My only exposure to Chinese food has been the “Westernized” take-out variety, so I know very little about noodle culture. Imagine my surprise when, while on a business trip to Beijing, I discovered that Chinese noodles actually come in a variety of shapes and sizes, all of which differ from one another based on the ingredients used in their preparation and the types of recipes they are frequently used in.
Two of the most well-known Chinese noodle dishes in the world are chow mein and chow fun (also known as chow foon). However, few people are aware of how these two noodle varieties differ from one another and what sort of noodles they are supposed to be (possibly because of their similar names).
Simply put, chow mein is made with round, thin egg noodles that are frequently stir-fried until crispy. Chow fun, on the other hand, are rice noodles that are flatter and wider than regular egg noodles and are also frequently used stir-fried in many dishes. In addition, it has a chewier and slipperier texture than egg noodles.
However, the differences do not come from the way the noodles are shaped or the main material used to make them. Here are some more interesting details about these two delectable noodle dishes.
Similar to how some people mistakenly believe the California Roll is not Japanese food but American (since it was invented in the US), some people think chow mein originated in America. But chow mein is authentically Chinese. The word “chau meing,” which is Taishanese, is the source of the name. The dish was created by individuals in Taisha, a city close to the Pearl River delta.
The ingredients for chow mein are eggs, wheat flour, and water. This particular variety of Chinese noodles is the only one to have achieved widespread consumption on the world food market. It is the variety of noodles that is most popular. They resemble spaghetti in shape but are thinner and occasionally longer.
The origin of chow fun can be traced to the Shahe neighborhood of Guangzhou (the noodles are also known as Shahe Fun). Chow fun predominates in the south of China while chow mein is popular in the north. The cuisine of nations like the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia has adopted this type of noodle as well as spread throughout south east Asia.
As was already mentioned, rice flour is used to make chow fun. The noodles’ shape is flat and broad. You have two options when purchasing chow fun from the market: fresh or dried. Fresh chow fun noodles can be used right away, but dried chow fun needs to be soaked before it can be stir-fried.
Beef Chow Fun: Recipe Instructions
Start by combining 8 oz. sliced flank steak, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda Marinate for 1 hour.
The meat is made more tender by the baking soda, giving it a texture similar to that found in restaurants. The beef becomes more tender the longer it is marinated.
Another helpful tip is to freeze the beef before slicing until firm but not solid. (Read more about how to prepare and tenderize beef for stir-fry in our article on the subject.) This makes slicing the beef much easier!.
Additionally, get the remaining ingredients ready before you start cooking.
Fresh rice noodles can be purchased in pre-cut or large sheets. If you have sheets, cut the rice noodles into pieces that are approximately 1 inch wide. You will need to blanch the rice noodles if they are very stiff and clumped together.
Just heat up some water in a wok and add the noodles.
Blanch them for 30 seconds or so. You’ll see them loosen into longer strands of noodles.
Remove from the wok and transfer to an ice bath. Drain.
Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to your wok after heating it on high heat until smoking. Add the beef and sear until browned.
If your wok is sufficiently hot, the meat shouldn’t stick. Remove from the wok and set aside.
Add the ginger and 1 1/2 more tablespoons of vegetable oil to the wok. Add the scallions after giving it about 15 seconds to infuse the oil with its flavorful richness.
In the wok, evenly distribute the fresh rice noodles and stir-fry for 15 seconds.
2 tablespoons of Shaoxing wine should be added to the wok’s rim.
Then, combine the beef with 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce, 2 tablespoons regular soy sauce, and a pinch of sugar.
Make sure to stir-fry while scraping the bottom of the wok with a metal spatula. To thoroughly combine and evenly coat the huo fun with the soy sauce, lift it upward.
To taste, add a little salt and white pepper (taste the noodles first).
You might need to toss the rice noodles for a longer period of time if they were cold when you started. Less time will be needed if the rice noodles are fresh, at room temperature, or blanched. You should always keep your heat as high as possible. That is the key to achieving wok hei.
Stir-fry the bean sprouts with the addition and cook until just tender.
Serve your Beef Chow Fun Noodles piping hot. It tastes fantastic when served alongside some homemade chili oil or chiu chow chili sauce.
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What’s the Difference Between Chow Fun, Chow Mein, Mei Fun, and Lo Mein?
To assist you in navigating the various noodle dishes on their menu, here is a quick lesson in Chinese cuisine. This way, you can be sure that you’re getting what you want rather than opening a container to discover that you ordered thin rice noodles rather than big, flat ones (I can’t even begin to count how many times I’ve ordered the wrong thing!).
Flat rice noodles stir-fried with a variety of vegetables, meats, tofu, or seafood and topped with a brown sauce are known as “chow fun.”
