A classic Thai prawn pad see ew seems like a basic stir-fried noodle dish, but truth be told there’s actually a fair amount of finessing going on behind the scenes. Prepping your noodles and getting that charry edge, marinating your seafood and then finishing things off with the traditional condiment make this recipe a true knockout. A simple recipe, done right… you’ll taste the difference.lu
200g (7 oz) peeled and deveined prawns, tail on
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
ground white pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
350g (12.5 oz) fresh rice noodles*
2 tsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp caster (superfine) sugar
1 bunch broccolini, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 eggs, lightly whisked
chilli powder, to serve (optional)
Chilli vinegar
¼ cup white vinegar
1 long red chilli, finely sliced
For the chilli vinegar, combine the ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside for later.
Place the prawns in a large bowl with the grated garlic, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, plus the sesame oil and a pinch of white pepper. Mix to combine. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the noodles, dark soy sauce and sugar, and stir-fry until the noodles have softened and start to char at the edges. Transfer the noodles to a plate and set aside.
Return the wok to the heat and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the prawns and spread them out in the wok. Leave them for a few seconds until you’ve got a nice sear on them, then stir-fry until almost cooked.
Add the broccolini and stir-fry for another minute. Add 2 tablespoons of water and allow the steam to cook the broccolini a little. Once the broccolini is nice and tender, push everything to one side of the wok, then add the egg to the empty side. Keep gently pushing the egg up the sides of the wok until it’s just starting to set, then break up and incorporate with the rest of the ingredients.
Return the noodles to the wok. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce around the edge of the wok and then sprinkle another pinch of white pepper in too. Toss everything together until well combined. Transfer to a serving plate and serve with the chilli vinegar and chilli powder, if using.
Notes:
– To make your noodles more manageable, it helps to place them in the microwave for 20 seconds or so to warm them up. Once you take them out, gently separate the noodles into lovely long strands – this extra step will ensure you don’t end with broken clumps in your pan.
