Pad See Ew

Pad see ew — stir-fried with soy sauce — is the workhorse noodle dish of Bangkok's street food culture, served from high-heat charcoal woks at nearly every street corner. Where pad thai gets the international attention, pad see ew is what Bangkokians actually eat for lunch. The wide sen yai rice noodles require extreme heat to char slightly against the wok, developing the smoky wok hei that cannot be replicated at low temperatures. Tossed with Chinese broccoli, egg, and a simple soy-based sauce, the result is sweet, smoky, savoury, and deeply satisfying.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 400 g (14 oz) fresh wide rice noodles (sen yai), or 200 g (7 oz) dried, soaked in cold water 30 minutes
• 300 g (10 oz) chicken thigh, thinly sliced
• 2 eggs
• 200 g (7 oz) gai lan (Chinese broccoli), stalks sliced diagonally, leaves torn
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil; 3 garlic cloves, minced

Sauce: 3 tablespoons thin (light) soy sauce, 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce, 1½ tablespoons oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 2 teaspoons sugar

Condiments: white sugar, fish sauce, dried chilli flakes, rice vinegar

Instructions

1. Mix all sauce ingredients together and set aside. If using dried noodles, drain and toss with 1 teaspoon oil.
2. Heat your wok over the highest heat available for at least 3 minutes until it begins to smoke. This is non-negotiable for wok hei.
3. Add 2 tablespoons oil and swirl. Add chicken in a single layer; do not stir for 1 minute. Stir-fry until just cooked through, about 2 more minutes. Push to the wok sides.
4. Add remaining oil and garlic. Stir 20 seconds until fragrant. Add noodles, spread over the wok surface, and leave undisturbed 45 seconds to char. Toss, leave 30 seconds more, then toss again.
5. Push everything to the sides. Crack eggs into the centre, scramble loosely 30 seconds until just set but glossy, then fold into noodles.
6. Pour sauce over everything and toss vigorously 1–2 minutes until noodles are evenly coated and glossy. Add gai lan, toss 30 seconds until bright green and just wilted.
7. Serve immediately with the four condiments in small dishes on the side.

Cook's Notes: For a domestic burner, cook in two batches to avoid steaming the noodles — crowd kills wok hei. Fresh refrigerated noodles should be separated and brought to room temperature before using.