A Tested Recipe
Stir-Fried Rice Noodles (Chow Fun).
Wide rice noodles stir-fried with beef and vegetables — a Cantonese street food staple. The key is high heat and not overcrowding the wok so the noodles get that slightly smoky char.
By jackTao · Oct 26, 2025
Hands in the dough?
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The Mise en Place
Ingredients
Adjust portions
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)
The Method
Instructions
- Step 1
- Step 2
- Step 3
- Step 4
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 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).
- 01
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 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).
- 02
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.
- 03
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!
- 04
Finish and Serve
- Sprinkle with the green parts of scallions for garnish. Pick up the wok.
- Transfer to a serving plate and enjoy immediately.
Cook's Notes
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.
Note Nº 01
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!
Note Nº 02
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.
Note Nº 03
The key to successful chow fun is high heat and quick stir-frying. The noodles should be slightly charred but not mushy.
Note Nº 04
If you can't find pre-made chow fun seasoning, the substitute mixture of salt, MSG, and cumin powder works well. Adjust to taste.
Note Nº 05
The technique of heating the wok and pouring out the oil is called 'hot wok, cold oil' - it helps prevent sticking.
Note Nº 06
White pepper powder is preferred over black pepper in Chinese cooking for its more delicate flavor and lighter color.
Note Nº 07
Personal taste varies by region, weather, and time. Adjust seasoning quantities according to your preference. Add chili if you like spicy food.
Note Nº 08
The noodles are ready when they turn translucent and have a slightly glossy appearance.
Note Nº 09
This dish is best served immediately while hot and fresh. The texture changes as it cools.
Note Nº 10
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