Wide rice noodles stir-fried with Chinese broccoli, egg and a simple dark soy sauce, milder and less spicy than pad thai or drunken noodles.
Pad see ew
- 300 g fresh wide rice noodles
- 200 g chicken or beef, sliced thin
- 150 g Chinese broccoli (or tenderstem), cut into lengths
- 2 eggs
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp oil
- Heat the oil in a wok over high heat and fry the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add the meat and stir-fry until nearly cooked through.
- Push to one side, crack in the eggs and scramble briefly, then mix through.
- Add the Chinese broccoli and stir-fry for a minute.
- Add the noodles, dark soy, oyster sauce, light soy and sugar, tossing gently so the wide noodles do not break up.
- Cook for another minute until everything is well coated, then serve immediately.
What is pad see ew?
Pad see ew is a Thai stir fry of wide fresh rice noodles with Chinese broccoli, egg and chicken or pork, seasoned with dark soy, light soy and oyster sauce. The name means stir fried with soy sauce.
It came from Chinese Thai cooking and is a mild, smoky, savoury dish. Good pad see ew has noodles with a few charred edges from a very hot wok.
Ingredient notes and UK swaps
- Noodles: fresh wide rice noodles (sen yai) from the chilled section of Asian grocers. Separate them gently by hand before cooking. Dried wide rice noodles are a fallback.
- Chinese broccoli (gai lan): sold in Asian grocers. Tenderstem broccoli is an easy swap.
- Dark soy sauce: gives colour and a light sweetness. Thai sweet dark soy is traditional.
- Protein: thin sliced chicken thigh, pork, beef or firm tofu.
Serving
Serve hot with a small dish of chilli flakes, sugar, fish sauce and chilli vinegar so each person can season to taste, as is done in Thailand. Pad see ew is best eaten fresh, as the noodles harden in the fridge.
Tips for the best pad see ew
- Toss gently rather than vigorously, since wide rice noodles break apart more easily than thin ones.
- Dark soy sauce is what gives pad see ew its characteristic colour, do not substitute with light soy alone.
Getting the dark soy balance right
Dark soy sauce is what gives pad see ew its characteristic colour and slight sweetness, light soy alone will leave the dish pale and under-seasoned, use both together rather than substituting one fully for the other.
Frequently asked questions
What noodles should I use?
Fresh wide rice noodles if available, or soaked dried flat rice noodles as a substitute.
Is pad see ew spicy?
No, it is one of the milder Thai noodle dishes, seasoned mainly with soy sauces rather than chilli.
What is the difference between pad see ew and drunken noodles?
Both use wide rice noodles. Pad see ew is mild and savoury with soy sauce, while drunken noodles are spicy, with chilli, garlic and holy basil.
