Pad Mee, My Way

In Thai and Lao kitchens, Pad Mee points broadly to stir-fried noodles: rice noodles loosened in a hot pan, glossed with sauce, sharpened by aromatics, and adjusted according to region, household, occasion, and whoever is standing closest to the wok.

Ceramic bowl was wheel-thrown and glazed by me.

Its history does not arrive with one neat origin story, which is part of its charm. Like many Southeast Asian noodle dishes, Pad Mee sits at the intersection of local rice culture, Chinese-influenced noodle cookery, and the everyday reality of feeding people quickly and well. Before a dish becomes famous enough to acquire fandom, it is usually just a meal.

That is where Pad Mee is most interesting. It exists in variations: some sweeter, some darker, some spicier, some closer to Lao-style caramelized noodles served at gatherings, others tied to Thai regional cooking. Pad Mee Korat, from Nakhon Ratchasima, is one well-known branch of the family, but it is not the whole tree. Pad Mee’s real glamour is quieter: it is adaptable, unfussy, and deeply local—the kind of dish that knows exactly who it is without needing to become a national slogan.

That is why I named this recipe Pad Mee, My Way. Some may consider it less than traditional, but none of that matters when it is delicious.

INGREDIENTS

[Serves 1]

six ounces of boneless short rib, thinly sliced

four shrimp, peeled and deveined

a half cup of broccolini, chopped

a little over three ounces of thin vermicelli

one egg, whisked with a fork

two Thai chili peppers, chopped

one tablespoon of brown sugar + a half tablespoon to taste

one tablespoon of soy sauce

one tablespoon of oyster sauce

one garlic clove, chopped

one garlic clove, whole

two tablespoons of water

vegetable oil

Soak the vermicelli noodles in lukewarm water and set aside. Drain the noodles once softened. While the noodles are soaking, combine the peppers, one tablespoon of brown sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, chopped garlic, and water to make the sauce. Taste and add up to the remaining half tablespoon of brown sugar, if preferred.

Heat a wok over high heat. Once heated, add enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom and swirl around the wok. Add the whole garlic clove and short rib. Once the short rib starts to brown, remove them from the wok along with the garlic. Add the egg to the wok, reduce the heat to medium, and scramble. Add the drained noodles, broccolini, and prepared sauce. Stir-fry until the broccolini is bright green., and then add the short rib and shrimp. Once the shrimp turn opaque, remove from the heat, plate, and serve immediately.

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More recipes:

Not the Mayak Eggs, But Ganjang Gyeran-Jang

The Egg Salad Sandwich

Carrot et Celery Ribbon Salad

Seafood Jajang Deopbap

Quick Fire Stir-Fry Beef

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