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Beef Chow Fun (Dry-Fried Beef Hor Fun)

Dry-fried beef hor fun, or gon chow ngau hor, is the ultimate test of a good wok — you want those wide, silky rice noodles kissed with real 'wok hei', that smoky char you only get from a screaming-hot pan and quick, confident tossing. Get it right and it tastes like it walked straight out of a Cantonese noodle house.

Tender strips of marinated beef, slippery flat rice noodles, crunchy bean sprouts and a good hit of garlic chives all come together in a dark, savoury sauce built on soy. It looks deceptively simple, but the flavour is huge, and it's one of those dishes that genuinely does taste better cooked hard and fast rather than low and gentle.

The best tip for home cooks: don't overcrowd your wok. Cook in two batches if you need to, so the noodles get proper contact with the hot metal instead of steaming in their own moisture.

Servings
4
Prep Time
20
mins
Cook Time
15
mins
Ingredients
14
Total Time
35
mins

Pantry bits

  • Wok, well seasoned
  • Tongs or wok spatula
  • Mixing bowls

Ingredients

  • 500g fresh wide rice noodles (hor fun)
  • 300g flank or scotch fillet steak, thinly sliced against the grain
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp cornflour
  • 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
  • 2 cups bean sprouts
  • 1 bunch garlic chives, cut into 5cm lengths
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce, extra
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • White pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Marinate the beef slices with 1 tbsp light soy sauce, cornflour and bicarbonate of soda for 15 minutes.
  2. Gently separate the rice noodles with your hands if they're clumped together, being careful not to tear them.
  3. Whisk together the dark soy sauce, extra light soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar in a small bowl.
  4. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok over very high heat until smoking. Sear the beef for 1-2 minutes until just browned, then remove to a plate.
  5. Add another tablespoon of oil to the wok. Add the noodles and let them sit undisturbed for 30-45 seconds to pick up some char, then toss gently to avoid breaking them.
  6. Push the noodles aside, add the last of the oil and the garlic, and fry for 20 seconds until fragrant.
  7. Pour the sauce mixture over the noodles and toss well to coat evenly, letting the noodles catch a little at the edges of the wok.
  8. Add the bean sprouts, garlic chives and the seared beef back in, and toss everything together over high heat for 1-2 minutes until the vegetables are just wilted.
  9. Season with white pepper and serve immediately, straight from the wok.

Other recipes

Perkedel (Indonesian Potato Fritters)
Rawon (Javanese Black Beef Soup)
Nasi Uduk (Indonesian Coconut Rice)

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