Kim cooks dinner: Pad Siew
4/10/09 Version of our homemade Pad Siew
You’d think a spouse that had Friday off and stayed at home all day (and took a 3 hour nap!) would have dinner ready when their spouse came home. Oops, not THIS wife!
Steven asked me to cook Pad Siew while he ran, and I gave him a really pained look. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to cook it, just that I was nervous about it. Steven’s the Chef, I’m only the Sous Chef. My responsibilities in the kitchen include baking, cleaning up, washing dishes, and chopping vegetables. Asking me to make this dish was a big step… for me. I guess I should consider it an honor!
Steven gave me very specific instructions then went up for his run…
A bit of history on this dish: In winter of 2008, I went to a Thai restaurant (with a buddy) for the first time and randomly selected Pad Siew, a dish with chewy noodles, sweet soy sauce, broccoli, egg and sometimes tofu (or meat). I was instantly hooked on the dish and introduced it to Steven, who also loved it… but wanted to try and make it at home. So I talked to a coworker from Thailand about the dish, and he hooked me up with the key ingredients. Steven kept making the modified recipe (we add more veggies) over and over and over until he got it very close to perfection. Steven’s still working on it though! I like to consider this one of our “signature” dishes – we like to share it with friends and family, usually with egg rolls or pot stickers – but it’s different every time we make it! The last time we made it for kapgar, tori and diane, I asked Steven to leave out the crushed red pepper, and oops, it was so bland, we discovered that IS one of the key ingredients. Sorry guys!
So I took a lot of photos while I was making it all by myself last night, hoping to share the recipe and step by step with you guys! But when Steven came down after his run, he had to do a little “re-seasoning.” He said, “Re-seasoning is when you season it the first time then tweak it in the end!” (I think he was trying to make me feel better)
So it turned out good, but he doesn’t want me to share his recipe until it is perfecto! Should I share it then? Does it look like something you’d like?
Simmering on the stove…
I look funny – my face felt sore all day Friday, especially when I was eating dinner.
I am a stickler about eating at the dining room table, but we almost always eat this dish on the couch, while watching a movie. The perfect Friday night!
Just a little question – when I write about cooking/baking, do you think it makes sense to go into the “Health + Fitness” category? I don’t think I cook/bake enough to have a “recipe” or “food” category… Steven does though! I’ve added a poll below if you’d like to leave input!
In which catergory should recipes be posted?
- A NEW category - Recipes (77%, 10 Votes)
- I don't pay attention to the categories (23%, 3 Votes)
- Life (0%, 0 Votes)
- Health + Fitness (0%, 0 Votes)
- No where - quit posting recipes! (0%, 0 Votes)
Total Voters: 13
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Themocracy
that looks yummy. I wonder if The Boy would like it. Hmmmm… (yes, you should post the recipe, I need to go look it up in my Thai cook book.)
I always add extra veggies to dishes like this! Can’t wait for you to share your recipe–it looks delicious.
Thanks for commenting on my blog. It’s amazing what an organized work environment can do!
Nat – It doesn’t have a very “unique” taste, in case The Boy is on the picky side. Just lots of veggies, noodles and yummy soy sauce! Please let me know if you find any good recipes while we work on perfecting ours! 🙂
Tina – Thanks! I can’t wait to share it too! I just LOVE extra veggies. Especially the broccoli. I love how it soaks up the soy sauce! I think that relationship may be key to the recipe though – you don’t want too much broccoli, because it will steal all the sauce!
Ooh man, what is your recipe for pad see-ew? It is one of my favorite Thai dishes, I loooove the wide, soft noodles with the yummy sauce.
Excellent job, miss Sous-Head chef!
That looks VERY YUMMY!!!!!! Larry would not eat the Broccoli, but he can pick that out, right? I can’t wait for you to post the recipe for that dish. And then if I’m brave enough to make it.
