Stir-Fried Rice Noodles (Chow Fun)
- By jackTao
- Oct 26, 2025
30 min
Instructions:
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Prepare Aromatics and Vegetables
- Chop scallions finely, separating the white parts from the green parts. Smash the garlic cloves. Set aside on a cutting board.
- Beat the eggs. Transfer a small amount of egg white to one bowl, and put the rest in another bowl for later use.
- Bring water to a boil in a pot and blanch the mung bean sprouts for 60 seconds over high heat. Remove the sprouts, rinse with cold water, and place on a plate.
- Cut cucumber into thin strips and place on a plate (can be combined with the bean sprouts).
- Prepare the wheat gluten and place it on a separate plate.
- Note: Store-bought rice noodles often have cooking oil on the surface. Rinse them with water. Do the same for wheat gluten.
- Note: After rinsing wheat gluten, squeeze out excess water with your hands (no need to apply too much force).
- Prepare Aromatics and Vegetables
- Chop scallions finely, separating the white parts from the green parts. Smash the garlic cloves. Set aside on a cutting board.
- Beat the eggs. Transfer a small amount of egg white to one bowl, and put the rest in another bowl for later use.
- Bring water to a boil in a pot and blanch the mung bean sprouts for 60 seconds over high heat. Remove the sprouts, rinse with cold water, and place on a plate.
- Cut cucumber into thin strips and place on a plate (can be combined with the bean sprouts).
- Prepare the wheat gluten and place it on a separate plate.
- Note: Store-bought rice noodles often have cooking oil on the surface. Rinse them with water. Do the same for wheat gluten.
- Note: After rinsing wheat gluten, squeeze out excess water with your hands (no need to apply too much force).
- Marinate and Cook the Meat
- Cut the meat into thin strips. Add cornstarch, the reserved egg white, and white pepper powder. Mix clockwise until well combined.
- Heat the wok and add cooking oil. Once hot, pour out the oil (this seasons the wok).
- Add the marinated meat to the hot wok and stir-fry until it changes color. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Stir-Fry the Rice Noodles
- While the wok is still hot, add 20g of cooking oil (reduce amount if concerned about high blood pressure). Add the white parts of scallions and garlic, stir-frying until fragrant.
- Add the rice noodles and drizzle with dark soy sauce for color. Stir-fry evenly, then add the chow fun seasoning mix. Continue stir-frying.
- When the noodles are about to turn translucent, add the cooked meat strips and wheat gluten. Add light soy sauce for umami flavor and give it a quick toss.
- Add the bean sprouts and cucumber strips. Continue stir-frying until the rice noodles are completely translucent.
- Turn off the heat!
- Finish and Serve
- Sprinkle with the green parts of scallions for garnish. Pick up the wok.
- Transfer to a serving plate and enjoy immediately.
Recipe Notes:
- This recipe is scaled per serving, but you can easily multiply the quantities for more people. If you need larger portions, add an additional 100g of noodles per person.
- Fresh bagged rice noodles (he fen) are recommended. They can be purchased online and have a refrigerated shelf life of about two weeks. Many come with chow fun seasoning mix included!
- Chow fun (炒河粉) is a classic Cantonese dish featuring wide, flat rice noodles. The name 'he fen' refers to the rice noodles from Shahe, Guangzhou.
- The key to successful chow fun is high heat and quick stir-frying. The noodles should be slightly charred but not mushy.
- If you can't find pre-made chow fun seasoning, the substitute mixture of salt, MSG, and cumin powder works well. Adjust to taste.
- The technique of heating the wok and pouring out the oil is called 'hot wok, cold oil' - it helps prevent sticking.
- White pepper powder is preferred over black pepper in Chinese cooking for its more delicate flavor and lighter color.
- Personal taste varies by region, weather, and time. Adjust seasoning quantities according to your preference. Add chili if you like spicy food.
- The noodles are ready when they turn translucent and have a slightly glossy appearance.
- This dish is best served immediately while hot and fresh. The texture changes as it cools.
Ingredients:
Serving size
Main Ingredients (Per Serving)
- 250 g fresh wide rice noodles (he fen/chow fun noodles)
- 100 g pork or beef, cut into thin strips
- 1 egg
- 30 g cucumber
- 30 g wheat gluten (mian jin)
- 30 g mung bean sprouts
Aromatics (Per Serving)
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 stalk scallion, chopped (white and green parts separated)
Seasonings (Per Serving)
- 10 ml dark soy sauce (per 250g noodles)
- 15 ml light soy sauce (per 250g noodles)
- 20 g chow fun seasoning mix (or substitute with 10g salt + 2g MSG + 3g cumin powder)
- 5 g cornstarch (per 100g meat)
- 1 pinch white pepper powder
For Cooking
- 20 g cooking oil (plus extra for seasoning wok)