This deliciously chewy pan-fried rice noodle dish is a common street food in Thailand, and it’s incredibly simple to prepare at home. If you love these kinds of fresh rice noodles or have leftovers after making this recipe, check out my insanely awesome Drunken Noodles Recipe.
Note: To maximize noodle toasting, I suggest making 1 serving at a time, so you might want to divide the ingredients in half when doing your preparation.
It takes a little more effort to prepare one portion at a time, but it is well worth it. If there are too many noodles in the wok, the excess moisture will prevent the noodles from toasting and giving off the distinctive “wok char” flavor that is characteristic of pad see ew. Additionally, it might make your noodles soggy and possibly mushy. If you have all the ingredients prepared and ready to go, everything will still be hot when everyone is ready to eat since each portion only requires a few minutes to cook.
If using tofu, I advise using fried tofu because it is firmer and can withstand being cooked in a wok well. You can either fry your own firm tofu yourself or purchase already-fried tofu from a Chinese grocery store.
If you purchase fresh rice noodles from the store and they are cold, hard, and clumped together into a large block, you will need to thaw them (I do this in the microwave) until they are hot and softened, at which point you can separate them.
Simply chop up any kind of hot chilies and soak them in 5% distilled vinegar for at least 15 minutes to create chili vinegar. Alternately, you could also combine the vinegar and the chilies.
What is a substitute for Chinese Broccoli / Gai Lan?
Purchasing Chinese broccoli (gai lan) from international / Asian grocery stores is possible. Although it has small broccoli heads, long stalks, and a large number of tender green leaves, it tastes somewhat similar to broccoli. If Chinese broccoli is not available, combine it with baby spinach and finely chopped broccoli florets.
Cooking in smaller batches makes it easier to maintain high heat levels and get some good wok hei going because our home stoves don’t get nearly as hot as commercial burners do.
Pad See Ew is a dish of stir-fried wide rice noodles, much like Chinese Beef Chow Fun. It’s just as delicious, but the ingredients are slightly different.
Note: This post was originally published in February 2017. Since then, we’ve updated it with better pictures, metric measurements, and other things. Enjoy!.
One word of caution: if you’re using a cooking pad, you’ll need a powerful exhaust fan. Either that, or have a fan manned by your smoke detectors.
This recipe serves two or three hungry people, but if you really want to give your Pad See Ew a wok hei flavor that rivals that of a restaurant or street food, you might want to cook this dish in two batches.
What is a substitute for wide fresh rice noodles?
The traditional base for Pad See Ew is freshly made wide rice noodles. If you can’t locate them, there are a few simple substitutes.
FAQ
What is Pad See Ew noodle made of?
Noodles – Sen Yai fresh rice noodles, which are long, wide, and flat, are typically used to make Pad See Ew. You must visit a Thai grocery store because these are difficult to handle and quite hard to find, even in Asian grocery stores. Easiest to use wide, dried rice stick noodles.
How do you make Vietnamese rice noodles?
Bring three to four quarts of water to a boil in a 6- to 8-quart pan over high heat. Cook rice noodles for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just barely tender to the bite. Drain. Rinse thoroughly if not using right away to prevent the noodles from sticking together, then drain once more.
Can I use fresh noodles for pad thai?
Choose your rice noodles based on the Thai dish you’re making, and I always choose rice noodles that say Made in Thailand. Dried rice noodles are best for Pad Thai or Thai noodle soups, while fresh rice noodles are preferred for dishes like Pad See Ew or Pad Kee Maw.
Is Drunken Noodles same as Pad See Ew?
Drunken Noodles are spicy, whereas Pad See Ew has a sweeter meets saltier flavor profile. This is the main distinction between the two types of noodles. Other differences include the fact that Pad See Ew heavily relies on Chinese broccoli while Pad Kee Mao also incorporates other vegetables.
