Recipe(tried): Thai Stir Fried Wide Rice Noodles, Pad Si-iew

Thai Stir Fried Wide Rice Noodles, "Pad Si-iew"

Si-iew (pronounce approximately "see yew") is the name for sweet dark soy sauce in the dominant local Chinese dialect. Pad si-iew is a favorite lunch dish, a Thai version of fast food (you may omit the coconut milk if you want to reduce calories).

Marinade

3-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium egg, beaten
1 tablespoon cornstarch/cornflour
1 tablespoon rice wine
1 tablespoon fish sauce
3 tablespoons sweet dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon palm sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon freshly ground ginger
1 tablespoon chopped green onions
1 tablespoon chopped shallots (or small red or purple onions)
1 tablespoon thinly sliced Thai chile peppers (optional)

Slice about 8 ounces of beef paper thin (you might persuade your butcher to put it through the bacon slicer...) and marinade the beef in the marinade for about an hour.

marinaded beef (above)
8 ounces fresh wide rice noodles, if available, or you may use rice noodles
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon palm sugar
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons sweet dark soy sauce
1 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup coconut milk (optional)

Cook the noodles until tender, in plain water, then put in cold water to halt the cooking process. Heat a wok and a little oil to stir fry the marinaded beef until it just begins to cook (because it is cut very thin, this is quite quick so be careful not to overcook). Add the noodles and the remaining ingredients, and stir until blended and heated through. Taste the sauce for balance of flavors (it should be just on the sweet side with a salty tang).

Serve with rice and the usual Thai table condiments as well as ground Thai chili powder and sugar.

In Thailand the first two condiments below (Nam pla prik and Prik dong) are likely be on every household's table together with a separate small dish of plain white sugar and a separate small dish of ground chili powder. Spoonfulls of each are added to suit individual taste. I suggest you make a portion of Nam pla prik and Prik dong and keep in a jar (non refrigerated) for serving as a condiment in this manner. These condiments keep very well.

Prik Si-iew wan, kratiem dong and Khing Ki mao are less common and usually served for particular dishes.

Nam pla prik

Put two thirds of a cup of Thai chile peppers (Also known as birdseye chile peppers) in a 1 pint jar, and fill with fish sauce. Seal and keep for a week before using.

Prik dong

Put two thirds of a cup of Thai chile peppers in a 1 pint jar, and fill with white rice vinegar.

Prik si-iew wan

Put two thirds of a cup of jalapeno peppers in a 1 pint jar, and fill with sweet dark soy sauce.

Kratiem dong

Peel and slice two thirds of a cup of garlic, place it in the 1 pint jar, add 1 teaspoon of palm sugar, and one teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of MSG (optional but recomended) and topped up with white rice vinegar.

Khing ki mao

Julienne two thirds of a cup of fresh ginger (into match stick sized pieces). Place in the 1 pint jar. Add half a cup of whiskey (rice whiskey if available). Add 1/2 cup white rice vinegar, and fill up the jar with fish sauce.

In Thai recipes as well as recipes throughout Southeast Asia, palm sugar is used as a natural sweetener. Use with curries, gourmet dishes, sauces, and various desserts.