Your email address is required to begin the subscription process. We will use it for customer service and other communications from Milk Street. You can unsubscribe from receiving our emails at any time.
Thai Stir-Fried Noodles with Chicken (Kuay Tiew Kua Gai)
The stir-fried noodles called kuay tiew kua gai are a classic street food in Thailand, but here in the U.S., they’re the lesser-known cousin of sweet-sour-savory pad Thai and soy-centric pad see ew. The name translates, dully, as “stir-fried chicken noodles,” which undersells this simple, deeply satisfying dish. The flavors are savory, umami-rich and only subtly sweet, with a smokiness and char that comes from wok hei, the distinctive—and hard-to-achieve-at-home—taste of cooking in a well-seasoned wok licked by flames. We learned in Bangkok that there’s no right or wrong way to season kuay tiew kua gai, but that rice noodles, chicken and egg are the core ingredients. Our version is informed by the stir-fry chef Piched Kaewhem taught us, but since fresh wide rice noodles are hard to come by in supermarkets, we opted to use the widest—½ inch—dried rice stick noodles available. To develop as much wok hei as possible, we fry the soaked and drained noodles, allowing them to sizzle and lightly char before adding seasonings. Kuay tiew kua gai itself is not spicy, but it’s served with a vinegary hot sauce such as Sriracha and lime wedges for a bold, bright finish.
4
Servings
Don’t soak the noodles in boiling or scalding-hot water. This will tenderize them to the point of mushiness and they’ll fall apart and stick when stir-frying. Also, don’t worry if the noodles stick a bit when they’re added to the pan. After pouring in the sauce mixture, be sure to scrape up the sticky bits.
40 minutes
Ingredients
-
10
ounces ½-inch-wide rice stick noodles
-
8
ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch chunks
Directions
-
01Put the noodles in a large bowl and add hot water to cover (the water should feel just hot to the touch, not scalding). Let stand, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes; the noodles will become pliable but not fully tender. Drain in a colander; shake to remove excess water and set near the stove.
Pardon the interruption
You need to be a Milk Street Digital Member to see the full recipe
JOIN MILK STREET DIGITAL & PRINT
12 WEEKS FOR JUST $1
and get access to all of our recipes and articles online, as well as in print.
GET DIGITAL & PRINT