Pad See Ew - Thai recipe ('Pad Sew')

Pad See Ew or 'Pad Sew' is a Thai noodle dish served at the popular restaurant chain ‘Thai Express’. Can you make it at home? Yes. You should read over the entire recipe before getting involved. Is this recipe suitable for the Jewish kitchen? Absolutely - strictly kosher cooks should make sure that sauce ingredients are kosher and of course, pay attention to fish sauce as suggested below.

The key ingredient for great flavor is ‘thick’ soy sauce - available at some supermarkets and many Asian groceries. Check the Asian section of your local supermarket for Dark Soy Sauces that are thick, made with soy sauce and sugar as the second ingredient. When you turn the bottle upside down, it should run slowly; not loose and watery like conventional soy sauce. If you are strictly Kosher, you are probably out of luck at the store so make your own: for each cup of soy sauce, add 1 tbsp. brown sugar and heat on low in a pot on the stove. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat once you have achieved a syrupy consistency. Make 4 cups or so and keep extra stored in the fridge. Another alternative is to buy one of the VH stir fry sauces - they are thick, sweet and quite tasty. I like Garlic Hoisin and Teriyaki stirfry sauces - each bottle has a 'K' on the side.

Pad Sew (like Pad Thai), requires that you prepare and assemble all ingredients ahead of time. Make sure to have a large wok or fry pan on hand and a slotted spoon to remove cooked ingredients, a step at a time.

Ingredients for Pad See Ew:

• Wide, flat rice sticks found in Thai section of supermarket or from Kosher section, use wheat or egg noodles - I like the the brand “Crown”, sold in a 7 oz.-200 g package (I made rice sticks once and found the noodles difficult to deal with - they became mushy very fast)
• 8 oz. chicken or lean beef, cut into uniform, thin, bite-sized pieces that will cook quickly (ingredients for marinade are further down)*
• one egg, optional
• 8 oz. (it’s OK to use more or less) Chinese broccoli, bok choy, head of broccoli or broccolini
• 1-2 cloves garlic, chopped or minced (1-2 tsp.)
• 3-4 tbsp. oil (you add oil to the wok each time to prepare a new element of the dish and it keeps the noodles from sticking)
• 1 tbsp. thick soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. rice vinegar
• If desired, add heat to sauce by adding a dash of chili powder, chili paste or hot sauce, to taste
• Optional: fish sauce (if you are kosher, make your own by combining a dab of anchovy paste with regular soy sauce, mix together - a little goes a long way)
• Toasted sesame seeds, as garnish, if desired

Prepare noodles, whether rice or wheat, according to package directions and set aside - do not overcook or they will become mushy.

Prepare the Pad See Ew sauce and keep it on hand, ready to use while you cook. For convenience, made a lot of it, using the above noted proportions. (I make at least a cup at a time and refrigerate leftover sauce). Use a vegetable peeler to get rid of tough outer skin on stems of Chinese broccoli. Cut stems on the bias to a 1"length, not too thick; cut up and use leafy parts as well. Whatever vegetable you are using, keep pieces uniform so that they cook at the same pace and of course, quickly.

Heat the wok to medium high and then add a 2 tsp. of oil. (Note: experts recommend that the wok be heated to High and smoking hot - personally, I find it too difficult to control the dish at that heat - it’s up to you). 1. Add broccoli and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Add leafy parts and continue to stir fry, adding a dash (tsp.) of sauce. Once leaves begin to wilt, remove broccoli from wok and set aside.

2. Heat up wok again and add 1 tbsp. and a bit of oil. Coat whole pan and add noodles. Experienced chefs can flip pan around to cook noodles - cooks with less expertise, like me, can use a spatula or good tongs to move the noodles around. Add 1 tbsp. sauce and move mixture around so that all noodles become coated. Add a bit more sauce, if necessary. If there is any sticking problem, add more oil. Use tongs to turn noodles over if you are finding it difficult to get them coated in sauce. After a minute or so, remove noodles to a bowl - set aside.

3. Reheat wok, add more oil (1 tbsp.) and place meat, in a single layer, in pan. Add garlic and 1-2 tsp. of sauce and stir-fry until chicken or beef brown on each side; if desired, move cooked meat to side of wok and in centre, crack an egg, let it set for a few seconds, and then scramble it in with the meat, mixing ingredients together. Keep meat and egg in pan.

4. Return broccoli to wok and stir for a few seconds, then add noodles back to pan. Combine all ingredients, turning over noodles once or twice, season with more sauce, if desired, or to thin out sauce, add a few drops of soy sauce or rice vinegar. If desired, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds as garnish.

Serve Pad Sew immediately and enjoy.

Serves: 2-4 (feel free to double the recipe)

Adapted from the fabulous recipe published at: www.chezpim.com

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