Friday night fakeaway: Karen Martini’s pad see ew (Thai rice noodle stir-fry)

Name: Friday night fakeaway: Karen Martini’s pad see ew (Thai rice noodle stir-fry)
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 700g fresh rice noodle sheets*; 120ml neutral oil; 4 garlic cloves, sliced 2mm thick; 4 stalks gai lan, cut into 4cm lengths; 3 eggs, yolks broken with a fork; 400g fish cake**, sliced; 3 small green chillies, finely sliced; 7 spring onions, trimmed and cut into 3cm lengths; 2 large handfuls of bean sprouts; 2½ tbsp XO sauce; 150ml water or stock; 10 shiso leaves, torn, or 2 handfuls of coriander leaves

Karen Martini

August 10, 2023

Pad see ew with fish cake and fresh rice noodles.William Meppem

easyTime:< 30 minsServes:4

Pad see ew is a soy-based, stir-fried noodle dish first cooked by Chinese immigrants to Thailand more than a century ago. Since then, it has become a staple in Thai restaurants around the world, much like pad Thai, and it’s also a very popular street food. I prefer using fresh rice noodle sheets because I like the torn or hand-cut look in the finished dish. For a deluxe version, add cooked clam meat (or steam your own) or small cooked prawns just before adding the sauce.

Ingredients

700g fresh rice noodle sheets*
120ml neutral oil
4 garlic cloves, sliced 2mm thick
4 stalks gai lan, cut into 4cm lengths
3 eggs, yolks broken with a fork
400g fish cake**, sliced
3 small green chillies, finely sliced
7 spring onions, trimmed and cut into 3cm lengths
2 large handfuls of bean sprouts
2½ tbsp XO sauce
150ml water or stock
10 shiso leaves, torn, or 2 handfuls of coriander leaves

For the noodle sauce

3 tsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2½ tbsp brown rice vinegar or Chinese black vinegar
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp ground white pepper

Method

Step 1
Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Step 2
Add the rice noodle sheets to a bowl and cover with hot water. Stand for 5 minutes, then drain. You can slice the sheets into strips about 6cm wide or simply tear them apart; they may break up a little, but that’s fine. Set aside.
Step 3
Heat a wok or wide frying pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Add a splash of oil and fry the garlic for 1 minute until fragrant and lightly coloured. Add the gai lan and cook for 2 minutes, then tip out and set aside.
Step 4
Add a splash more oil to the wok, then add the eggs and scramble until cooked, about 2 minutes. Tip out and set aside. Add the fish cake and chillies and cook for 5 minutes. Add the spring onions, toss through, then add the bean sprouts and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Tip out and set aside.
Step 5
Reheat the wok until hot. Add the remaining oil and the noodles and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the XO and stir through for 1 minute. Add the water (or stock), cover and heat for 3 minutes, then uncover and stir through. Once hot, add all the reserved ingredients and stir through for a minute. Add the noodle sauce and stir through to coat. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the shiso (or coriander) and serve.