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Main · Thai

Pad see ew

Wide rice noodles, dark soy and charred edges, with chicken, egg and Chinese broccoli. Ready in 25 minutes.

25 min 20 min hands-on Serves 2 Thai Kid friendly

Pad see ew is a Thai stir-fry of wide rice noodles, egg, and greens in a savoury soy sauce. Unlike pad thai it is more savoury than sour, with a smoky char from a hot wok. It is a comforting, quick noodle dinner that is easy to make at home.

Ingredients

  • 400 g wide rice noodles, fresh, or 150g dried
  • 1½ tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 250 g chicken thigh, boneless, skinless, thinly sliced (or beef)
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 200 g chinese broccoli, or tenderstem broccoli
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar, for the chilli vinegar (optional)
  • 1 red chilli, thinly sliced, for the chilli vinegar (optional)

Method

  1. If you are using dried noodles, soak them in warm water until pliable, 20 to 30 minutes or as the packet says, then drain. Fresh noodles only need separating gently by hand; if they are cold and stiff, microwave them for 30 seconds first. Mix the dark and light soy, oyster sauce and sugar in a small bowl.
  2. Get everything ready by the hob, since the cooking takes under 10 minutes: slice the chicken thinly, chop the garlic, cut the broccoli stems into 5cm batons and the leaves into wide strips, keeping them apart, and crack the eggs into a cup. Stir the chilli into the vinegar.
  3. Heat a wok or large frying pan over a high heat until smoking, add 1 tablespoon of the oil and the garlic, and stir for about 10 seconds, until fragrant and just turning golden. Add the chicken, spread it out and sear for 1 minute, then stir-fry until browned with no pink left inside, 3 to 4 minutes in all.
  4. Add the broccoli stems and toss for 1 minute, then the leaves until just wilted, about 30 seconds. Push everything to one side, add another tablespoon of oil to the space and pour in the eggs. Let them sit until the edges set, about 20 seconds, then scramble roughly into large pieces.
  5. Add the last of the oil, the noodles and the sauce (in two batches if your pan is small). Toss, then leave for 30 to 40 seconds so the noodles catch and char against the hot pan, and toss again. Repeat 3 or 4 times, about 3 minutes in all, until glossy, dark and blistered at the edges.
  6. Pile onto warm plates straight away, while the edges are still crisp, with the chilli vinegar on the side for everyone to splash over. Its sharpness is the traditional counterpoint to the sweet, dark sauce.

Tips

  • Get the wok or pan very hot so the noodles pick up a little char, which gives the dish its signature smoky flavour.
  • Use both light and dark soy sauce, as the dark soy adds colour and a deeper savoury note.
  • Cook in batches if your pan is small so the noodles fry rather than steam.

Common questions

What greens go in pad see ew?

Chinese broccoli (gai lan) is traditional, but broccoli or any sturdy leafy green works well as a substitute.

What noodles should I use?

Wide, flat rice noodles are traditional. Fresh ones are ideal, but dried wide rice noodles soaked until pliable also work.