Fried Beef Hor Fun features tasty tender beef submerged in slippery smooth gravy and rice noodle (horfun). The main distinguishing characteristic is that the noodles must have "wok hei" - this literally means the "breath or aroma of the wok".  The noodles must have flavour, taste, and aroma that can only be imparted by a very hot wok on food during stir frying. In other word, the noodles need to be seared on high heat in the wok. 

INGREDENTS

• Beef

  • 100 gm beef flank (sliced across grain)

  • Marinade with:

    • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (optional - but this will help tenderise the beef)

    • 1 teaspoon corn starch

    • 1 teaspoon soy sauce

    • 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine

    • 1 teaspoon oil

  • 1 tablespoon oil

• Rice noodles

  • 200 gm fresh rice noodles - loosen

  • 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons oil

  • 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine

• Gravy

  • 1 tablespoons oil

  • 1 tablespoon fried onion

  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic

  • Sauce: mix together

    • 400 ml water

    • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

    • 1 tablespoon light soya sauce

    • 1 tablespoon dark soya sauce

    • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

    • Pinch of sugar

    • Salt and white pepper, to taste

  • Handful of green vegetables (choy sum or bok choy) - cut into chunks

  • 3 tablespoons cornflour (dissolved in a couple tablespoons of water)

METHOD

1. Marinade beef for half an hour.

2. Mix the rice noodles with dark soy sauce, ready for use.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the pan till smoking. Add rice noodles and sear on high heat. Add shaoxing wine around the rim of the wok. Flip the noodles over & sear the other side. Remove noodles to a serving dish when fragrant & slightly golden.

4. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan. Wait till pan return to high heat before adding the beef. Allow the beef to sear before flipping over to sear the other side. Remove beef and place on top of the rice noodles.

5. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and fry onion and garlic till fragrant. Add gravy and bring to the boil.

6. Add green vegetables and cook for 1-2 minutes.

7. Add cornflour mixture to thicken the gravy.

8. Pour gravy over the beef and noodles.