Fresh rice noodles, crispy gailan, tender steak strips, and fluffy eggs are all stir-fried with savory soy sauce, sweet oyster sauce, tart white vinegar, and nutty dark brown sugar. Any day of the week, a simple and quick dinner is this homemade Thai pad see ew!
I don’t think there is anything more satisfying than having a hot bowl of pad see ew, stir-fried noodles, and a cold glass of Thai tea.
The Thai dish pad see ew, which means “fried (with) soy sauce,” is a stir-fried noodle dish with Chinese influences. Like pad thai, pad see ew is a common street food, and you can find many YouTube videos of Thai chefs preparing these flying noodles in a flash.
Along with oyster sauce, vinegar, and sugar, pad see ew is also seasoned with a soy sauce base. It’s a very straightforward seasoning that is simple to stir up and modify to your liking.
While any soy sauce will do, there are Thai brands that are a little different from traditional Chinese brands because they have added sweetness and are less salty. I used Healthy Boy thin soy sauce and dark soy sauce for this recipe. I also used Maekrua brand oyster sauce.
One of the most crucial components of the dish is the pad see ew’s noodles. In the past, pad see ew noodles were wide, flat rice noodles with edges that were stir-fried until they became slightly crispy. For this recipe, you can use dried or “fresh” rice noodles, but wide noodles work best.
The pre-made, pre-cooked rice noodles I use for this recipe are available in a non-refrigerated aisle or section of the grocery store and don’t need to be boiled before eating. You can eat them straight away out of the bag. Please be aware that there are some “fresh” noodles available that STILL need to be boiled. Prior to purchasing, be sure to read the package’s labels.
They are similar to the rice paper sheets you eat at Korean barbecue or cheung fun and come in various sizes (from full sheets to pre-cut noodles). Because I can cut the noodles to the desired width, I prefer to purchase full sheets of fresh rice paper. These ready-made rice noodle sheets are available at H-Mart, 99 Ranch, and other Asian grocers.
If you prefer, you can substitute other types of protein for the beef in authentic pad see ew, such as chicken, pork, shrimp, or tofu. Because flank steak was reasonably priced and I could marinate it, I used it for this recipe.
How to make pad see ew
It’s best to use a carbon steel wok to prepare pad see ew because it’s great for stir-frying, has enough space for all the ingredients to fit, and has enough heat to sear the noodles and steak for crisp, crunchy edges.
To prepare flavorful pad see ew at home, follow these tips:
I would suggest a flavorful bowl of Panang curry, Thai basil fried rice, and finish it off with a delectable mango sticky rice dessert if you want more Thai food with your pad see ew.
Prepare your ingredients in advance including the pad see ew sauce.
All of the ingredients should be prepared in advance to make your process much simpler. Stir fry dishes are meant to be quick and seamless.
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.
FAQ
What are wide rice noodles called?
Ho fun or ho fan, which are thick, flat noodles that are typically 3/4 to 1 inch thick, are used in stir-fried ho fun or ho fan, a savory noodle dish. These are cooked with some tofu and veggies.
What kind of noodles is Pad Thai made of?
The ingredients for pad thai are soaked dried rice noodles, chopped firm tofu, eggs, fish sauce, tamarind pulp, garlic, shallots, red chili pepper, and palm sugar. It is typically served with lime wedges and chopped roasted peanuts.
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.
What are wide Chinese noodles called?
Broad, flat dried Chinese noodles that are sliced with a knife are sometimes referred to as “ribbon” noodles. and their edges may be slightly frilly depending on the brand.
