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    Home » Recipes » Asian Recipes

    Crispy Cantonese Beef Chow Mein

    Published: Sep 20, 2017 • Modified: Mar 1, 2022 • Author: Joyce • 22 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    A crispy Cantonese beef chow mein recipe, loaded with a saucy beef, peppers, and onions on top. A popular and delicious takeout dish that's easy to re-create right in the comfort of your home!

    Crispy Cantonese Beef Chow Mein with a sauce beef, pepper and onions on top.

    Chow mein, there's a gazillion different kinds out there and different ways to enjoy it so what makes Cantonese beef chow mein different? Not much really, except that it's crispy! I personally think that's the best part of it. 🙂

    Another main difference between normal chow mein and Cantonese chow mein is it is a bit more on the dry and crispy side and the noodles are usually not tossed in with the sauces. The process is simple and usually done in 2 steps: crisping up the noodles then topping it with the sauce, beef and, veggies. This gives you a choice to have a crispier noodle with a bit of sauce by eating off the edges, or going full hog saucy by digging in the middle!

     

    INGREDIENTS FOR CRISPY CANTONESE BEEF CHOW MEIN

    Crispy Cantonese Beef Chow Mein

    • Chow Mein Noodles - Chow mein noodles can be found at any Asian grocery store, in the refrigerator section where they sell fresh noodles. They are yellow in colour and are usually made with wheat flour and egg. Since we are using fresh pre-steamed chow mein noodles, we don't need to boil them before using them.
    • Oyster sauce - You can find oyster sauce at an Asian grocery store or online. There is no true substitute for the slightly sweet, and briny sauce but if you can't find oyster sauce you can try to substitute it with 2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce, and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce.
    • Maple Syrup - I like to use maple syrup or honey as sweeteners in the kitchen, but you can substitute this with sugar if that is all you have in the kitchen. If you use sugar, use half the amount.
    • Beef - For this beef chow mein recipe, you can substitute it with any kind of meat. You can also make this vegetarian by omitting the meat (and the marination) steps. I like to use flank steak for this but this recipe also works well with any type of steaks, as long as it's cut into smaller pieces

    Crispy Cantonese Beef Chow Mein

    When you are cutting the beef, you want to cut it against the grain to keep it tender (without the use of a tenderizer). When you lay your meat down, you will notice the meat grains will go a certain direction, you want to cut against it to create shorter fibers per slice. This works with beef, chicken, and pork.

     

    CRISPING UP THE NOODLES

    • Before you fry the noodles, you need to soften them up a little. If you are using pre-steamed chow mein, then either run very hot tap water over the noodles for 1-2 minutes to soften them. Alternatively, you can also soak it in a hot bowl of water for 1 minute as well.
    • To crisp up the chow mein, you will essentially have to deep fry it in a frying pan. You don't need anything special for this step except oil and your softened noodles. Depending on how thick your pan/wok is you may need to adjust your heat accordingly. For thinner pans like a wok I usually set my pan to medium but for thicker wall pans like a frying pan, I like to adjust the heat to medium-high.

    Crispy Cantonese Beef Chow Mein

    SIMPLIFYING THE BEEF CHOW MEIN SAUCE

    Normally, the proper way to make the sauce is to mix the sauce in a bowl and keep the corn starch slurry (the sauce thickener) separate to put in at the end. To simplify this (and to save us some dishes) I combined the sauce and the corn starch slurry but to make this work without lumps you have to mix the ingredients in a particular order.

    Order of Operation:

    1. In a bowl add ¼ cup of water
    2. Mix in the corn starch and stir until it has dissolved into the water
    3. Add in the oyster sauce and mix well until the sauce is smooth
    4. Once the sauce is smooth add in the maple syrup and the rest of the water and mix
    5. Set aside for the very end

    Crispy Cantonese Beef Chow Mein with a sauce beef, pepper and onions on top.

    THE BEST CHILI SAUCE, THAT GOES WITH EVERYTHING!

    Serving this with a bit of chili oil makes this dish super duper flavourful and gives it a little something-something. It's something I swear by and always do whenever I have any kind of beef chow mein.

    A staple chili oil I have at home that I pretty much use on everything is the "Spicy Chili Crisp Chili Oil" made by Lao Gan Ma aka The Godmother.

    I have found that they will occasionally have this in English or Chinese labels. I find the best way to find it by looking for her famous face that's plastered right on the label. 🙂 It's an intricate and complex flavour that doesn't pack a lot of heat (mildly spicy) with hints of caramelized onion flavours. This stuff is like crack.

