Chili Beef Chow Fun Noodles – Culinary Seasons

Chow Fun Noodles just sound FUN don’t they! This recipe is cooked on a Kamado Jr to grill the marinated flank steak and the noodles are cooked on a wok on a Kamado Big Joe with the center ring attachment. But don’t let that deter you from making it!

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You can cook the dish on a stove with a wok or saute pan. I have done this dish and other rice noodle dishes such as, Drunken Noodles, on the stove with a stove top flat bottom wok. It is still delicious but may take a bit longer than the wok over the hot fire. I like cooking over the coals because I used to work in Asian restaurants and honestly miss cooking on a wok. I feel like it gets back to the roots of Asian cooking. There are many street vendors in Asia who still use coals in a clay type of holder and a wok fits right on top. It is amazing to watch how they make it look like an art form.

I was fortunate to meet Author and Restaurateur Barbara Tropp, back in the mid 90s. She owner the restaurant China Moon in San Francisco and had written two cookbooks, The Art of Modern Chinese Cooking & China Moon. She was one of my inspirations to keep learning about Asian cooking. She immersed herself in the Chinese culture and learned the ways of Chinese cuisine. The Chili Oil recipe and the Pickled Ginger recipe that I use in this dish are variations on the ones has in her books. Check them out, they are a world of information on Chinese Cooking.

Prep time does not include the marinade time of 4-8 hours. Cooking time is mostly for grilling the steak.
Cooking the noodles in a wok or saute pan is pretty quick. Be patient to allow the noodles to absorb the sauce. Final dish should not be saucy, the flavor will be in the noodles and the beef.

  • Chili Beef Sauce

  • 1/4 cup Pickled Ginger Juice

  • 2 Tbl cup Soy Sauce

  • 2 Tbl Mushroom Soy Sauce

  • 2 Tbl Chili Oil

  • Marinade for Flank Steak

  • 1 Tbl Garlic minced

  • 1 Tbl Ginger fresh minced

  • 1 Tbl Scallions smashed and sliced 1/4 inch

  • 2 Tbl Chili Oil

  • 2 Tbl Soy Sauce

  • 2 Tbl Michiu Wine

  • 1 Tbl Oyster Sauce

  • Ingredients for Chili Chow Fun Noodles

  • 2 Tbl Fresh Garlic minced

  • 2 Tbl Fresh Ginger minced

  • 1/2 cup Scallions cut into 2 inch sticks

  • 1/4 cup Thai Basil Leaves

  • 1/4 cup Cilantro leaves

  • 1/4 cup Carrots Sliced

  • 1/2 package of dry Chow Fun Noodles
    Hydrated for 20-30 minutes in hot water

  • Marinating and Cooking the Flank Steak
  • Flank steak should be trimmed & cut into 1/3 to allow for best marinade penetration.
    Combine all ingredient for the marinade and marinate 3-8 hours.
  • When time to cook, grill the beef to desired temperature. 130° for medium rare.Reserve the beef to slice when noodles are finished.
  • Cooking the Noodles
  • Hydrate the noodles in hot water for 20-30 minutes prior to cooking time.
  • In a wok or saute pan, heat oil and add aromatics, Ginger and Garlic.
    Saute the aromatics to release aroma, avoid burning. Remove from heat if needed.
  • Add the Carrots and saute.
    Carrots can be pre blanched to expedite the cooking time.
  • Add the Hydrated Noodles to the wok.
    Toss the noodles to cook and continue to soften the noodles.
  • Once the noodles have become more translucent add the sauce.
  • Continue to toss over a medium heat.
    The noodles will absorb the sauce as it cooks.
  • Add the Scallions, Cilantro and Thai Basil
    Toss to combine. Beef can be added to the noodles or served on the plate aside the noodles.