Thai Recipe: Pad See Ew

Probably the most popular food export from Thailand is Pad Thai, however that's far from the only great dish from the region. In fact, another very popular dish is phat si lo, or as it's most often called in America, pad see ew. While pad thai is more savory with a little spicy (and of course nutty), pad see ew is made with a much sweeter soy sauce. The stir fry is made usually with a choice of protein, Chinese broccoli, and thin, flat rice noodles.

To create the perfect pad see ew, we of course had to stick with rice noodles. While pad thai's rice noodles are generally thinner, we wanted to find the widest rice noodles possible. We stuck with beef in our recipe, however it's perfectly acceptable to use chicken, pork, or even tofu instead. For the sauce, we combined a light soy sauce and dark soy sauce at different stages in cooking along with oyster sauce for a more complex flavor. Sprinkling the sugar on top in the middle of cooking kept the characteristic sweetness of the dish. Keep reading below for this fantastic recipe...

Pad See Ew

Ingredients

• 1lb wide ride noodles
• 1/2lb beef (chicken, poor, or tofu also work) cut thin into bite sized pieces
• 2-4 teaspoons light or thin soy sauce
• 6 stalks Chinese broccoli cut up
• 3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 cloves chopped garlic
• 2-3 tablespoons dark or thick soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 2-3 teaspoons sugar, to taste
• 3 large eggs, warmed to room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

Directions

1. Soak the rice noodles for about an hour (if you're using thinner or vermicelli noodles, reduce to 30 minutes). Cut the Chinese broccoli into pieces two to three inches long. Cut the stems by sliding on the bias so the stems will cook evenly. Cut the leafy sections of the stems away in a separate bowl.
2. Prepare the sauce by mixing together the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and white vinegar.
3. Heat the oil in a deep pan or wok. Saute the chopped garlic in the oil for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the meat and stir until the meat is cooked.
4. Toss in the noodles along with the sauce mixture. Stir and spread out over the heated surface of the pan, sauteeing and flipping the noodles a few minutes before adding in the vegetables. Add the broccoli and the stems first, cooking for a minute before adding the leaves. Stir and spread the mixture over the surface of the pan again for a minute, folding in the vegetables.
5. Sprinkle with some sugar, then stir and mix well. Push the noodles up against the side of the wok to make room for the eggs. Crack the eggs in the pan and scramble lightly until the eggs are cooked. Once the eggs are cooked, break into smaller chunks then toss with noodles. Sprinkle with white pepper and toss.
6. Transfer to a serving dish. Serve immediately.
7. Enjoy!

Thai-Inspired Recipe: Winged Bean Salad

We sometimes find salads good, but not really good enough for a whole lunch and we’re happy to say that this Winged Bean Salad is not one of those. It’s not too spicy, because there’s the creamy coconut milk to counteract the chilies, and the beans add the necessary and refreshing crunch. Whether or not you even like salads, this one is great because of all the different flavors that come together without overpowering one another. This tasty salad might warrant a visit to your closest Asian market, but that’s fine because it’s delicious and worth it!

Thai Winged Bean Salad

(Serves 4) 

Ingredients 

• 2 cups winged beans, about 2/3 lb.
• 1 cup minced pork, about 1/2 lb.
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons dried shrimp, chopped
• 2 tablespoons shallots, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2-3 medium, dried chilies, seeded and chopped
• 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 1/4 teaspoon palm sugar or brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• Canola or vegetable oil, frying

Directions

1. Rinse your winged beans and chop off both ends. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Set a pot of water to boil.
2. While waiting, heat enough oil in a medium frying pan to cover the shallots and stir often until they’re golden, but not too brown. Remove shallots. Add dried shrimp to the pan and fry them until crispy. Remove and set aside.
3. Then add garlic and chilies and brown them.
4. Once cool, pound half of your shallots, garlic and chilies into a semi-smooth paste.
5. When your water is salted and boiling, blanch your winged beans for 20-30 seconds. Remove them and place them immediately in ice water to stop them from cooking. Reserve the water.
6. Add your finely-minced pork to the water and cook for 5-7 minutes.
7. In a saucepan, boil the coconut milk, take off heat and add sugar, chili/shallot paste, lime juice, fish sauce and peanuts. Mix well.
8. Add dressing to winged beans and minced pork, toss and serve. Garnish with crispy dried shrimp and shallots.

One-Pot Recipe: Thai Coconut Chicken Curry

This Coconut Chicken curry is so good, everyone will be shocked when they find out how easy it is to make! That is, if you choose to share your secrets with them. Stir-fries and curries are always a nice option because you get so much bang for your buck and you don’t have to spend an inordinate amount of time over a hot stove; plus you get a sauce that is more than just yummy dressing for the chicken, becoming a soup that pairs beautifully with the chicken. Appetizer and entrée in one—bonus! Really, this dish is a winner that you should all try. One pot. Ready in under 20 minutes. Possible? Yes.

Coconut Chicken Curry

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) light coconut milk
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup water
• 4 oz. green beans, chopped
• 1 jalapeño chili, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger root, grated
• 1-2 red bell peppers, seeded and shopped
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink.
2. Add lime zest, ginger root and chili. Continue to stir-fry for 1 minute.
3. Pour in coconut milk, chicken broth and water, and stir in brown sugar, curry paste, green beans and bell peppers.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 5-7 minutes, until vegetables have softened slightly.
5. Serve hot. Optional: serve with jasmine rice.