to 2 minutes to turn it. This will give it a nice brown color. Stir fry for another 1 minute, that's enough. Remove to a plate and set aside. (Note 2)
- Add the noodles and chow mein sauce and toss for about 1 minute. (Note 3)
- Add the beef, onions, spring onions and bean sprouts. Toss everything together with the noodles for 1 to 2 minutes. Then you're ready to serve.
- Serve hot as a main course or as a side dish.
Video
Tips & Notes:
- Add oil to the cooked noodles to mix it evenly. This prevents the noodles from sticking together and makes it easier to fry with other ingredients later.
- Fry the beef – to get the beef a nice golden brown color, you need to heat the pan to medium high before adding the beef.
If you turn the beef immediately, it will become watery and won’t get a nice golden brown color. It will taste less delicious. - Cook the noodles with the sauce before you add the other ingredients. This allows the noodles to absorb the sauce and become tasty. This is a PRO-TIP from Chinese restaurants and this secret applies to all fried noodles. The sauce must be cooked before you add the noodles.
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