Pok Pok's Phat Si Ew

This week's guest editor is JJ Goode, the writer behind Andy Ricker's new cookbook, Pok Pok. All week, he'll be sharing some of his favorite recipes from the book, interviewing Andy about Thai cooking, and convincing us all to pick up a book and get in the kitchen.

Today: Sure, you've ordered pretty good Phat Si Ew before. But try making it at home, with Andy Ricker's recipe, and you'll have something incredible.

Phat Si Ew is one of my safety dishes. Because no matter how mediocre the restaurant at which you order it, this stir-fry always tastes kinda good. But in the right hands, it becomes something incredible -- the noodles slick, rich, and just barely sweet; the Chinese broccoli a little crunchy and bitter; the whole delicious mess smoky from a hot wok. Andy’s recipe provides these pleasures, even though you stir-fry on your stovetop, rather than over a jet engine-like burner, as many vendors do in Thailand.   

The only real challenge is locating fresh wide, flat rice noodles (once you do, you’ll be within a block of the other stuff you need, like Chinese broccoli and black soy sauce). Look for them in the refrigerated section of Chinese and Southeast Asian markets, or even better, at shops dedicated to making them. They may be sold in uncut sheets, which is fine since you can cut them yourself.

Phat Si Ew (Stir-Fried Rice Noodles with Pork, Chinese Broccoli, and Soy Sauce)

Serves 1 as a one-plate meal (to make more, double or quadruple the ingredients, but cook each batch separately)

For the pork

1 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 small garlic clove, peeled and lightly crushed into small pieces in a mortar
Scant 4 ounces boneless pork loin or lean shoulder, thinly sliced against the grain into bite-size (approximately 1/8-inch thick) strips
1/2 teaspoon Thai fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar

For the noodles

6 ounces fresh wide (about 1 1/2-inch), flat rice noodles
1 tablespoon Thai thin soy sauce
1 teaspoon Thai black soy sauce
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Small pinches ground white pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, Naam Man Krathiem (fried garlic oil), or Naam Man Hom Daeng (fried shallot oil)
1 large egg, at room temperature
11 grams peeled garlic cloves, halved lengthwise and lightly crushed into small pieces in a mortar (about 1 tablespoon)
2 ounces baby Chinese broccoli, stems trimmed to 1 or 2 inches and clusters separated, or regular Chinese broccoli, leaves coarsely chopped and stems thinly sliced

See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.

Photos by Austin Bush

Reprinted with permission from Pok Pok by Andy Ricker with J.J. Goode, copyright © 2013. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.