Pad See Ew Thai stir-fried wide noodles in soy sauce

Pad See Ew (Thai: ผัดซีอิ๊ว, phat si-io, “stir-fried with soy sauce”) is a staple Thai street-food noodle dish defined by its caramelized, smoky wide rice noodles and savory soy-based sauce. It is one of Thailand’s most popular noodle dishes alongside pad thai, but distinct in its reliance on soy sauce rather than tamarind.

Origin and History

The dish likely emerged in central Thailand during the mid-20th century, influenced by Chinese stir-fry techniques brought by Teochew immigrants. The name directly references the key ingredient: si-io (soy sauce). Unlike pad thai, which was promoted as a national dish under Prime Minister Phibun in the 1940s, pad see ew developed organically as a street-food adaptation of Cantonese chow fun.

Core Ingredients and Technique

The canonical recipe uses sen yai (wide flat rice noodles, ~1 cm wide), stir-fried over extremely high heat in a wok to achieve wok hei the smoky, charred flavor from oil and soy sauce hitting the hot metal. The sauce combines dark soy sauce (for color and sweetness), light soy sauce (for saltiness), and oyster sauce (for umami). Garlic, Chinese broccoli (kai-lan), egg, and a protein (chicken, pork, beef, or tofu) complete the dish. The noodles are intentionally left slightly charred and caramelized, not saucy.

Distinguishing from Similar Dishes

• Pad Thai: Uses thin rice stick noodles (sen chan) with tamarind, fish sauce, and palm sugar; no soy sauce; served with lime and peanuts.
• Pad Kee Mao (drunken noodles): Uses same wide noodles but with Thai basil, fresh chili, and a spicier sauce; no oyster sauce.
• Cantonese Chow Fun: Similar wide rice noodles but lighter soy seasoning, less garlic, and often served with beef and bean sprouts; lacks the caramelized char of pad see ew.

Regional and Diaspora Variants

In Thailand, the dish is typically sweeter in central regions, with more dark soy. In the diaspora (especially Los Angeles), versions often increase protein and vegetable portions. LA restaurants such as Night + Market, Jitlada, Sapp Coffee Shop, Ruen Pair, Pailin Thai, and Holy Basil each offer variations some with extra wok hei, others with a wetter sauce. Sen yai noodles are widely available at Asian markets in LA (e.g., Thai grocery stores on Hollywood Boulevard).

Dietary Notes

• Standard: Contains oyster sauce (not vegan) and egg (not vegan).
• Vegan: Possible with mushroom-based “oyster” sauce and tofu; request no egg.
• Kosher: Not kosher due to oyster sauce (non-kosher shellfish derivative).
• Halal: Compatible with chicken or beef if meat is halal-certified.
• Gluten-free: Not gluten-free soy sauce and oyster sauce contain wheat. Tamari can substitute but changes flavor.
• Allergens: Soy, wheat, shellfish (oyster sauce), egg.