Looks like you did an EXCELLENT job of making it! And look at you Miss chopstick user. I have not mastered that. I wear more than I eat. Great for losing weight! 😀
Not great for my clothes and certainly makes a lasting impression on anyone watching. Not a good one either!
You never need to leave the red pepper out for us. Never.
I think you should post the recipe. I won’t try it because I don’t like cruciferous veggies, BUT…I think it’s great to come across recipes on blogs. I have never had any Thai–I live under a rock.
I LOVE thai food! Yum yum yum! I am always too scared to try a lot of ethnic dishes at home…I don’t think I will ever be able to recreate the magic seasonings and perfect explosions of flavor and yumminess in my kitchen. Okay, that’s probably not true, I just have ethnic-food-making-a-phobia. When this recipe is ready to be posted…I’m hoping you can help cure me of this. 🙂
Oh please share your secrets. I’ve never been successful at making an Asian dish. Never! I’ve tried making it with tofu and it never comes out good. I’d love to get a wok. So, yes- please share, k? xoxox Happy Easter to you and your family!
Mica – We use two kinds of soy sauce, egg, a few spices, lasagna noodles (more on that when I post the actual recipes) and carrot, broccoli, water chestnuts, and baby corn. Cute little baby corn! 😀 I’ve gone to the Thai store in Chicago to pick up the specialty noodles too, but for convenience, we usually use the flat lasagna ones. I love how chewy the Thai ones are!
Denise – He can definitely pick it out, although, it IS one of the key ingredients, so it will probably alter the taste quite a bit. Actually, let me rephrase that – it should be fine if you still cook it with the broccoli, is what I mean. If you took it out, the proportions would be messed up. I have to say it though I CRAVE broccoli! I cannot imagine not liking it! LOL – I am laughing at your chopstick comment. I like to use them because it makes me eat slower! But when I get down to the little bits, I have to grab my fork or it akes me forever to finish!
kapgar – Now I know! You never know with people. My mom and grandma thought it was TOO spicy!!!
Jo – I hadn’t had Thai until last year! I didn’t know ANYTHING about it, and I am not even sure if there was a Thai restaurant where I grew up. Let me know if you try it sometime and find a dish you like!
Mrs. Smith – Steven tackles ethnic dishes with full force. He keeps trying and trying until he gets it right. I am more like you – afraid to try! This recipe is kind of easy though, if you have all the veggies chopped and prepared, so I think it will help!
java – I wish we had a wok too! We are yet to experiment much with tofu! I can’t wait to share it with you! Have a wonderful relaxing Easter!
You should definitely share the recipe! I talked about how yummy it was for DAYS! I think my husband was ready to kill me after hearing me talk about it so much.
i vote for sharing the recipe too!!!! it looks so good!!!!! and i’m proud of you!!! cooking by yourself!!!! see, Steven knows you can do it!!!!
(btw, i love your new picture at the top!!!)
=^..^=
I thought it was totally yummy too! Do you use a reduced-sodium soy sauce? I am just wondering. I love my Thai food but have noticed when I eat too much of it I puff up like a balloon. 🙁
I like Pad Si Ew but prefer Pad Thai. Regardless, my hubby and I eat Thai food at least once a week…but I tend to order out instead of make it myself. I’ve made Pad Thai before but it’s such a hassle. If your Pad Si Ew recipe is easy to make I’d be all about trying it!
tori – Ha ha ha. Thanks! You sound like me – when I like something (or am CRAVING something), I won’t shut up about it! Does your husband like that kind of food?
CourtneyInControl – Thanks! 😀 I like to use old wedding photos. Steven did seem proud of me. Even though he added to it when he came down after his run.
diane – I didn’t use reduced sodium sauce! I haven’t tried that! Have you? I wonder if it tastes the same. Hmm.
Erin – The recipe is easy because we don’t use the traditional Thai noodles. But I KNOW what you mean – it’s a lot of work if you do it traditionally. I love to order out!