Black soy sauce gets its molasses-like sweetness from fermenting soybeans for 6+ months with palm sugar added.
Pad See Ew
Fall in love with this quick and delectable 20-minute Pad See Ew! With its perfectly stir-fried wide rice noodles, vibrant broccoli, and a savory soy sauce blend, this dish is a flavor explosion that will transport your taste buds straight to Thailand. Get ready to whip up a restaurant-quality meal at home in no time!
Prep
10
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
This Bangkok street food legend was actually invented by Chinese immigrants in Thailand's 1930s who missed their homeland's char kway teow but had to work with local ingredients—they swapped Chinese lap cheong sausage for Thai beef, kept the dark soy for that signature black color, and accidentally created what food historians now call the most successful noodle immigration story in Southeast Asian cuisine history.
Regional Twist
In Bangkok's Chinatown district, they double the Chinese broccoli and add crispy pork belly alongside the beef, then finish with a sprinkle of white pepper that cuts through all that rich black soy sauce darkness.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
450
Protein
28g
Carbs
42g
Fat
15g
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 2 cups (473 ml) chinese broccoli
- 2 large eggs
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 1 lb (454 g) beef
- black soy sauce (to taste)
- brown sugar (to taste)
- cornstarch (to taste)
- fish sauce (to taste)
- 8 oz (227 g) fresh rice noodles
- garlic (to taste)
- neutral oil (to taste)
- oyster sauce (to taste)
- soy sauce (to taste)
- vegetable oil (to taste)
- water (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Mix the beef with cornstarch, vegetable oil, and soy sauce to tenderize it.
- 2
Combine soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, black soy sauce, brown sugar, and water, then set it aside.
- 3
Heat neutral oil in a hot wok on high heat.
- 4
Sear the beef until it's 80% cooked through and remove it from the pan.
- 5
Add more oil and sauté the garlic until fragrant.
- 6
Add the chopped Chinese broccoli and sauté for a few minutes.
- 7
Push everything to the side and pour in the whisked eggs and scramble.
- 8
Remove everything from the wok and set it aside.
- 9
Toss in the fresh rice noodles and char them for 30 seconds.
- 10
Pour in the sauce and toss until coated.
- 11
Add back the beef, broccoli, eggs, and toss until combined.
- 12
Serve and enjoy!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Heat your wok to 500-550°F (smoking point) before adding oil because pad see ew requires 'wok hei' - the high-heat searing that creates complex Maillard reactions and prevents ingredients from steaming.technique500-550°F
- ✓Separate fresh rice noodles by soaking in lukewarm water for exactly 30-45 seconds - they should bend without breaking but still have bite, as they'll finish cooking in the wok.timing30-45 seconds
- ✓Velvet your beef with a 2:1 ratio of cornstarch to oil plus 1 tsp soy sauce per pound because this creates a protective protein coating that keeps meat tender at high wok temperatures.technique2:1 ratio cornstarch to oil
- ✓Cook ingredients in 90-second intervals maximum per batch to maintain wok temperature - longer cooking drops the pan below 400°F and causes steaming instead of searing.timing90 seconds maximum
- ✓Use black soy sauce (thick/sweet soy) at exactly 1 tablespoon per 8 oz noodles because it contains 15-20% molasses that caramelizes to create the signature dark color and slightly sweet flavor.ingredient15-20% molasses content
Share this recipe
Prep
10
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Black soy sauce gets its molasses-like sweetness from fermenting soybeans for 6+ months with palm sugar added.
Pad See Ew
Fall in love with this quick and delectable 20-minute Pad See Ew! With its perfectly stir-fried wide rice noodles, vibrant broccoli, and a savory soy sauce blend, this dish is a flavor explosion that will transport your taste buds straight to Thailand. Get ready to whip up a restaurant-quality meal at home in no time!
The Story
This Bangkok street food legend was actually invented by Chinese immigrants in Thailand's 1930s who missed their homeland's char kway teow but had to work with local ingredients—they swapped Chinese lap cheong sausage for Thai beef, kept the dark soy for that signature black color, and accidentally created what food historians now call the most successful noodle immigration story in Southeast Asian cuisine history.
Regional Twist
In Bangkok's Chinatown district, they double the Chinese broccoli and add crispy pork belly alongside the beef, then finish with a sprinkle of white pepper that cuts through all that rich black soy sauce darkness.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
450
Protein
28g
Carbs
42g
Fat
15g
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 2 cups (473 ml) chinese broccoli
- 2 large eggs
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 1 lb (454 g) beef
- black soy sauce (to taste)
- brown sugar (to taste)
- cornstarch (to taste)
- fish sauce (to taste)
- 8 oz (227 g) fresh rice noodles
- garlic (to taste)
- neutral oil (to taste)
- oyster sauce (to taste)
- soy sauce (to taste)
- vegetable oil (to taste)
- water (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Mix the beef with cornstarch, vegetable oil, and soy sauce to tenderize it.
- 2
Combine soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, black soy sauce, brown sugar, and water, then set it aside.
- 3
Heat neutral oil in a hot wok on high heat.
- 4
Sear the beef until it's 80% cooked through and remove it from the pan.
- 5
Add more oil and sauté the garlic until fragrant.
- 6
Add the chopped Chinese broccoli and sauté for a few minutes.
- 7
Push everything to the side and pour in the whisked eggs and scramble.
- 8
Remove everything from the wok and set it aside.
- 9
Toss in the fresh rice noodles and char them for 30 seconds.
- 10
Pour in the sauce and toss until coated.
- 11
Add back the beef, broccoli, eggs, and toss until combined.
- 12
Serve and enjoy!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Heat your wok to 500-550°F (smoking point) before adding oil because pad see ew requires 'wok hei' - the high-heat searing that creates complex Maillard reactions and prevents ingredients from steaming.technique500-550°F
- ✓Separate fresh rice noodles by soaking in lukewarm water for exactly 30-45 seconds - they should bend without breaking but still have bite, as they'll finish cooking in the wok.timing30-45 seconds
- ✓Velvet your beef with a 2:1 ratio of cornstarch to oil plus 1 tsp soy sauce per pound because this creates a protective protein coating that keeps meat tender at high wok temperatures.technique2:1 ratio cornstarch to oil
- ✓Cook ingredients in 90-second intervals maximum per batch to maintain wok temperature - longer cooking drops the pan below 400°F and causes steaming instead of searing.timing90 seconds maximum
- ✓Use black soy sauce (thick/sweet soy) at exactly 1 tablespoon per 8 oz noodles because it contains 15-20% molasses that caramelizes to create the signature dark color and slightly sweet flavor.ingredient15-20% molasses content