Beef Cheung Fun

Beef Cheung Fun: Iconic Dim Sum

Beef cheung fun, also known as "pearl rice noodle rolls" or "pork intestine noodles", is an authentic snack from Zhanjiang prefecture in Guangdong. Beef cheung fun is steamed in the same way as wide rice noodles; watery rice milk is steamed in a bamboo basket (a handmade weaved winnowing basket) to make thin rice noodles. Then, these rice noodles are rolled to form the long cheung fun shape. Its overall shape resembles pig intestines, hence the name "pork intestine rolls", but it is also known as a “pearl rice noodle rolls” due to its pearl white look.

Ingredients

7.05 ounces (200 grams) brisket
1 ⅓ cups (150 grams) glutinous rice flour
1/4 cup (30 grams) cornstarch
2 tablespoons (15 grams) wheat starch

Seasonings

2 tablespoons chu hou paste
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons oyster sauc
2 heaping tablespoons (30 grams) sugar

3 bulbs garlic
0.35 ounces (10 grams) ginger
3 bay leaves
2 bulbs anise
1 cao guo (also known as Amomum Tsaoko)
0.17 ounce (5 grams) fennel
0.17 ounce (5 grams) Chinese cinnamon
2 cloves
2 teaspoons cooking wine
a bit of cooking oil

Please see measurements in grams to be more exact for all ingredients and seasonings.

Cooking Directions

Preparations

Clean brisket and strain water from it. Peel garlic. Peel ginger and wash. Use blunt end of knife to tenderize.

Stir together chu hou paste, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar to make seasoning juice.

Place bay leaves, anise, cao guo, fennel, Chinese cinnamon, and cloves in a muslin bags (or a muslin bags).

How to make the beef brisket

Add ample water to pot and bring to boil over high heat. Add a bit of cooking wine. Place brisket in water and quick-boil until it changes color. Remove and strain away water. Chop into small pieces.

Heat pan. Add a bit of cooking oil. Fry garlic until fragrant, then add brisket. Fry over high heat until brisket becomes slightly golden brown and releases an odor of cooked beef. Add the seasoning juice from step 2 and stir-fry evenly. Add enough water to be level with the brisket. Add the muslin bags and ginger. Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 90 min, stirring several times. Add water depending on the amount of seasoning juice. After simmering to a point where the desired texture is achieved, increase heat to high and remove some seasoning juice, making the chu hou brisket.

How to make cheung fun

Mix glutinous rice flour, cornstarch, and wheat starch. Add 2 cups water and stir evenly to make a watery paste.

Heat a frying pan. Reduce heat to low. Brush on a layer of cooking oil. Ladle in a bit of the paste from step 6; just enough to cover the surface of the frying pan with a thin layer. Quickly shake the frying pan to spread the paste evenly. Cover for approximately 20 seconds so the paste becomes a translucent rice noodle skin. Quickly flip the rice noodle skin into a large plate. Use hands to roll it into a long, rolled strip. Be sure to press it together tightly. Don't leave too much empty space within the roll. Repeat this step until you have used up the paste.

Put it all together

Cut these rolls diagonally. Place on plate. Lay brisket pieces on top, and drizzle some of the seasoning juice from step 2. Serve.

Types of Cheung Fun

Cheung fun, also known as "pulled rice noodle rolls", is a street food that can be seen all over Guangdong. The dish originates in Guangzhou, and was already around during the late Qing dynasty.

There are 2 types of cheung fun: cotton cloth style or steamer tray style

When made with a cotton cloth, glutinous rice flour, wheat starch, cornstarch, and potato starch is mixed into a watery rice noodle paste. This is placed on a white cotton cloth and steamed. This method emphasizes the taste of the filling.
When made with a steamer tray, pure rice milk is steamed in a steamer tray. This method emphasizes the quality of the rice noodles and the seasoning.