Pad See Ew

Separate the fresh wide rice noodles by gently combing through them with your fingers to prevent clumping. If the noodles are cold from refrigeration, rinse them quickly under hot tap water to loosen them and bring them to room temperature.

Mince the garlic cloves finely. Dice the chicken into bite-sized pieces (about 2cm cubes). Chop the Chinese broccoli into 1.5cm strips, separating the stems from the leaves. Crack the egg into a small bowl. Have all sauces measured and ready - this dish cooks very quickly.

Heat your wok over high heat until it just starts to smoke. This high temperature is essential for achieving the characteristic wok hei (smoky, charred flavor). Add 2 tablespoons of oil and swirl to coat the wok.

Add the minced garlic and stir-fry briefly for about 10 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Immediately add the diced chicken and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the chicken is mostly white on the outside.

Reduce heat to medium. Add the noodles, Chinese broccoli stems (save leaves for later), light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sugar. Use a gentle folding motion from the bottom of the wok to mix everything together, rather than aggressive stirring. Continue folding for 1-2 minutes to prevent the noodles from clumping together.

Push all the noodles and ingredients to one side of the wok, creating an empty space. Crack the egg into this empty space and let it sit for a few seconds, then scramble it gently with your spatula.

Increase the heat back to high. Combine the scrambled egg with the noodles using gentle folding motions. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring less frequently now to allow the noodles to get slightly caramelized on the bottom. This creates the restaurant-style charred flavor.

Transfer the pad see ew to a serving plate immediately. Garnish with white pepper and chili flakes if desired. Serve with Thai chili vinegar (prik nam som) on the side to brighten the flavors.