This simple stir fry is always popular in our house. Soy Sauce Stir Fried Rice Noodles may be ubiquitous Thai street food popularly prepared at road side stalls all over Thailand, but they’re also a staple fixture on Thai restaurant menus; dine in and takeaway at restaurants all over Australia.  Traditionally made with thin slices of pork and served with fresh lime and a vinegared chilli garlic sauce they are delicious and enormously satisfying. Fortunately we have also discovered that they are also quick and easy to prepare at home with just a few ingredients and a simple recipe.

The secret is to use the freshest, widest rice noodles you can find. These are readily available in the chiller section of any good Asian grocer. We like to add mushroom to our Pad See Ew. They are a delicious but perhaps non traditional addition to the dish and complement the Chinese broccoli beautifully. It’s important to use two soy sauces for this dish. Light soy adds depth of flavour while dark soy provides wonderful caramelisation and colour. They are inexpensive and make a wonderful addition to your kitchen pantry. Look for them at the Asian grocer when you pick up your rice noodles. Once all the ingredients have been assembled and prepared the whole meal literally comes together in moments.

Pad See Ew (Soy Sauce Stir Fried Rice Noodles)
Serves 4

500g  fresh wide rice noodles (not dried)
3 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
350g fillet pork, thinly sliced
3 cloves chopped garlic
4 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon shaved palm sugar or brown sugar
1 bunch gai lan (Chinese broccoli) or use regular broccoli or broccolini if not available
250g button mushrooms
2 eggs, lightly whisked

fresh lime, to serve
Thai style chilli garlic sauce ( recipe follows), to serve

COMBINE one tablespoon of oil with garlic, dark and light soy sauces and sugar in a medium bowl. Add the thinly sliced pork and allow to marinate for 15 minutes as you prepare the other ingredients.
SEPARATE the Chinese broccoli (gai lan) leaves and stems. Halve any thick stems lengthwise before slicing into 3cm long pieces. Slice the leaves into thirds. Set aside.
THINLY slice the button mushrooms. Set aside.
BLANCH the rice noodles by placing them in a large heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 5 minutes or until tender. Drain.
HEAT a wok to high heat. When smoking add the remaining two tablespoons of oil. Remove the sliced pork from the marinade with a slotted spoon, reserving the marinade for the sauce.
STIR FRY the pork in two or three batches until golden brown and just cooked. Transfer to a plate.
ADD mushrooms. Stir fry until golden.
RETURN the pork to the wok. Toss to combine with the mushrooms, then add the blanched rice noodles and reserved marinade.
STIR FRY on high heat until the rice noodles are well coated with the sauce and mushrooms and beef are nicely distributed through the noodles.
PUSH the rice noodle mixture to the sides of the wok, making a well in the centre. Add the whisked eggs and quickly  scramble. When the eggs are just set fold the rice noodle mixture back in over the eggs, tossing gently to combine.
ADD the Chinese broccoli, stems  and leaves to the mixture. Stir fry until the leaves just begin to wilt.
SERVE immediately with fresh lime wedges and Thai style chill garlic sauce.

Thai Style Chilli Garlic Sauce
6 long red chillies
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

PEEL garlic and remove stems from the chillies. Place into the bowl of a small food processor with a teaspoon salt. Pulse to a coarse paste.
TRANSFER mixture to a glass jar. Pour over vinegar. It should cover the garlic and chilli mixture.