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Beef Chow Fun with Chinese Broccoli

Quick batches over high heat give wide rice noodles browned edges, while steak, gai lan, and sprouts keep their distinct textures.

Wide rice noodles with browned edges are tossed with sliced beef, Chinese broccoli, scallions, and bean sprouts.

Beef chow fun depends on a hot pan and a little breathing room. Fresh wide rice noodles, thinly sliced steak, and ready-to-go vegetables make it possible to move quickly on a home stove.

Cooking the noodles in two batches gives them direct contact with the wok so they pick up light char instead of steaming. The savory oyster and soy sauce clings to the broad noodles without drowning them.

Prepare everything before heating

A wok stir-fry moves too quickly for chopping or measuring at the stove. Separate the fresh noodles gently, mix the sauce, and keep the gai lan stems, leaves, scallion parts, and sprouts in their own piles.

Sear the steak quickly

Thin slices across the grain cook in moments, so crowding the wok is the main risk. Searing two batches keeps the pan hot and leaves browned edges instead of a pool of meat juices.

A small batch of wide rice noodles chars in a hot wok while prepared ingredients wait nearby. — Sliced steak and separated vegetables are ready beside the sauce before the wok heats.

Keep the greens bright

Chinese broccoli has sturdy stems and tender leaves, so they need different start times. Give the sliced stems a short head start, then add the leaves near the end and move both out before they lose their color.

Give noodles room to char

Wide rice noodles can tear if stirred constantly, and they soften if piled into a crowded pan. Let each half rest against the hot surface briefly, turning only enough to distribute the sauce and expose new edges.

Close detail shows lightly charred rice noodles beside glossy beef and bright Chinese broccoli. — Browned noodle edges, glossy steak, and vivid gai lan show the finished textures.

Finish at the last moment

The beef and greens need only a brief return to the wok once the noodles are ready. Add sprouts and scallion greens at the end, then turn off the heat before the sesame oil goes in so its aroma stays clear.

Beef Chow Fun with Chinese Broccoli

4 servings

38 minutes total

Ingredients

• 12 oz fresh wide rice noodles, gently separated
• 12 oz flank steak, trimmed and sliced thinly across the grain
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp neutral oil, for the beef marinade
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 3 tbsp neutral oil, divided
• 1 bunch Chinese broccoli (gai lan), stems thinly sliced and leaves cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3 scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths with whites and greens separated
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 cups mung bean sprouts
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Method

Set up the wok station
Pat the fresh rice noodles dry and separate them gently, then arrange the beef, vegetables, sauce ingredients, and a serving platter beside the stove so each batch can move quickly.
Look for: The noodles are loose rather than clumped, and all ingredients are within reach of the burner.
Season the beef
Toss the sliced flank steak with light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, and 1 tsp neutral oil until each slice has a thin, glossy coating; let it stand while you mix the sauce.
Look for: The marinade clings as a light coating instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
Mix sauce and prepare vegetables
Whisk oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, water, and white pepper in a small bowl. Keep the gai lan stems and leaves, scallion whites and greens, garlic, bean sprouts, and salt in separate piles for quick cooking.
Look for: The sugar dissolves and the dark sauce is smooth, while the stems and leaves remain separated.
Sear beef in batches
Heat a wok or large skillet over the highest burner setting until a drop of water evaporates at once. Add a little of the divided neutral oil and sear the beef in two uncrowded batches for about 45 seconds per side; transfer each batch to the platter while the centers are still slightly pink.
Look for: Each batch sizzles sharply and develops browned edges without releasing a puddle of liquid.
Stir-fry the gai lan
Add a little more divided oil to the hot wok, then stir-fry garlic and scallion whites for 15 seconds. Add gai lan stems and salt for 45 seconds, then add the leaves and toss for about 1 minute; transfer the vegetables to the platter before the leaves wilt completely.
Look for: The stems turn glossy and bright green while the leaves soften but retain their shape.
Char the noodles in small batches
Add a thin film of the remaining oil and stir-fry half the noodles over high heat for 1 to 2 minutes, turning them only enough to expose the surface to the wok. Pour in half the sauce around the hot edge and toss until glossy; transfer to the platter and repeat with the remaining noodles and sauce.
Look for: Some noodle edges show light brown spots, and the noodles remain separate rather than steaming into a soft mass.
Bring the stir-fry together
Return the noodles, beef, and gai lan to the wok in two portions if needed to keep the pan hot. Toss each portion over high heat for about 30 seconds so the sauce coats the ingredients and the beef finishes cooking without overcooking.
Look for: The beef is just cooked through, and the noodles look lightly glazed rather than wet.
Finish and serve
Fold in the bean sprouts and scallion greens for 30 to 45 seconds, then turn off the heat and drizzle with toasted sesame oil. Serve immediately while the sprouts stay crisp and the noodles are still hot.
Look for: The sprouts have warmed but still snap, and the sesame aroma is fresh rather than toasted.