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4.96 from 21 votes

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!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Asian, Main, Noodles
Cuisine: Chinese
Servings: 3 Servings
Calories: 530kcal
Author: Joyce Lee

Ingredients

  • ½ lb fresh Cantonese style steamed chow mein noodles (approximately ½ package of a 16oz/454g package, which is about 3-4 cups)
  • 4-6 tablespoons oil
  • 2 slices ginger

Vegetables

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

Beef Marinade

Sauce

  • 1 ½ tablespoons corn starch
  • ¼ cup cold water (to mix with corn starch)
  • 3-4 tablespoons oyster sauce (start with 3 tablespoons, and add more if you prefer it saltier)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ¾ cups water (to thin out the sauce)

Condiments (Optional)

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 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 1 teaspoon sesame oil1 tablespoon soy sauce, ½ tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine, and 1 tablespoon water into the bowl with the beef, and mix well and set aside to marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature

Making the Sauce

  • In a bowl, combine ¼ cup cold water and 1 ½ tablespoons corn starch and mix until there are no clumps.
  • Add 3-4 tablespoons oyster sauce to the cornstarch mixture and mix until the sauce is smooth
  • Add 1 teaspoon sugar and the rest of the water (¾ cups water) and mix well and set aside

Making the Noodles Crispy

  • In a wok or frying pan, set the heat to medium to medium-high heat.
  • Add 4-6 tablespoons of oil to the pan and wait for the oil to shimmer.
    You may need to add more, depending on how large your pan is.
    I like to add about ⅛ inch of oil to the bottom of the pan.
  • Add in the soft noodles and let it 'pan fry' for about 2-3 minutes. Do not flip it, you can shake it around in the pan to keep it moving to prevent it from burning.
    Flip the noodles and add some more oil to the pan to fry the other side for 2-3 minutes, shaking it occasionally in the pan to prevent it from burning.
  • 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-high heat and add a tablespoon of oil
  • When the oil is hot, add in the slices of ginger and toast it until it is golden brown
  • Add in the beef and fry it for 2-3 minutes until the beef is about 80% cooked.
    It's okay to have the beef medium rare for this dish, it will cook the rest of the way in the sauce.
  • Add in the onions and green peppers and stir fry 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.
    (Cornstarch likes to settle at the bottom so we want to make sure the sauce is evenly mixed before we add it to the pan.)
  • Push aside the veggies and beef on the pan and pour in the sauce.
  • Keep stirring with your spatula until it thickens and starts to bubble. You will know the sauce is done when it becomes a darker color and it becomes thick.
  • Mix the meat and veggies back in over the sauce, making sure to coat everything with the sauce, and cook it for about 1 minute.
  • Remove the ginger slices and discard them.
  • Pour the sauce, beef, and veggies over crispy noodles and serve.
  • Enjoy with some chili oil on the side!

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.
  • If you like your chow mein on the saucier side, you can double the amounts in the 'Sauce' section of the recipe card
  • Don't be shy with the oil. You need a lot to make the noodles crispy because you're essentially deep-frying them.
  • Always cut your beef against the grain for the most tender beef slices.

Nutrition

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