- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 200 g
- 200 g
- 200 g
- 2 tbsp
- 1 tbsp
- 1 tbsp
- 1 tsp
- ½ tsp
- 2 tbsp
- 3 cloves
- 2 tbsp
Process
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Prepare the wide rice noodles according to package instructions if using dried. If fresh, rinse with warm water to separate. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, 0.5 teaspoon white pepper, and 2 tablespoons water to make the sauce. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat. Add the sliced beef sirloin and stir-fry until just browned, about 2 minutes. Remove beef from the wok and set aside.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the wok. Add the minced garlic and stir-fry for 15 seconds until fragrant.
Add the Chinese broccoli pieces and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes until slightly tender.
Push the broccoli to one side of the wok. Pour the beaten eggs into the empty side and scramble them until just set, about 30 seconds.
Add the cooked wide rice noodles and the cooked beef back into the wok. Pour the prepared sauce over everything.
Toss everything together over high heat until the noodles are well coated and heated through, about 1–2 minutes. Serve immediately.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The biggest mistake is overcrowding the wok: with 200 g noodles, 200 g beef and 200 g broccoli, a standard 28 cm pan is at its limit, so cook in two batches if yours is smaller or the noodles will steam and turn gluey instead of charring.
- Separate and dry the noodles before they hit the pan. Fresh wide rice noodles should be loosened strand by strand with warm water and drained well; wet noodles drop the pan temperature and clump into one solid mass.
- Cook over the highest heat your stove gives and keep everything moving for only 1 to 2 minutes once the sauce goes in. The sauce contains sugar, so it burns within about 30 seconds of standing still.
- Have every ingredient prepped and within arm's reach before you turn on the heat. Garlic burns in 15 seconds, eggs set in 30, and beef overcooks in under a minute past browning, so there is no time to chop once the wok is hot.
Substitutions
- beef sirloin→chicken thigh or firm tofu, sliced thin; both brown in about the same 2 minutes
- chinese broccoli→regular broccoli florets sliced thin, or gai lan stems replaced with bok choy, adding 1 extra minute of stir-frying
- oyster sauce→vegetarian mushroom stir-fry sauce or hoisin sauce for a similar savory-sweet depth
- wide rice noodles→dried wide rice sticks soaked in hot water for 20 minutes until pliable, then drained thoroughly
Storage & reheating
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended because the rice noodles turn mushy and the broccoli goes limp on thawing. To reheat, warm a nonstick pan or wok over medium-high heat with 1 teaspoon of oil, add the noodles and 1 tablespoon of water, cover for 1 minute, then toss for 1 to 2 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 74 C. A microwave at 70 percent power for 60 to 90 seconds also works if you cover the bowl, though the noodles soften rather than re-char.
Gallery
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why did my Pad See Ew turn out soggy and gluey?
Almost always because the noodles were still wet or the wok was overcrowded. Drain the noodles thoroughly and pat them dry, then cook in two batches if your pan cannot hold everything in a single loose layer. High heat and constant tossing for 1 to 2 minutes is what keeps the strands separate.
How do I know when the beef is done?
The beef is ready when the outside is browned but the center still has a slight pink blush, which takes about 2 minutes over high heat for thin slices. It finishes cooking when it returns to the wok with the noodles for the final 1 to 2 minutes, so pull it early rather than cooking it through in step 3.
Can I make this ahead of time?
You can prep everything up to 24 hours ahead: slice the beef, cut the broccoli, mince the garlic, and mix the sauce in a jar in the fridge. Cook the dish fresh, though, because reheated rice noodles lose their chew. If you must cook ahead, undercook the noodles by 30 seconds so they survive reheating.
How long do the leftovers keep, and how do I reheat them?
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in an oiled pan over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of water, covered for 1 minute, then tossed for 1 to 2 minutes until it reaches 74 C. Do not freeze, as the noodles break down into a mushy texture.
Can I use dried noodles instead of fresh wide rice noodles?
Yes, soak dried wide rice sticks in hot water for about 20 minutes until pliable, then drain and dry them well before stir-frying. Do not boil them fully or they will fall apart in the wok. Dried noodles absorb more sauce, so keep the 2 tablespoons of water in the sauce mixture.
Why did my sauce burn or taste bitter?
The sauce has 1 teaspoon of sugar, which scorches fast over high heat, and the garlic burns in about 15 seconds. Add the sauce only after the noodles and beef are back in the pan, then toss continuously for no more than 2 minutes. If the pan starts smoking hard, pull it off the heat for 10 seconds before continuing.
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