Fresh rice noodles, seared beef and a Shaoxing soy sauce, my beef kway teow is all about high heat and good prep. On the table in 12 minutes.
Category
Dinner
Servings
4
Prep time
45 minutes
Cook time
12 minutes
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
- 1 tbsp sweet soy sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp shaoxing
Sauce
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.
Recipe video
Recipe notes
Chef Tips
Cook the beef in batches
Crowding the wok drops the temperature fast and the beef starts to steam rather than sear. I cook it in two or three small batches over very high heat, and each batch only needs 1-2 minutes. Set each batch aside while you cook the rest, then return it all at the end. It’s the single biggest thing you can do for better stir fry at home.
Have everything ready before the wok goes on
Stir fry moves fast and there’s no time to measure anything once the heat is up. I prep every single element first: beef marinated, sauce mixed in a jug, noodles blanched and drained, aromatics sliced, egg beaten. Once the wok is smoking, the whole dish is done in under 10 minutes.
Storage
This dish is best eaten immediately. If you need to store leftovers, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a hot wok or frying pan with a splash of water to loosen the noodles. I’d avoid microwaving as it tends to make the noodles soft and gluey.
FAQs
Can I use dry rice noodles? You can, but fresh noodles give a noticeably better result. If using dry, soak or cook them according to the packet before stir frying, and make sure they’re well drained before they go into the wok or they’ll water down the sauce.
Can I swap the beef for another protein? Yes. Chicken, prawns or tofu all work well here. Just make sure whatever you use is sliced thin and cooked in batches over high heat so it gets colour rather than stewing. Prawns only need about 1 minute per side, so keep an eye on them.
Can I make this vegetarian? Yes. Swap the beef for firm tofu and use a vegetarian oyster sauce in both the marinade and the sauce. Press the tofu well before marinating so it takes on the flavour. The rest of the recipe stays exactly the same.
