Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat

Cantonese Black Bean Beef Rice Noodles

Name: Cantonese Black Bean Beef Rice Noodles
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 350 g beef flank; 550 g fresh wide rice noodles; 1 (about 150 g), sliced green bell pepper; 1/2 (about 100 g), sliced onion; 15 g, julienned ginger; 2 cloves, minced garlic; 1 tbsp, rinsed and chopped fermented black beans; 1 tbsp light soy sauce (half for the beef and half for the sauce); 1 tsp dark soy sauce; 1 tbsp oyster sauce; 1/2 tsp sugar; 2 tsp cornstarch (half for the beef and half for the sauce); 120 ml water; 2 tbsp cooking oil (1 tsp for the beef, remainder for stir-frying)

豉椒牛肉炒河

Cantonese Black Bean Beef Rice Noodles — finished dish

Total time: 30 min
Difficulty: Medium
Servings: 4 servings

Recipe overview

Cantonese Black Bean Beef Rice Noodles uses a practical home-kitchen method with clear portions, heat control and safe doneness checks.

Ingredients

Main ingredients

350 g beef flank
550 g fresh wide rice noodles
1 (about 150 g), sliced green bell pepper
1/2 (about 100 g), sliced onion
15 g, julienned ginger
2 cloves, minced garlic

Sauce seasoning

1 tbsp, rinsed and chopped fermented black beans
1 tbsp light soy sauce (half for the beef and half for the sauce)
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tsp cornstarch (half for the beef and half for the sauce)
120 ml water
2 tbsp cooking oil (1 tsp for the beef, remainder for stir-frying)

Cantonese Black Bean Beef Rice Noodles — ingredients

Tools

raw-meat cutting board
vegetable cutting board
chef's knife
large bowl
small bowl
clean tray
separate small dishes
wok
wok spatula
food thermometer
serving plate

Steps

Step 1

Slice the beef

Cut the beef flank across the grain into 3 mm slices and place in a large bowl; wash the raw-meat board and knife immediately.

Step 2

Marinate the beef

Mix in 1/2 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 teaspoon cooking oil; marinate for 10 minutes.

Step 3

Mix the black-bean sauce

Combine the black beans, remaining light soy, dark soy, oyster sauce, sugar, remaining 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 120 ml water in a small bowl.

Step 4

Separate the noodles

Use dry hands to loosen the 550 g rice noodles strand by strand; do not pull hard at stuck sections.

Step 5

Cut the vegetables

On the vegetable board, slice the bell pepper and onion, julienne the ginger and mince the garlic; keep them in separate dishes.

Step 6

Sear the beef

Heat the wok until hot, add 1 tablespoon oil and spread the beef in one layer; sear over high heat for 1 minute.

Step 7

Turn the beef

Turn and stir-fry for about 1 minute, then remove when browned outside but still slightly pink in the centre.

Step 8

Cook the aromatics

Add the remaining oil; stir-fry ginger, garlic, onion and bell pepper over medium heat for 2 minutes, until the onion edges soften.

Step 9

Stir-fry the noodles

Add the rice noodles and lift gently with a wok spatula for 2 minutes so they heat without breaking.

Step 10

Add the black-bean sauce

Stir the sauce again, pour it around the wok edge and toss for 1 minute until it starts to thicken.

Step 11

Return the beef

Return the beef and its juices; toss for 1–2 minutes, then use the food thermometer to confirm the centre reaches at least 75°C with no pink and the sauce coats the noodles.

Step 12

Plate

Turn off the heat immediately, transfer the black-bean beef noodles to a clean serving plate and serve hot.

Common mistakes

Adding wet ingredients lowers the cooking temperature or causes splatter.
Failing to measure seasoning first causes over-salting or omissions.
Excessive heat burns the outside before the centre is cooked.
Judging only by colour misses the thickest part or required texture.

Tips

Set out ingredients by purpose, keep raw beef and rice noodles separate, and use time, appearance and temperature together to confirm completion.