Can I substitute other noodles for pad see ew?

Yes! In Thailand we actually make pad see ew with a few different noodles. The other common one is made with rice vermicelli, so check out my vermicelli pad see ew recipe . In Southern Thailand I grew up eating pad see ew with egg noodles . Some have asked if pad thai noodles can be used instead, and while it is not done in Thailand, you can certainly try. Follow the soaking instructions in my pad thai recipe , and you'll need to add about 2 Tbsp of water per portion when cooking.

Can I use chicken instead of beef?

Yes. I would recommend chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces, but chicken breast will also work if that's what you prefer.

How can I make a vegetarian pad see ew?

You can use tofu instead of meat. Use firm or extra firm tofu and fry them first until golden to firm up the surface. Then add them to the noodles at the end. You can use vegetarian oyster sauce instead of oyster sauce ( read more about vegetarian oyster sauce here ) and substitute soy sauce for the fish sauce.

What's the best way to store and reheat leftovers?

Pad see ew, like all rice noodle dishes, does not keep well. So the best thing to do is to not make anymore than you can eat today. Reheated rice noodles never have quite the same texture. However, if you must, store it in an airtight container and reheat in the microwave until the noodles are piping hot . Rice noodles turn hard when cold and will not regain their soft texture unless they're thoroughly heated. I recommend keeping it for no longer than one day.

Authentic Thai Pad See Ew Recipe (with video)

Description

Chewy-tender fresh wide rice noodles are stir fried with a savory sauce and crunchy Chinese broccoli. There's a reason pad see ew is a cult favorite, and a personal favourite street food dish of mine!

Ingredients

Note: I recommend making 1 serving at a time to maximize noodle toasting, so you may want to split the ingredients in half when doing your prep. All the protein, however, can be cooked all together.

170g (6oz) protein of your choice, thinly sliced (see note 1)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce for marinating meat, omit if using shrimp or tofu
3-4 Tbsp (45-60 ml)vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 eggs
4-6 stalks (150 g) Chinese broccoli, aka gai lan, stems thinly sliced on a bias, leaves roughly chopped
1 lb (450g) fresh wide rice noodles (ho fun noodles), store bought or make your own (see note 2)
4 tsp granulated sugar
Ground white pepper, to taste
Optional condiment: Prik nam som or chili vinegar (see note 3)

Sauce

2 Tbsp (30 ml) oyster sauce
1 Tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
1 ½ tsp (7.5 ml) fish sauce
1 ½ tsp (7.5 ml) Golden Mountain sauce, or sub Maggi Seasoning or soy sauce
2 tsp (10 ml) Thai black soy sauce or dark soy sauce

For descriptions of all these sauces, see this video

Ingredients & Kitchen Tools I Use

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Mix together the meat and 1 Tbsp (15 ml) of soy sauce, then add about 2 tsp (10 ml) of oil and stir to coat the meat; the oil will help the meat separate more easily in the pan.
Separate the noodles into individual portion - 8 oz (225 g) per portion.
Combine all sauce ingredients together and stir to mix well, divide the sauce evenly into individual portions - each portion is 2 Tbsp + 1 tsp (35 ml)
Heat 1 Tbsp (15 ml) of the oil in a wok or a large non-stick sauté pan over high heat. When hot, add all of the protein and toss just until fully cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside.
From this step onward, I recommend cooking 1 portion at a time for best result: Add 1½ Tbsp (22 ml) oil and the garlic to the wok and sauté over medium high heat until the smallest bits of garlic starts to turn colour.
Add the egg, break the yolk, let it set just about halfway, then scramble briefly.
Add the Chinese broccoli and toss to coat it in the oil, about 10–15 seconds.
Add 1 portion of rice noodles, 1 portion of the sauce mixture, and 2 tsp of sugar. Turn the heat up to high and toss to coat the noodles evenly in the sauce. To prevent noodles from breaking, push the noodles
Once coated, spread the noodles out to cover the entire pan and let them sit without stirring for about 15-30 seconds until some of the noodles have charred. Flip or toss the noodles and let them sit again to char the other side. You may flip the noodles again a couple more times to get more toasting if you wish.
Add 1 portion of the cooked protein back into the pan without adding any meat juices that has accumulated, and toss briefly to mix. Turn off the heat.
Plate the noodles, then quickly wipe the pan clean with paper towel and cook the next serving.
Serve with chili vinegar, and enjoy!

Note: Cooking 1 portion at a time is a bit more work, but it is well worth it. If there are too many noodles piled in the wok, it'll trap a lot of steam which can overcook the noodles. It'll also prevent the noodles from charring, which adds an iconic toasty flavour.

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Notes

Beef, chicken, pork and shrimp are common. If using tofu, I recommend using fried tofu which is firmer and can hold up in the wok well. You can buy tofu already fried at Asian grocery stores or fry your own extra firm tofu until a golden brown crust forms.
If your rice noodles come cold and stuck together, do not try to peel them apart cold. Divide them into smaller chunks best you can then spread them on a plate and microwave them for 1 minute. Divide them further, if possible, then microwave them again for another minute. Repeat the heating and separating until the noodles are hot and soft enough to be individually peeled apart.
To make chili vinegar, slice any spicy chilies and let them sit in white vinegar for at least 15 minutes before using. Alternatively, you can also blend the chilies and the vinegar together.