Pad See Ew

Join me as I explore the secrets behind the perfect balance of sweet, salty, and umami that make Pad See Ew a Thai street food masterpiece. This recipe is for chicken Pad See Ew, but you can make this with any protein you want (or keep it totally veg.)

Ingredients

(serves 4-5)

  • 2 tbsp. dark soy sauce

  • 2 tbsp. light soy sauce 

  • 3 tbsp. oyster sauce 

  • 2 tbsp. white vinegar 

  • 3 tbsp. palm sugar (or normal granulated sugar).   

  • 1 package wide rice noodles (fresh is preferable, though dry noodles can be used as well)

  • ¼ cup vegetable oil 

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or any other protein you’d like to use)

  • 3-4 heads Chinese broccoli, or two heads “western” broccoli.  

  • 3 cloves garlic

  • 3 eggs 

  • ¼ cup peanuts 

  • 1 lime

  • 2-3 Thai chilis (optional, for heat)

Instructions:

  1. If you’re using dry rice noodles, soak these in warm water until pliable but still firm.

  2. In a small pot, dissolve palm sugar in a few tablespoons of water. Add light soy, dark soy, oyster sauce, and vinegar. Mix and set aside.

  3. Prepare ingredients: remove broccoli leaves and chop stems, cut chicken into bite-sized pieces, dice garlic, and crush peanuts.

  4. Heat wok on high, add a dash of oil, then cook chicken (or other substitute protein) and broccoli stems. After a few minutes, add garlic and broccoli leaves. Once chicken is white and cooked through, push aside, crack eggs in the center, scramble, mix everything, and set aside.

  5. Clean wok and get it hot again.  Add a few tablespoons of your sauce directly followed by noodles. Toss noodles in sauce on high heat, gradually adding more sauce to keep noodles from sticking to wok until all sauce has been used. Then reintegrate chicken and veggies, garnish with peanuts, and serve immediately with a slice of lime and optional thai chili for heat.