Recipe: Better-Than-Takeout Pad See Ew

My weakness for greasy Asian noodles finally gone too far, I set out to make a homemade, less greasy version of a Chinatown hole-in-the-wall favorite. Even without a wok, it was delicious and satisfying—not to mention finished in the same amount of time delivery would have taken.

Serves 4

For the marinade:
    • 1 tablespoon honey
    • ¼ cup light soy sauce (not light as in low-sodium—just light as in not dark)
    • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
    • 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised and cut into 3-inch slices

For the stir-fry:
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 fourteen-ounce package of dried wide rice noodles (or, ideally, fresh noodles)
    • 2 cups shrimp, chicken, pork, beef, or a mixture, cleaned and cut into 1-inch cubes
    • 2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
    • 1 pound bok choy, broccoli, Chinese broccoli, or a mixture, cleaned and cut into 1-inch pieces
    • ¼ cup dark soy sauce
    • 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
    • 2 eggs
    • vegetable oil
    • Sriracha/Asian hot sauce to taste

Make the marinade:
Whisk together marinade ingredients and pour over prepared protein. Seal in a plastic bag or container and refrigerate up to three hours.

Prepare noodles:
If fresh, slice into one-inch ribbons. If dried, pour hot water over noodles in a bowl and soak just until they become pliable (about eight minutes). Don't wait until they get soft! Remember, they're going into the wok, and you don't want them to get gummy.

Prepare the stir-fry:
Get everything ready and lay it out on the counter. You're going to need to move fast once you get the pan hot.

Heat two tablespoons vegetable oil in pan over high heat until almost smoking. Add garlic, and cook one to two minutes, just until it starts to brown.

Add vegetables in batches, along with one tablespoon of light soy sauce, stirring and flipping frequently until cooked through but still crunchy. (I like a healthy amount of crunch in my vegetables and don't bother blanching them beforehand. If you want them to cook through more thoroughly, go ahead and blanch before.)

Shove vegetables over to the side of the wok and crack two eggs into the pan. Let them sit a few seconds, just until the white begins to set, then scramble in the pan and incorporate with the vegetables. Remove mixture wok and place in serving bowl.

Return wok to heat and add proteins, along with one tablespoon of soy sauce. Cook over high heat until cooked through.

Add vegetables back into the wok, along with noodles, the rest of the light soy sauce, and all of the dark soy sauce. Stir together and cook until warmed through.

Add hot sauce to taste and serve immediately! Eat up, as the leftovers get a bit gummy.

To read about how greasy takeout convinced Sophie to try her hand at wok-less, at-home noodles, click here.