Pad See Ew (Soy Sauce Noodles)

Finally, we’re having a break from pork with this super quick vegetarian noodle dish. It’s pretty standard street food fare up and down Thailand. Can become meaty, this is a tofu-ey version. This doesn’t require any complicated ingredients, everything can be easily found in a regular supermarket. Ready to eat in about 10 minutes!

For one person (multiply as needed for more portions)

• a small handful of dried rice stick noodles


• a fist sized chunk of broccoli, stem and floret, cut into small pieces


• a small handful of mange tout (or other crunchy veg)


• 1 egg


• half a pack of tofu (it freezes/thaws very well)


• 2 big cloves of garlic, finely sliced


• a small pinch sugar


• a splash of light soy sauce


• a splash of dark soy sauce


• a pinch of pepper


• 1-2 chillies, chopped and mixed in white wine vinegar, for sprinkling


• veg oil for frying

Start by chopping chillies and let them ‘pickle’ in the vinegar while you make the dish. You can make big batches of this and keep it covered in the fridge for your next Thai meal. 

Next, start soaking your dried rice noodles in warm water for about ten minutes- you don’t want them to feel soggy, just slightly softened.

Heat the oil in a wok, throw in the garlic and stir fry for a few seconds before adding the drained noodles, let them sit and get a bit crispy on the bottom before stir frying again. Add in the vegetables and fry for a minute before shoving these to one side of the wok, breaking in the egg and let it just sit and cook for 30 seconds, gently break up and let it sit again for another 30 seconds, break it up, sit for another 30 seconds, break it up and stir everything together. Throw in the tofu and stir/toss gently to mix everything through before adding the pepper, sugar and dark and light soy sauces, Toss through for a few more seconds before turning everything out onto a plate. Sprinkle over a bit more pepper and as much of the chillies in vinegar as you like.