Pad kee mao (stir-fried rice noodles with beef, holy basil and chilli)

Sticky sweet oyster sauce, bright holy basil, a hit of chilli - just try and make a mediocre version of this Bangkok-in-a-bowl street food classic. Pickled bean sprouts take these noodles to the next level.

Credit: Sharyn Cairns

• serves

  2

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 ½ tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• ½ tsp dark soy sauce
• ½ tsp white sugar
• 2 ½ tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 bird’s eye chillies, thinly sliced
• 2 long red chillies, sliced into 5 cm batons
• 150 g beef rump, sliced to 1–2 mm across the grain
• 400 g fresh wide rice noodles, separated
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 90 g (1½ cups) garlic chives, sliced into 5 cm lengths
• 2 long red chillies, thinly sliced diagonally 
• 1 cup holy or Thai basil leaves
• lime halves, to serve

Pickled bean sprouts

• 60 g (1 cup) bean sprouts
• 250 ml (1 cup) brown rice or white vinegar

Instructions

To make the pickled bean sprouts, place the sprouts and vinegar in a small bowl, making sure the bean sprouts are covered, and set aside until ready to serve.

Combine the sauces and sugar together in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat until it shimmers and begins to smoke.

Add the garlic and cook for 10 seconds or until aromatic, making sure it doesn’t colour.

Add the beef and stir-fry for 1 minute or until just cooked through. 

Add the noodles and cook for 4 minutes, only tossing every minute, until nicely seared and coloured in places. Add the sauce mixture, stir through evenly, and cook for 1 minute.

Make a hole in the centre of the noodles, add the egg to the centre, cook for 1–2 minutes or until just set, then fold the egg into the noodles. 

Add the garlic chives, chillies and pepper and cook for 1–2 minutes or until wilted. Add the Thai basil and stir through.

Serve with the pickled bean sprouts and lime squeezed over.

Photography by Sharyn Cairns. Styling by Lee Blaylock. Food preparation by Tiffany Page.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.