Beef Hor Fun

(Hor Fun means Flat Rice Noodles)

Ingredients (for 4):
- 200 g dried flat rice noodles (did not find fresh ones in Chinatown, I'll look better next time..)
- 300 g steak, sliced thinly
- 250 g kai lan (Chinese kale)

- 2 tablespoons peanut oil (vegetable oil)
- - 1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
- 4 shallots, peeled and sliced thinly
- 1 thumb-length ginger, peeled and chopped

Marinade:
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce (coeliac use gluten free version)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon rice wine

Sauce:
2 espresso cups of stock (1/2 beef stock cube in hot water will do)
1 tablespoon light soy sauce (coeliac use gluten free version)
1 tablespoon soy sauce (coeliac use gluten free version)
1 tablespoon rice wine
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornflour (I tend to use rice flour, it works too)

Method:

Slice the steak thinly in slices and cut each slice again in half if you want small pieces. Marinate in light soy sauce, sesame oil and rice wine for at least 15 minutes.

Soak the dried noodles in cold water until softened. Drain

Place the Chinese leaves with the noodles, and pour over it the boiled water from the kettle, repeat 2 or three times (drain in between the times, then leave it soaking in the water) (Omit this step if you are using fresh noodles)

Heat the oil in a wok large enough for the noodles. Make sure the wok is very hot and sauté the garlic, shallots and ginger until fragrant. Add the beef slices and stir-fry briskly for a few minutes. Do not worry if they are half cooked. Remove.

Mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl, stir well. Pour the sauce into the hot wok and allow it to thicken, stirring continuously.

Return the beef to the wok. Add the noodles and mix well in the wok so that the noodles are well coated with the sauce and beef .

(if you want that smoky taste, you can flambé the noodles...)

Serve immediately and enjoy!! (I certainly did!) Slurply good!

For vegetarians or even vegans, replace the marinated meat by caramelised tofu see my recipe there).

Last time I had this dish was in Singapore, in the little cafe in front of the Royal Peacock hotel, where I was staying. I had quite craving tonight and decided I'd make them..

Source: my memory of the dish, and a million of recipes on the net I made a synthesis of....