Rick Stein's beef chow mein rivals Chinese takeaway with his easy recipe

Beef chow mein is a classic Chinese takeaway option, but it's great to know you can make it taste just as good – if not better – at home.

The iconic chef – who runs the Stein hotel and restaurant business in the UK – revealed his go-to beef chow mein recipe on his BBC Two series Rick Stein's Food Stories.

Inspired by his visit to the buzzy China Town in central London, Rick Stein recreated one of the nation's most loved Cantonese dish.

Plus, the beef chow mein is super quick and easy to make, making chow mein an even more attractive meal to make at home.

Here's Rick Stein's delicious chow mein recipe that you, family and friends will love, which can be made again and again.

Beef chow mein recipe

Serves: three to four people

Ingredients

• 400g sirloin steak, fat removed
• Two tbsp water
• One tbsp cornflour
• One tbsp oyster sauce
• Ground white pepper
• One tbsp sunflower oil
• 250g dried egg noodles, cooked as per instructions and well drained
• 125ml sunflower or vegetable oil for frying
• One spring onion, finely sliced

For the sauce

• 100ml water
• Half tsp sugar
• One tbsp oyster sauce
• Three tbsp soy sauce
• Ground white pepper
• 150g beansprouts
• Three spring onions, trimmed and shredded lengthways
• Three cloves garlic, chopped
• 3cm piece of ginger, peeled grated or finely chopped
• 100g shitake mushrooms, sliced
• 100g mangetout

Method

Slice the sirloin steak across into thin slices. Add to a bowl and sprinkle over the cornflour and white pepper, then mix well. Then add the water, oyster sauce and sunflower oil.

In a separate bowl mix the sauce ingredients together and set aside. Meanwhile, the noodles should be cooking according to pack instructions.

Heat 100ml of the oil in a pan and when hot, add the cooked and drained noodles, then fry them until crispy, remove and keep warm.

Add the remaining oil to the pan and stir fry the beef over a high heat and fry until cooked through.

Then add the vegetables and continue to stir fry for a couple of minutes, add the sauce and allow it to bubble and thicken.

Divide the noodles between the serving bowls and pour the steak mixture over them. Serve topped with a few more spring onions.

People can eat the chow mein on its own, or serve the dish alongside a tasty side dish.

Examples of a tasty side dish can include fried rice, egg rolls, steamed dumplings, or Asian slaw.

While controversial, some people might even enjoy chow mein with a side portion of chips.