Pad Woon Sen

Name: Pad Woon Sen
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Cuisine: thai
Ingredients: 1 (6.3-ounce) package dried mung bean glass noodles; 3 tablespoons oyster sauce; 3 tablespoons fish sauce; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 teaspoon granulated sugar; Grapeseed or another neutral-tasting oil, as needed; 3 eggs, whisked; Salt; 1/4 napa cabbage, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices; 1 bell pepper, halved, deseeded and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices; 1 medium carrot, peeled and coarsely grated; 1 medium yellow onion, halved and sliced 1/4-inch thick; 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 1 Thai bird chile, sliced; 4 scallions, thinly sliced

By Ham El-Waylly

Published May 7, 2024

Total Time: 45 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Rating: 5(419)
Comments: Read comments

As textural as it is colorful, Thai pad woon sen (stir-fried glass noodles) builds deep, nuanced flavor, one component at a time, but comes together quickly enough for a weeknight. Delicate, springy glass noodles get stir-fried with garlic, eggs and vegetables, and readily absorb the punchy flavors of this simple sauce (oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce and a pinch of sugar). Though you’ll often find meat or seafood variations, this recipe omits the meat and focuses on the vegetables. (If you want to add meat, cube whatever you use into small chunks, stir fry them until golden brown and cooked through, then incorporate into the noodles with the vegetables.) The convenience of this dish is that it can be eaten at any temperature: hot, room temperature or cold, straight out of the fridge. For authenticity, be sure to source a glass noodle where the main ingredient is mung bean; check the ingredient list on the package to be sure.

or to save this recipe.
Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
Subscribe
Share
Print Options
Include recipe photo

Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

1(6.3-ounce) package dried mung bean glass noodles
3tablespoons oyster sauce
3tablespoons fish sauce
1tablespoon soy sauce
1teaspoon granulated sugar
Grapeseed or another neutral-tasting oil, as needed
3eggs, whisked
Salt
¼napa cabbage, cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices
1bell pepper, halved, deseeded and cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices
1medium carrot, peeled and coarsely grated
1medium yellow onion, halved and sliced ¼-inch thick
4garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1Thai bird chile, sliced
4scallions, thinly sliced

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Preparation

Step 1
Place the noodles in a large bowl and cover them with hot (but not boiling) water. Let soak for 10 minutes to soften, then drain well.
Step 2
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar until well combined.
Step 3
In a large cast-iron skillet or wok, add a splash of oil and heat over medium-high until shimmering. Add the eggs and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggs are cooked through, about 1 minute. Remove to a plate and roughly chop.
Step 4
Add a splash of oil to coat the pan again, add the cabbage and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage has charred in spots and softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the egg.
Step 5
Add another splash of oil to the pan and add the bell pepper and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to the same plate.
Step 6
Add another splash of oil to the pan and add the carrot, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the drained noodles and stir well. Add the vegetables and egg and stir again to combine. Add the sauce along the perimeter of the pan and stir to combine. Keep cooking and tossing until the sauce evenly coats the noodles, 3 to 5 minutes.
Step 7
Off heat, add the chile and scallions, toss to combine and serve hot, at room temperature or even cold.

Ratings

5 out of 5

419 user ratings

Have you cooked this?

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Comments

Jill Turner1 year ago

Look for bean sprouts to add if you can find them, as they add so much crunch to this comfort food dish. My favorite local restaurant always adds snap peas and quartered pieces of mushroom. You can’t go wrong cleaning out the crisper and adding all the veggies you have in nice bite sized pieces. It’s great with tofu or with sliced chicken. And top with a bit of cilantro. I like to drizzle sweet chili sauce or sweet orange sauce on top so it’s sweet as well as savory and hot.

iowavlaprof1 year ago

This recipe was absolutely delicious. I used sweet potato noodles and I’d do it again. I used extra vegetables. It seems so versatile—you can add so many things, like mushrooms, meats, tofu. It’s a keeper.

Tabby1 year ago

A little too salty, but other than that, delicious! Maybe a little less soy sauce next time to reduce the salt?

Emily3 weeks ago

Made exactly as directed and ate it hot and fresh. My 4 year old enjoyed the noodles. Husband and I liked it ok, but definitely not enough to make it again. We both felt it was a little too fishy for our taste. I thought the veggie to noodle ratio was good, but he thought it’d be better with half the veggies and twice the noodles.

HMC2 months ago

Cooked this for a friend from Bangkok and she approved. Used two serranos, two bell peppers and added chicken cooked in grapeseed oil.

Chase3 months ago

Others said that it was salty, but mine turned out to be inedibly salty. I checked the recipe just now, to see if I'd erred in using tablespoons instead of teaspoons. If I try it again, I'll use three teaspoons of the fish and oysters sauces, and forego the soy until after it's cooked. I tried to rescue it by cutting and cooking another half cabbage. That helped somewhat. I'll refrigerate it and see how it tastes tomorrow.

Private comments are only visible to you.