NewsBite

Advertisement
Good Food logo

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

Karen Martini
Karen Martini

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

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.

Advertisement

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

  1. Step 1

    Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

*Readily available in the fridge at Asian grocers.

**Available in the fridge or freezer section at Asian grocers.

The best recipes from Australia's leading chefs straight to your inbox.

Sign up
Karen MartiniKaren Martini is a Melbourne-based chef, restaurateur, author and television presenter. She has a regular column in Good Weekend.

From our partners

Advertisement
Advertisement

Similar Recipes

More by Karen Martini

Original URL: https://www.watoday.com.au/goodfood/recipes/pad-see-ew-20230808-p5duxm.html