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Sacha Hirschfeld

Beef Chow Mein

This Beef Chow Mein is full of tender pieces of beef, a ton of fresh veggies, and stir fried noodles in a rich, flavorful sauce. Skip the takeout!
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 47 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Chinese, Chinese-American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef
  • 300 g steak sirloin, flank, or skirt; thinly sliced
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp water
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground pepper I use more because I like it peppery
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
Chow Mein
  • 6 oz dried chow mein noodles or dried egg noodles
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil or avocado oil; divided
  • 5 scallions whites sliced and green part cut into 1" pieces; white and green parts divided
  • 4 garlic cloves sliced
  • 1 cup carrots cut into matchsticks
  • ¾ cup celery cut into matchsticks
  • ½ bell pepper I use a combo of green and red for more color
  • ¼ savoy or green cabbage medium size; core removed and thinly sliced
  • 227 g can sliced water chestnuts or bean sprouts
Chow Mein Sauce
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp dark soy sauce see notes
  • 1½ tbsp Shaoxing Rice Wine may sub Mirin
  • 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • ⅓ cup beef stock or water
  • ½ tsp white pepper

Equipment

  • 1 chefs knife
  • 1 cutting board
  • measuring spoons ½ tsp, 1 tsp, ½ tbsp, 1 tbsp
  • measuring cups ⅓ cup, ¾ cup, 1 cup
  • 1 whisk
  • 2 medium bowls one for the meat and one for the chow mein sauce
  • 1 large pot
  • 1 strainer
  • 1 wok or large, tall-sided skillet
  • 1 wok spatula if you're using a non-stick pan, be sure to use a silicone or wooden spatula
  • 1 tongs

Method
 

Beef
  1. Cut the steak against the grain into thin slices. In a medium-sized bowl, make a slurry by whisking together soy sauce, water, and cornstarch. Whisk until there are no cornstarch clumps. Mix in kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and garlic powder. Add sliced beef; toss until combined and coated.
    Cover, then pop in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Chow Mein Sauce
  1. While the steak is chilling in the fridge, let's make the sauce and prep the fresh ingredients. Stir-fries go down incredibly quickly! If you don't have everything ready to go and organized, the recipe is already doomed. Preparation is key, especially with fast cooking meals, like stir fries.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl, make a slurry with cornstarch, dark soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine; whisk until cornstarch is fully incorporated and there are no visible lumps. Add hoisin, oyster sauce, sesame oil, beef stock, and white pepper; whisk until well-combined. Set aside.
Chow Mein
  1. Prep all the veggies, garlic, and strain the water chestnuts.
  2. Cook the chow mein noodles in boiling water, then drain and run under cold water to stop them from sticking together. Use your fingers to separate the noodles while rinsing. Set aside.
    I'm hesitant to say "follow the package instructions" because the ones I buy say to cook for 3 minutes but they're ready in exactly half the time. Just be aware of this.
  3. Remove the steak from the fridge. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil (with a high smoke-point) in a wok over a high heat. Add steak to the wok and fry for 2-3 minutes, turning couple of times, until the steak is just cooked. Using tongs, remove the steak from the pan and transfer to a plate.
  4. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the wok. Add whites from the scallions, garlic, carrot, and celery; fry for 3 minutes, continuously tossing everything together with a spatula.
  5. Add the bell pepper, cabbage, and water chestnuts; fry again for 2 minutes, keeping everything constantly moving in the wok with your spatula. See why everything needs to be ready to go? This is a full body activity.
  6. Add the cooked steak back to the wok, along with the noodles and green parts of the scallions. Pour the sauce over the top. Stir fry everything together for 2 minutes, tossing regularly with a set of tongs, until the noodles are hot.
  7. Serve with sesame seeds and sliced scallions (optional).

Notes

Why am I coating the meat in a cornstarch mixture?
This is a technique called "velveting", commonly used when cooking in high heat, like in a stir fry. The meat is marinated in a mixture containing cornstarch which essentially, acts  as a protective barrier around the meat fibers, keeping them juicy and creating a slightly crispy exterior. There will be no dry meat in my stir fries, only tender! Not today (or any day) satan! 
Why dark soy sauce? What's the difference?
Dark soy sauce is a dark-coloured soy sauce used mainly for adding color and flavor to dishes. It is richer, slightly thicker, and less salty than regular soy sauce. 
I really love the rich color it adds to chow mein. If you don't have dark soy sauce on hand; no worries! I would swap for half soy sauce and half hoisin. 
What is Shaoxing Rice Wine? What can I use instead?
Shaoxing wine is a Chinese rice wine that's used for cooking and toasting. It's a key ingredient in many Chinese dishes, including braised meats, stir fries, and Drunken Chicken. The taste profile is slightly sweet, potent smell, with a dry, sharp aftertaste.
This is an essential ingredient for making truly “restaurant standard” Asian noodles. You can substitute with Mirin, dry sherry, or sake. 
Non alcoholic sub – sub the cooking wine low sodium broth/stock.