Pad See Ew – Thai Stir Fried Noodles

The name of the dish translates to "fried with soy sauce". Variations of the dish can be found in other countries as well. It is very similar to the char kway teow of Malaysia and Singapore and to Cantonese chow fun. It is also similar to rat na (in Thai) or lard na (in Laos).

Prep Time 8 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 18 mins

Cuisine: Asia, Thai

Courses: Mains

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 3

Ingredients

Noodles

200 g dried wide rice stick noodles

Sauce

2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp light soy sauce
2 tsp white vinegar
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp water

Stir fry

3 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic
142 g boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 large egg
4 stems Chinese broccoli

Instructions

1
Trim the ends of the broccoli, cut into 3" pieces. Separate the leaves from the stems. Cut any thick stems in half vertically so they're no wider than 0.3" thick.
2
Prepare the noodles according to packet directions and drain. Time it so they're only just cooked prior to using, if you leave cooked rice noodles lying around, they'll break in the wok.
Drain the noodles while they still retain a little bite. They will cook again in the wok, and over-softened rice noodles are much more likely to tear when tossed.
3
Mix the sauce ingredients until the sugar dissolves.
4
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large heavy based skillet or wok over a high heat.
5
Add the garlic and cook for 15 seconds, then add the chicken, cook until it mostly changes from pink to white.
Colour change is only an intermediate cue here; the chicken is not yet ready to eat. Continue through the following cooking stages and verify the thickest pieces are cooked through before serving.
6
Add the broccoli stems and cook until the chicken is almost cooked through completely. Add Chinese broccoli leaves, cook briskly up the point of wilting.
7
Create space in the pan by pushing everything to one side, crack the egg in and scramble.
Cook the egg until set before it is mixed through the rest of the stir-fry.
8
Remove the chicken with tongs and place on a plate, then remove everything from the wok onto the plate whilst scraping wok clean.
Use a clean plate at this stage, not one that previously held the raw chicken.
9
Return the wok to stove, heat 2 tbsp oil over a high heat just until it starts smoking, It is very important that this gets very hot here. Add the noodles and the sauce. Toss as few times as possible to disperse the sauce and make the edges of the noodles caramelise, circa 1 minute.
Have the noodles and sauce ready before the oil reaches this temperature so the wok is not left unattended while very hot. Toss sparingly as written to encourage caramelisation rather than steaming.
10
Quickly add the chicken and vegetables back to the wok, and toss to disperse. Serve immediately!
Before serving, check the chicken is piping hot and fully cooked through after its final return to the wok.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 3

Amount Per Serving
Calories 488.21kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 18.94g30%
Saturated Fat 2.14g11%
Cholesterol 106.49mg36%
Sodium 1263.89mg53%
Potassium 201.44mg6%
Total Carbohydrate 60.27g21%
Dietary Fiber 1.18g5%
Sugars 5.11g
Protein 16.09g33%

Vitamin C 1.72 mg
Calcium 31.11 mg
Iron 1.56 mg
Vitamin D 0.33 IU

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Ensure you cook the chicken separately from the noodles. A home stoves is no match for the fierce heat of a restaurant or street vendor burners. You have to cook them separately to get the required caramelisation on the noodles which is absolutely key for an authentic flavour. If you don't heed this advice then your noodles will just stew and the dish will lack overall flavour!