Mei fun: Thin rice noodles, similar to vermicelli. Typically, they are stir-fried with vegetables, meats, tofu, or seafood and tossed in a straightforward sauce made of soy sauce and sugar. The noodles in Singapore chow mei fun are seasoned with curry powder, and the dish as a whole is dry, making it different from regular mei fun.
Chow mein: Chow mein means fried noodles. After being boiled, the noodles are added to the pan and fried. After that, ingredients such as vegetables, meat, tofu, or seafood are added and dressed with a dark sauce.
Lo mein: Lo mein means tossed noodles. Although the same noodles as lo mein noodles are used, they are not fried. After being boiled, the noodles are drained and combined with cooked vegetables, meats, tofu, or seafood. A dark sauce is then added. Additionally, compared to chow mein noodles, lo mein noodles have more sauce.
I advise marinating meat before cooking it if you’re using it in a dish to give it more flavor. This also works well with tofu and seafood.
Quick marinade:
Add the meat, tofu, or seafood to a bowl with the marinade ingredients. Marinate for 30 minutes or up to 60 minutes.
What’s in a Name? Ho Fun vs Chow Fun
You’re still on the right track if you’re perusing a menu and get confused because you can’t find chow fun but you do see ho fun. Chow fun is simply the Anglicized version of chow fun. Only nations where English is the primary language used to speak and write menus use the term “chow fun.” The same noodle dish is also known as ho fun in other nations.
Ho fun originated in Hong Kong and Southern China. It is the dialectical name for the particular variety of noodles known as chow fun in the United States in Southern China. According to researchers, the name “chow fun” may actually refer to a different translation. Shahe fen is the name of the method used to prepare the noodles when they are stir-fried with vegetables and meat.
Shahe fen was Anglicized as chao fen when it was derived from Southern Chinese and Mandarin; many people thought this translation sounded like chow fun. To be clear, the specific noodles are referred to as ho fun, and the dish’s preparation is referred to as shahe fen or chao fen, also known as chow fun.
Even more perplexing is the widespread use of the term “chow fun” to describe both the dish and the noodles in American culture. But in order for the noodles to be distinguished from other varieties of noodles like chow mein or lo mein, they must meet certain criteria.
Chow fun noodles are very wide noodles made of rice. Chow fun noodles are at least an inch wide, and occasionally even more. Depending on the recipe and the region of preparation, they are six to twelve inches long. The noodles are almost always sold wet and covered in some kind of oil to maintain their elasticity because they are made from ground rice; typically, the oil is sesame. Additionally, you can purchase vacuum-sealed or dried chow fun noodles at the grocery store.
The noodle cousin of chow mein, which shares the same name, is very different. Despite the fact that both types of noodles are made from dried rice, chow mein noodles are thin and rounded. Chow mein noodles should resemble traditional spaghetti noodles more. Additionally, chow mein is never fried in oil before being packaged for sale.
Chow mein noodles are meant to be eaten crunchy. Others pair them with a richer meat and vegetable dish that would benefit from more texture. Some use them as a garnish.
Chow fun noodles are typically naturally gluten-free because they are made of ground rice. When you have a food allergy, it is always a good idea to check the ingredients. However, be cautious when purchasing chow fun as a dish. Keep in mind that chow fun is frequently offered as a complete dish with various stir-fried vegetables and meat in American restaurants.
When ordering, be sure to specify that the dish not contain soy sauce or any other ingredients containing wheat or gluten. Calling ahead and discussing your dietary restrictions with the chef is in your best interest because gluten can appear in the strangest of places.
FAQ
What is chow fun noodles?
What Are Chow Fun? Chow fun are thin, broad, flat rice noodles. If not cooked properly, then the noodles could break. Many classic Chinese recipes use chow fun. For instance, the ingredients for the recipe for beef chow fun are thinly sliced beef steak, oil, soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, and ginger.
Are chow fun noodles rice or wheat?
Chow fun noodles are made using rice flour. Chow fun noodles are one of the very few Asian noodles that use rice flour as their primary ingredient rather than wheat flour, and they are very wide noodles (at least an inch wide) and can be up to 12 inches long.
What is a fun noodle made of?
Hor fun noodles, also known as shahe fen and originating in the Guangzhou town of Shahe, are the main component of this dish. Beef chow fun. Bean sprouts, soy sauce, and dry-fried beef ho funOther namesWide Flat Rice NoodleServing temperatureHot rice noodles, onions.
What are chow mei fun noodles made of?
Mei fun noodles are thin rice noodles. In the production process, precooked, dried rice noodles are used in this recipe. All that is required before adding them to soups or stir-fries is a brief pre-soaking.
