Pad see ew (ผัดซีอิ๊ว) is a hearty meal of rice noodles and greens and a favorite street food in Thailand. It has a lot in common with char kway teow, a similar dish from Malaysia and Singapore.
Pad is the Thai word for “stir fry.” See ew means “soy sauce,” and this dish uses two kinds — light soy and dark soy — that give it both a boost of flavor and a deep, rich color. An extra hot wok gives the dish a smoky, slightly charred flavor that is one of its signature characteristics.
What kind of noodles should I use for pad see ew?
The proper rice noodles for pad see ew are the wide ones called ho fun, kway teow, or kuaitiao sen yai. Fresh noodles are best, but those can be hard to find. In that case, soak dried noodles ahead of time following the package directions. If using dried noodles, you will need about eight ounces for this recipe.
For vegetables, make them green
The main thing to know is that pad see ew usually includes some kind of green vegetable. Beyond that, it’s up to you. Use what you have on hand. The most common vegetable at street stalls in Thailand is Chinese broccoli, or gai lan. But try using spinach, chard, collards, kale or mustard greens instead. You can also use broccoli florets, but make sure to partially cook them in boiling, salted water first.
Pick your protein to round out the meal
Beef, pork and chicken are all popular meats for pad see ew. If you want pork, use pork shoulder or pork loin. For beef, flank or skirt steak work best. And if it’s chicken you want, boneless, skinless breasts or thighs are the way to go. Seafood lovers can toss in some shrimp or squid. For vegetarians, firm tofu cut into 1/4-inch thick rectangles works well. Marinate and then pan fry the pieces of tofu first in a little oil to lightly brown them before you proceed with the recipe.
Pad See Ew
Course: Pastas and NoodlesCuisine: Thailand
This hearty meal of rice noodles and greens is a favorite street food in Thailand. An extra hot wok gives everything a smoky, slightly charred flavor that is a signature of the dish.
Ingredients
- For the meat
Pork, chicken or beef (see notes above), thinly sliced — 1 pound
Oil — 1 tablespoon
Light soy sauce — 1 tablespoon
Sugar — 2 teaspoons
White pepper — 1 teaspoon
- For the noodles
Fresh wide, flat rice noodles (see notes above) — 1 pound
Thai dark soy sauce, oyster sauce or kecap manis — 1 tablespoon
- For the greens
Gai lan (Chinese broccoli) or broccoli florets — about 2 cups
- For the sauce
Oyster sauce — 1/4 cup
Light soy sauce — 2 tablespoons
Dark soy sauce — 1 tablespoon
Sugar — 1 tablespoon
Water as needed
- To finish
Oil — 2 to 3 tablespoons
Garlic, minced — 2 or 3 cloves
Eggs, lightly beaten– 3 or 4
Directions
- Mix the meat with the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside for at least 30 minutes.
- If using fresh noodles, soak them in warm water to soften them. For dried noodles, soak them in hot water according to package directions. Drain the noodles and then mix in a large bowl with the dark soy sauce. Set aside
- If using gai lan, chop the stems thinly on a bias and then roughly chop the greens. Separate the stems and leaves and set aside. If using broccoli, blanch in boiling water or steam for a couple minutes to half-cook. Darin and rinse the broccoli with cold water to stop the cooking. Drain again and set aside.
- Mix together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat a wok or large pot over high flame. Pour in the oil and swirl to cover the bottom. Stir fry the meat in two batches until fully cooked. Let it char just a bit. Remove and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium high and add a little more oil to the wok or pot. Stir fry the garlic briefly until it just begins to brown, then add the eggs and gently scramble on one side of wok.
- Add the noodles on top of the eggs and gently stir to coat and heat the noodles through. Then stir in noodles, greens, meat and continue to stir fry, tossing for about 1 minute. Add the sauce and toss to coat everything. Increase the heat to high and cook to char just a bit.
- Portion out into serving bowls and serve hot.
Pad See Ew Notes and Variations
- Sauce: Adjust the flavor of your sauce by stirring in some Thai black soy sauce, kecap manis or fish sauce.
- Garnishes: Diners in Thailand typically season their portion to taste with white pepper and a simple, spicy vinegar made of sliced red chilies soaked in white or rice vinegar.
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