    There is an awesome post 'Meeting Lao Gan Ma, “The Godmother”: China’s Best Chili Oils and Sauces' by Taylor Holliday on this famous chili sauce that goes into detail on the story behind this hot sauce and how to look for knock offs. 🙂 It's a good read!

     

    LOOKING FOR MORE CHINESE TAKEOUT RECIPES? TRY THESE!

    • Sweet and Sour Pork
    • Chilli Chicken
    • Sweet and Sticky Crispy Beef
    • Sweet and Sticky Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)

    Crispy Cantonese Beef Chow Mein

    DID YOU TRY THIS CANTONESE BEEF CHOW MEIN RECIPE?

    If you made this, I want to see! Follow Pups with Chopsticks on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag and hashtag it with @pupswithchopsticks and #pupswithchopsticks. I love to know what you are making!

    Stay connected and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for all of my latest recipes!

    A plate of Cantonese beef chow mein with beef and veg on top of crispy noodles

    Crispy Cantonese Beef Chow Mein

    A crispy Cantonese beef chow mein recipe, loaded with a saucy beef, peppers, and onions on top. A popular and delicious takeout dish that's easy to re-create right in the comfort of your home!
    Print Pin Rate Save Recipe Saved!
    Course: Asian, Main, Noodles
    Cuisine: Chinese
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    3 Servings
    4.55 from 11 votes

    Recipe Notes

    • When you are buying Cantonese chow mein in the grocery store, look for the ones that are pre-steamed. They usually come in a plastic bag in the refrigeration section where all the fresh noodles are. Buying the pre-steamed one lets us skip the step of steaming the noodles before deep-frying it.

    Ingredients
     

    • ½ lb beef flank steak (or any kind of beef steak)
    • ½ lb fresh Cantonese style steamed chow mein noodles (approximately ½ package of a 16oz/454g package, which is about 3-4 cups)
    • 4-5 tablespoons oil
    • 2 slices ginger

    Vegetables

    • ½  green pepper (approximately 1 cup)
    • ½ yellow onion (approximately 1 cup)

    Beef Marinade

    • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
    • ½ tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine
    • 1 tablespoon water

    Sauce

    • 1 ½ tablespoons corn starch
    • ¼ cup water (to mix with corn starch)
    • 3-4 tablespoons oyster sauce (start with 3 tablespoons, and add more if you prefer it saltier)
    • 1 ½ - 2 teaspoons maple syrup (or honey)
    • ¾ cups water (to thin out the sauce)

    Condiments (Optional)

    • Spicy Chili Crisp Chili Oil
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Preparing the Vegetables and Noodles

    • Slice the green peppers and onions into strips and set aside
    • Add the chow mein noodles into a colander and use your hands and to loosen it up gently. Pour hot water over it to slightly soften it. I find it easiest to use hot tap water and run the noodles under it for 2-3 minutes. Alternatively, you can also soak the noodles in a bowl for 1 minute with boiling water. Set the noodles aside once the noodles are soft.

    Marinating the Beef

    • Cut the beef against the grain into thin slices and put it in a bowl
    • Add the 'Beef Marinade' ingredients into the bowl with the beef and mix well and set aside to marinate for 15 minutes in room temperature

    Making the Sauce

    • In a bowl, combine ¼ cup of cold water and corn starch and mix until  the corn starch has dissolved well with no clumps
    • Add in the oyster sauce and mix until the sauce is smooth
    • Add in the maple syrup and the rest of the ¾ cup of water and mix well and set aside

    Crisping the Noodles

    • In a wok or frying pan, set the heat to medium to medium-high heat (adjust this according to your stove and the thickness of your pan)
    • Add 4 tablespoons of oil to the pan and wait for the oil to smoke or shimmer. (The oil needs to get really hot to 'deep fry' the noodles)
    • Add in the noodles and let it 'pan fry' untouched for 1 minute. Flipping once every minute for around 5-8 minutes. Our goal is to get the noodles dried and crispy. If you are noticing that the noodles are burning, lower the heat a bit. (A little burnt is okay 🙂 )
    • Once the noodles are crispy and done, remove it from the pan and spread it out on a serving plate

