Pad Thai has been my go-to favourite Thai dish as long as I can remember, but it’s only since I have been living in Thailand that I have been introduced to its lesser-known, but equally scrumptious counterpart, Pad See Ew.
Pad See Ew is a stir fried noodle dish that is commonly eaten in Thailand. While Pad Thai is sweeter and nuttier, Pad See Ew is more salty, counter-balanced by a touch of tangy acidity and a wonderful chargrilled flavour. A dish that can easily be recreated at home!
Pad See Ew, as made here in the north of Thailand, is made using both dark and light soy sauce, garlic, broad rice noodles, Chinese broccoli, egg, and some form of thinly sliced meat - commonly pork, chicken, beef or even seafood.
Commonly the broad rice noodles are used, but it is perfectly acceptable and just as delicious to make them with any wide flat rice noodles. You can even use any flat pasta as well, should you like to be experimental. Pasta should be pre-cooked beforehand.
The other authentic, but key ingredient in this recipe is Chinese Broccoli. It is otherwise locally known as Kana. It is a leafy vegetable and looks nothing at all like broccoli as we know it.
One can substitute the Chinese broccoli with other vegetables – preferably something similar to leafy greens such as pak choy or bok choy. But I have also used other vegetables as well, such as sliced carrots, onions and bean sprouts.
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons of oil for frying
• 3 cloves garlic
• 300 grams wide flat rice noodles
• 250 grams of thinly-sliced chicken (or pork or beef)
• 1 handful of chopped Chinese broccoli or any other preferred vegetable
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• ½ tablespoon dark sweet soy sauce
• 1 level teaspoon sugar
Method
Loosen the fresh wide rice noodles, making sure any clumps are separated.
Peel and mince the garlic, slice the chicken into small bite sized pieces and slice the Chinese broccoli, or the preferred vegetables, into bite-sized strips.
Heat the wok (or frying pan) on a medium heat and add about 2 tablespoons of oil.
Wait until the oil is hot and then fry the garlic for about 10 seconds or so, making sure it sizzles in the hot oil.
Add the chopped chicken to the wok and stir-fry it for about a minute until the chicken is cooked pretty well through.
Now, turn down the heat (or if you’re using an electric stove you can even move your pan off the burner for a moment).
Toss in the rice noodles, the Chinese broccoli, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, ½ tablespoon of dark soy sauce and a level teaspoon of sugar.
Still on low heat, start to fold the noodles gently by picking them up with a spatula from the bottom and folding them over (If you stir fry too hard, the stickiness from the noodles can make them turn into a solid noodle blob).
Cook the noodles for about 1 -2 minutes. If it gets a little dry, you can drizzle in a bit of oil.
After the noodles are well mixed, move the noodles to one side of the wok and proceed to crack an egg into the empty side.
Now it’s time to crank up the heat on your stove - for the final step we want a little char on the noodles and egg for great flavour.
Scramble the egg, and then fold the noodles onto the egg, when it's half cooked. Let the heat sear the egg for a few seconds and then start folding the noodles and egg together. With a hot flaming fire, you should get a little char on both the noodles and the egg.
Fry for about 30 more seconds, making sure to be gentle with the noodles and then turn off the heat and dish it out.
Sprinkle a little freshly ground pepper on the top of the noodles. You can also eat Pad See Ew with a gentle sprinkling of chili flakes, black or white pepper and some vinegar or lime juice for taste.