Beef Kway Teow

Dinner | Southeast Asian

Prep time: 45 min Cook time: 12 min Servings: 4

Beef kway teow is one of my favourite things to make in the wok because it comes together in under 15 minutes once everything is prepped, and it tastes like proper restaurant-quality stir fry at home. The key is cooking the beef in batches over high heat so it gets a proper sear rather than steaming, and having your sauce already mixed before the wok goes on. Once the heat is up, everything moves fast.

The sauce is a simple mix of sweet soy, light soy, oyster sauce and Shaoxing wine that caramelises quickly and coats everything beautifully. Fresh rice noodles are what I’d always reach for here: they’re silkier than dried and take on the sauce in a way that dried noodles can’t match. The egg scrambled in mid-cook is a classic addition that adds richness and body to the whole dish.

Ingredient Notes

Fresh rice noodles: Fresh rice noodles come in thick slabs from Asian grocery stores and can be sliced to any thickness you like. A quick blanch in boiling water for a minute helps separate them without tearing. Dried kway teow noodles work as a substitute: soak or cook them according to the packet, then drain and rinse well before they go anywhere near the wok.

Shaoxing wine: Shaoxing is a Chinese rice wine that adds depth and a slightly sweet, complex note to the sauce. It’s available at most Asian grocery stores and is very affordable. If you can’t find it, dry sherry is the closest substitute. I wouldn’t use sake or mirin as replacements as they have a different flavour profile and will change the dish noticeably.

Beef rump: Rump is my go-to for stir fry because it’s affordable, has good flavour, and slices thinly without falling apart. The trick is to cut across the grain and get the slices as thin as you can. Flank, sirloin or scotch fillet all work just as well.

Equipment

Chopping board
Chef’s knife
Large bowl (for marinating)
Small jug or bowl (for sauce)
Wok
Wok spatula or wooden spoon

Ingredients

500g beef rump, thinly sliced
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
freshly ground black pepper
sea salt, for seasoning
peanut oil (or other neutral oil) for frying
thumbsize piece fresh ginger, grated
6 cloves garlic, finely sliced
3 spring onions, sliced into 2cm lengths, green and white parts separated
1 bunch garlic chives, sliced into 3cm lengths
1 egg, beaten
125g beansprouts
450g fresh rice noodles, thickly sliced
Sauce
1 tbsp sweet soy sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp shaoxing

Directions

Step 1: Marinate the beef
Place the beef in a large bowl. Add the light soy, oyster sauce, sesame oil, cornflour, and season with salt and pepper.
Mix well to combine, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Step 2: Prep the sauce & noodles
Combine the sweet soy, light soy, oyster sauce and Shaoxing in a small jug and mix to combine. Set aside.
Blanch the noodles in boiling water for 1 minute, then gently separate and strain. Rinse under cold water.
Step 3: Cook
Heat some oil in a wok over high heat. Cook the beef in batches for 1-2 minutes, until browned on both sides, then set aside.
Add a little more oil to the wok. Cook the ginger, garlic and whites of the spring onions. Stir fry for 1 minute.
Add the noodles, toss to combine. Push everything to the side of the wok and pour in the egg. Stir to scramble quickly, then stir in garlic chives.
Step 4: Finish and serve
Pour in sauce and stir quickly to incorporate. Then return the beef to the pan and add the beansprouts and greens of the spring onions. Toss to combine then remove from the heat.
Serve immediately.

Ingredients

Directions

Recipe notes