Smoky Pad See Ew

The burner roared under my heavy pan while the kids washed their hands for dinner. Making authentic pad see ew on a regular Tuesday took me years to figure out, mostly because I kept crowding everything into the skillet at once.

Once you stop treating this like a giant pot of spaghetti, the whole meal changes. Real street-style flavor comes from high heat, quick timing, and letting the rice noodles sit still against hot steel.

My grandmother always told me that good food teaches you patience. She was right, and now my family asks for these wide, savory ribbons almost every single week.

Prep: 20 minutes · Cook: 10 minutes · Total: 30 minutes · Serves: 4

How do you keep pad see ew from turning soggy? Crowding the pan causes pad see ew to turn soggy because excess steam builds up instantly.

Cook only one or two portions at a time over high heat. Let the noodles char directly against the dry, hot metal for two minutes before pouring your sauce around the outer rim.

↓ Jump to the recipe

Ingredients for Pad See Ew

• 4 chicken thighs, skin off, sliced thin
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• Maggi seasoning, to taste
• 1 bunch choi sum, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
• White pepper
• 1 packet fresh wide rice noodles, about 300 g per portion
• A pinch of sugar with the noodles
• 4 eggs, one per portion
• 4 tablespoons white vinegar
• Sliced chillies
• 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Ingredient Notes

Fresh wide rice noodles are the foundation of this dish, known traditionally as sen yai as Mark Wiens notes. Dried rice sticks simply will not give you the tender, chewy bite of fresh sheets.

Pick up fresh refrigerated noodles from an Asian grocer, or check the specialty noodle case at a well-stocked supermarket.

Andy Cooks provides the base sauce ratio using light soy, oyster sauce, and dark soy. Dark soy sauce gives the noodles their deep caramel color, while the oyster sauce adds necessary body and savory richness.

Keep in mind that this specific sauce balance comes from a single source, so you can adjust the Maggi seasoning to your family’s personal taste.

Choi sum provides a fresh, peppery crunch that cuts through the rich sauce. You can use standard Chinese broccoli if your local grocer is out of choi sum, focusing on crisp stems and tender leaves.

Be sure to dry the washed greens thoroughly on a clean kitchen towel so water does not cool down your pan.

How to Make Pad See Ew

1. Mix the table vinegar. Stir the white vinegar, sliced chillies, finely grated garlic, and half teaspoon of sugar in a small ceramic bowl until the sugar crystals dissolve completely.
2. Whisk the savory sauce. Combine the light soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, and a few drops of Maggi seasoning in a glass measuring cup until smooth and uniform.
3. Marinate the chicken. Toss the thinly sliced chicken thighs with one tablespoon of the peanut oil and one tablespoon of the prepared sauce until the meat looks evenly glossy.
4. Sear the chicken. Heat your wok over high heat with a splash of peanut oil, add the chicken, and stir constantly for 2 to 3 minutes until no pink remains on the outside.
5. Scramble the egg. Crack an egg directly into the pan beside the chicken, breaking the yolk and stirring through the meat for 30 seconds until soft curds set.
6. Wilt the greens. Add the chopped choi sum and toss for 20 seconds, then toss in the minced garlic and white pepper for 2 minutes more until the stems turn bright green and tender.
7. Char the noodles. Slide the chicken and greens to a plate, drop in the noodles with a pinch of sugar and extra oil if dry, and sear undisturbed for 2 minutes until light brown charred spots appear.
8. Glaze the noodles. Return the chicken and greens, pour the sauce around the outside rim of the wok, and toss rapidly for 1 minute until the noodles turn dark brown and steam rises.

Make-Ahead and Leftovers

Keep leftover noodles in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Fresh rice noodles naturally firm up and turn stiff when cold, but they soften up nicely when reheated with gentle steam.

To reheat, warm a skillet over medium heat with a teaspoon of oil and a tablespoon of water, covering with a tight lid for two minutes until the noodles become pliable. Microwaving also works well if you cover the bowl with a damp paper towel.

I do not recommend freezing this dish because frozen rice noodles crumble into tiny bits upon thawing.

More Family Favorites

• Beef Enchiladas with Chili Gravy
• Classic Baked Ziti
• Classic Beef Chili
• Classic Beef Stew
• Classic Cottage Pie
• Classic Ground Beef Tacos
• Classic Meatloaf with Brown Sugar Glaze
• Classic Pot Roast
• Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs
• Classic Stuffed Peppers

Smoky Pad See Ew

Recipe by Daisy MerrittCourse: DinnerCuisine: American

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs, skin off, sliced thin

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided

• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce

• 3 tablespoons oyster sauce

• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

• Maggi seasoning, to taste

• 1 bunch choi sum, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 6 cloves garlic, finely minced

• White pepper

• 1 packet fresh wide rice noodles, about 300 g per portion

• A pinch of sugar with the noodles

• 4 eggs, one per portion

• 4 tablespoons white vinegar

• Sliced chillies

• 2 cloves garlic, finely grated

• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Directions

• Mix the table vinegar. Stir the white vinegar, sliced chillies, finely grated garlic, and half teaspoon of sugar in a small ceramic bowl until the sugar crystals dissolve completely.
• Whisk the savory sauce. Combine the light soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, and a few drops of Maggi seasoning in a glass measuring cup until smooth and uniform.
• Marinate the chicken. Toss the thinly sliced chicken thighs with one tablespoon of the peanut oil and one tablespoon of the prepared sauce until the meat looks evenly glossy.
• Sear the chicken. Heat your wok over high heat with a splash of peanut oil, add the chicken, and stir constantly for 2 to 3 minutes until no pink remains on the outside.
• Scramble the egg. Crack an egg directly into the pan beside the chicken, breaking the yolk and stirring through the meat for 30 seconds until soft curds set.
• Wilt the greens. Add the chopped choi sum and toss for 20 seconds, then toss in the minced garlic and white pepper for 2 minutes more until the stems turn bright green and tender.
• Char the noodles. Slide the chicken and greens to a plate, drop in the noodles with a pinch of sugar and extra oil if dry, and sear undisturbed for 2 minutes until light brown charred spots appear.
• Glaze the noodles. Return the chicken and greens, pour the sauce around the outside rim of the wok, and toss rapidly for 1 minute until the noodles turn dark brown and steam rises.