People often describe Dong Kee's Beef Ho Fun as having a flavour they can't replicate at home. There's a smoky, slightly charred depth to it that they can smell before the plate even arrives.
That's Wok Hei (鑊氣) — loosely translated as 'breath of the wok.' It's the result of cooking over very high heat in a well-seasoned wok, and it only happens when a few things are working at the same time.
Our kitchen runs industrial burners that get far hotter than a home stove. The wok is heated until it's almost too hot to look at, the oil goes in, and the noodles follow immediately. Everything moves fast. The noodles get seared individually, not steamed, which is the difference between noodles that are dry and slightly caramelized and noodles that are soft and oily.
The beef is added separately, cooked to just the right point of browning, then everything comes together at the end. The whole dish takes about four minutes, but it's four minutes of full attention.
Wok Hei disappears quickly — it's at its best in the first few minutes after leaving the kitchen. That's why this is a dish you eat in the restaurant, not one that travels well.