Beef Chow Ho Fun

Steps

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1. 1
   Select a piece of beef and slice it against the grain to ensure tenderness. Suitable cuts include sirloin, New York strip, flank steak, or chuck.
   ▶ ≈0:39
2. 2
   Combine beef with white pepper, salt, dark soy sauce, cornstarch, cooking wine, and baking soda in a bowl. Mix thoroughly, then drizzle with oil to coat and separate the pieces. Marinate for 15 minutes.
   ▶ ≈1:31
3. 3
   Prepare the vegetables: slice garlic thinly, julienne red chili pepper or red bell pepper, thinly slice purple onion, and cut garlic chives into 2-inch stalks. Customize vegetable choices to taste.
   ▶ ≈2:09
4. 4
   Prepare the ho fun noodles. Fresh ho fun can be stir-fried immediately without pre-cooking. If using dried ho fun, soak in hot water for 3-6 minutes until al dente, then coat with 1 tablespoon oil before cooking.
   ▶ ≈2:37
5. 5
   Season the ho fun noodles with soy sauce, oyster sauce, and dark soy sauce. Mix thoroughly and separate any noodle strands sticking together. Pre-seasoning is essential because stir-frying is very quick.
   ▶ ≈3:01
6. 6
   Use a carbon steel wok for cooking. Set heat to maximum and preheat thoroughly until smoking. This is crucial because hot metal and oil create a non-stick surface. Insufficient preheating will cause sticking.
   ▶ ≈3:41
7. 7
   Once smoking, add 1 tablespoon of oil to lubricate the wok. Spread the beef at the bottom and cook for 1 minute until it changes color. The beef should be completely non-stick.
   ▶ ≈4:46
8. 8
   Add all the prepared vegetables to the wok. Keep stirring for about 1 minute until vegetables are slightly cooked. Remove everything from the wok and set aside.
   ▶ ≈5:13
9. 9
   Clean any residue from the wok bottom to prevent noodle sticking. Return heat to high and reheat until smoking again. Add oil and swirl to coat the entire bottom.
   ▶ ≈5:37
10. 10
    Add the seasoned ho fun noodles and quickly spread them out. Cook for only 1-2 minutes until they char nicely and develop a toasty rice aroma. Use chopsticks or tongs to gently fluff, not a spatula, to avoid breaking noodles.
    ▶ ≈5:52
11. 11
    Return the beef and vegetables to the wok. Give everything a final toss to combine evenly. Check that each strand of noodle is perfectly loosened with no clumping together.
    ▶ ≈6:19