    Putting it Together

    • Set the stove to medium, to medium-high heat again and add a tablespoon of oil
    • When the oil is hot, add in the slices of ginger and roast it until it is golden brown
    • Add in the beef and fry it for 2-3 minutes until the beef is cooked. It's okay to have the beef medium rare for this dish 🙂
    • Add in the onions and green peppers and toss it with the beef for about 2-3 minutes (we don't want to overcook the veggies)
    • Give the sauce a quick stir in the bowl - corn starch likes to settle at the bottom so we want to make sure the sauce is evenly mixed before we use it.
    • Push aside the veggies and beef on the pan and pour in the sauce
    • Once the sauce gets enough heat, it will start to thicken, keep stirring with your spatula until it thickens and starts to bubble. You will know the sauce is done when it becomes a darker colour, translucent and thick.
    • Toss the meat and veggies over the sauce and coat everything with the sauce and cook it for about 1 minute
    • Pour everything over the plate of noodles
    • Enjoy with some chilli oil! 🙂

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 530kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 32g | Sodium: 1082mg | Sugar: 6g

    *Nutritional information is calculated using online tools and is an estimate*

    Did you try this recipe?I'd love to hear from you! Let me know how it was and consider giving it a rating! Tag me on Instagram with @pupswithchopsticks to show me!
    Made with ♡ by Joyce | Pups with Chopsticks

    Disclaimer: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites, however I provide these links to make items easier to find if you cannot purchase this locally and I would never recommend anything I don’t own myself or highly recommend. I would prefer you buy your items locally if possible to support your local shops (and chances are they are cheaper locally as well!) 🙂

     

    « Steamed Spare Ribs with Black Bean Sauce
    Chilli Chicken »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Josie says

      October 26, 2017 at 5:30 pm

      5 stars
      I love this recipe, simple, fast and tasty food. Ideally when I don't have much enough time. Would follow your way. by the way, that Brand name of non-chili hot sauce is good for me. Thanks Joyce

      Reply
      • Joyce says

        November 09, 2017 at 1:46 pm

        That hot sauce is definitely addictive. I put it on everything now! I highly recommend trying it! 🙂 It's not spicy at all, more flavourful more than anything.

        Reply
    2. heather (delicious not gorgeous) says

      October 03, 2017 at 4:41 pm

      ahhh i love this stuff!! the one i'm used to has a sauce that's slightly lighter in color, and has seafood, but this is bringing back all the good memories (plus, i know exactly what i want next time i go home).

      Reply
      • Joyce says

        October 19, 2017 at 12:59 pm

        Saucy sauce sauce. It's definitely my fave part haha 🙂

        Reply
    3. Dahn says

      September 21, 2017 at 11:42 am

      5 stars
      This looks great, I would much rather make my own chow mein at home because I know the oils and fats are tripled in the restaurants.

      Reply
      • Joyce says

        October 03, 2017 at 9:47 am

        Yes!! 🙂 Love to be in my PJs making this and then chowing down right from the frying pan - no judgement haha 🙂

        Reply
    4. Lucy @ Supergoldenbakes says

      September 21, 2017 at 11:12 am

      5 stars
      Thanks for your tips on making the noodles crispy. The whole recipe sounds fantastic, but that added crunch must really elevate this dish.

      Reply
      • Joyce says

        October 03, 2017 at 9:48 am

        It definitely does! It's odd it's like half potato chips half noodles to me, loaded with sauce and meats 😀

        Reply
    5. Nichole says

      September 21, 2017 at 10:59 am

      5 stars
      I love the idea of this being crispy, and that sauce looks amazing! Pretty much everything I love is in this dish! Can't wait to try it out!

      Reply
      • Joyce says

        October 03, 2017 at 9:49 am

        The crispy and the sauce are definitely my fave parts. Hope you get to try it out and enjoy it! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Jeni @ Biscuits & Booze says

      September 21, 2017 at 10:51 am

      5 stars
      I'm very intrigued by that chili oil! We love chili oil in our house but I don't think I've had that one. And those crispy noodles are CALLING me!

      Reply
      • Joyce says

        October 03, 2017 at 9:50 am

        You should definitely pick that one up. Chilli oil is always bland to me but this one is SO FLAVOURFUL. Seriously. I no longer use sriracha I just douse my food in this haha 🙂

        Reply
    7. [email protected] says

      September 21, 2017 at 10:37 am

      Love the sound of the marinade you used and this would definitely also be great as a vegetarian version!

      Reply
      • Joyce says

        October 03, 2017 at 9:51 am

        This definitely works as a vegetarian dish! Just omit the meats! 🙂 and add all the veggies! I sometimes do that when I don't have meat on hand as well 🙂

        Reply
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