Pad see ew is a beloved Thai stir-fried noodle dish with a short ingredient list and straightforward cooking method. Still, a good plate of the weeknight-friendly dish, which translates to “stir-fried soy sauce,” takes some skill to execute. That’s why we looked to author and Thai cuisine expert Leela Punyaratabandhu and her book Simple Thai Food for some advice. The key? Timing.
This pad see ew recipe cooks in a flash, so use your prep time wisely: Chop your broccoli and measure out the sauce ingredients before heating the wok. A combination of thin soy sauce (a.k.a light soy sauce) and sweet dark soy sauce gives the pad see ew sauce depth while salted soybean paste brings an umami punch. For the best pad see ew, Punyaratabandhu suggests using fresh flat rice noodles, which you can find at most East Asian grocery stores (and online). If using dried rice noodles, avoid thin varieties; wider noodles are more likely to stay pleasantly chewy when flashed in the hot pan. Either way, you want to give the noodles enough flame to absorb all the sauce and start to caramelize without leaving them on too long that they start to get soggy.
Chinese broccoli, or gai lan, has long, tender stalks that cook in just 2 minutes—but, yes, you can substitute regular florets or broccolini if you prefer. You could also take this as an opportunity to use up other vegetables wilting in your crisper drawer. Add bok choy, Napa cabbage, or sliced peppers and carrots to make this noodle recipe your own.
This recipe was adapted from ‘Simple Thai Food’ by Leela Punyaratabandhu. Buy the full book on Amazon.
Recipe information
Total Time
40 minutes
Yield
2 Servings
Ingredients
Pickled chiles
3
2
Chile powder
2
Noodles and assembly
1
12
2
2
2
8
3
2
2
2
½
Special equipment
Preparation
Pickled chiles
Step 1
Combine chiles and vinegar in a small bowl or glass jar, cover tightly, and chill at least 2 day before using.
Do ahead: Chiles can be pickled 2 months ahead. Keep chilled.
Chile powder
Step 2
Toast chiles in a dry small skillet over low heat until brittle and slightly darker in color but not browned and blistered, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Grind in spice mill or with mortar and pestle to the consistency of coarse cornmeal.
Do ahead: Chiles can be ground 6 months ahead. Store airtight in a cool, dry place.
Noodles and assembly
Step 3
If using dried rice noodles, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add noodles and stir to separate and prevent sticking, then remove pot from heat. Let noodles sit until cooked through and no hard center remains, 8–10 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water until cool. Drain well again; set aside.
Step 4
Trim about 1" off bottom of each broccoli stem. Remove stalks from tops and slice on a diagonal ¼" thick; set aside. If using chinese broccoli, cut tops into 2" pieces. If using broccoli, cut into 2" florets. Set aside, keeping separate from stalks.
Step 5
Heat oil in a wok or a large nonstick skillet over high until shimmering. Crack eggs into pan; add garlic and cook, stirring, until eggs are almost set. Add broccoli stalks and chicken and cook, tossing often, until chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes.
Step 6
Add dark sweet soy sauce, thin soy sauce, vinegar, soy bean paste, ½ tsp. sugar, reserved noodles, and reserved broccoli florets, if using regular broccoli, and cook, stirring, until noodles absorb some of the sauce and are softened, about 1 minute. Continue to cook, undisturbed, until underside starts to brown and more sauce has been absorbed, about 1 minute. Turn noodles over and cook, undisturbed, until underside is browned, about 2 minutes. Add Chinese broccoli, if using, and cook, tossing, until bright green, about 2 minutes.
Step 7
Divide noodles among plates and season with white pepper. Serve with fish sauce, pickled chiles, chile powder, and more sugar alongside for topping as desired.
Editor’s note: Need help deciphering your local Thai restaurant menu? Read our guide to pad Thai, pad see ew, pad kee mao (a.k.a. drunken noodles), and more Thai noodle dishes. Then head this way for more Thai recipes →
