Pad See Ew

Thai food has long been my favourite type of food, therefore experiencing real Thai food was a part of the trip I was most looking forward to. I booked in to attend a three hour class that included a quick trip to a street market stall to collect ingredients.

I loved the class so much that I returned the following day to learn some more recipes.

 

Prior to attending the second day I  requested the teacher (Sheri) show me how to make Fish Cakes, Pad See Ew (flat rice noodle dish with soy sauce), and a chicken (or pork) filled omelette. Each of these dishes I got hooked on during our visit and wanted to be able to re-create them at home.  Sheri was more than happy to deviate from her  standard program to teach me how to make these meals.

 

Pad See Ew is a dish that makes you feel good. The texture is lovely and smooth, the flavour slightly sweet. Eating these noodles feels like a warm hug. They tastes like they will cure any ill. They make me happy, I love this dish! To me it is the Thai equivalent of Chicken Soup, the cure-all for all ailments.

Unlike most Thai dishes, this dish contains no chilli. I believe that the recipe originates from China, but we did find it to be a commonly served Thai dish. I have made it a couple of times since we returned and my boys love it as well.  It is the perfect recipe to introduce young children to noodles and some new flavours.

 

The school I attended is called Happy Home Thai Cooking School and is located in Pattaya (about 2 hours south of Bangkok).

 

 

Sheri has been running the school for 6 years. It is a relaxed little building with a lovely feeling. The walls are lattice, allowing the fragrance from the frangipani trees at the front to waft through the window. A cool breeze also flows through the room. The buzz of motorcycles and growl of cars, voices from the surrounding stores and passers-by all continuously seep through the room and give the feeling of cooking in the open, in the midst of the community.  Sheri’s style is relaxed and she carefully explained each step and ingredient.

 

As a word of warning, or advice – do not eat breakfast prior to the class. You eat all four dishes that you cook on the morning. The second day I attended I took Mr Fresh and got him to sit at the table and eat what I cooked!

 

I really enjoyed the classes that I attended at Happy Home Thai Cooking School. They were one of the highlights of our holiday. If you are in the area, and would like to learn some traditional Thai recipes that are easy to re-create at home be sure to give Sheri a call.

 

 

Pad See Ew Recipe

The recipe below is based on the recipe taught to me by Sheri. 

Serves: 4 people

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon oil for cooking
• 5 cloves of garlic – finely chopped
• 250 – 300 grams chicken – sliced
• 2 eggs
• handful of green beans – chopped into small pieces
• 1 small carrot – peeled and sliced into thin rounds
• 500 grams thick flat rice noodles (not dried*)
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon regular/light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon palm sugar – shaved or grated
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 bunch bok choy – chopped in half

Steps:

1.  Add oil to a pan, or wok, and fry the garlic
2. Add the sliced chicken to the pan and stir until almost cooked then add the egg and stir until broken and dispersed through the pan
3. Add the vegetables (except the bok choy) to the pan and cook for a few minutes and continue to stir
4. Heat the noodles in a bowl of boiling water for a couple of minutes until they just start to soften, drain and then add to the pan.
5. Add the dark soy and stir then add the regular soy sauce, palm sugar and fish sauce, continuing to stir to coat the noodles and until the palm sugar has dissolved completely 
6. Add the bok choy and stir until it starts to wilt
7. Serve

* Purchase the rice noodles at an Asian grocer. They are found in the fridge section. The packet I purchased specified that they were noodles for frying.

I received no form of compensation for this post. I paid for my classes at the school and am happy to recommend Sheri’s classes based on my experience.

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Tagged as: Chicken, Cooking