Back to Recipes

Pad Woon Sen (Thai Glass Noodle Stir Fry)

Pad woon sen is the underrated hero of the Thai takeaway menu. Slippery, springy glass noodles soak up a savoury sauce of oyster, soy and fish sauce, tangled with chicken, softly scrambled egg and crisp vegetables.

It's lighter than pad thai, milder than most stir fries, and it's the dish everyone at the table fights over. The mung bean noodles stay bouncy rather than starchy, which makes it dangerously easy to eat.

At home it's a genuine 25-minute dinner. Soak the noodles while you chop, get the wok ripping hot, and the actual cooking takes less than ten minutes.

Servings
4
Prep Time
15
mins
Cook Time
10
mins
Ingredients
15
Total Time
25
mins

Pantry bits

  • Wok or large frying pan
  • Kitchen scissors
  • Sharp knife and chopping board
  • Small bowl for the sauce

Ingredients

  • 200g dried glass noodles (mung bean vermicelli)
  • 300g chicken thigh fillets, thinly sliced
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 small brown onion, sliced
  • 1 carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
  • 2 cups shredded wombok (Chinese cabbage)
  • 3 spring onions, cut into 4cm lengths
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tsp white sugar
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • Pinch of ground white pepper

Instructions

  1. Soak the glass noodles in warm water for 10 minutes until pliable, then drain and snip into shorter lengths with scissors. Mix the oyster sauce, both soy sauces, fish sauce and sugar in a small bowl.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok over high heat. Add the beaten eggs and scramble until just set, then remove and set aside.
  3. Add the remaining oil to the wok, then stir-fry the garlic and onion for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until nearly cooked through.
  5. Toss in the carrot and wombok and stir-fry for 1 minute until just starting to soften.
  6. Add the drained noodles and the sauce, tossing constantly for 2 minutes until the noodles turn glossy and translucent and everything is well coated. Add a splash of water if the noodles clump.
  7. Return the egg to the wok with the spring onions, toss briefly, then season with white pepper and serve straight away.

Other recipes

Bo Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew)
Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Beef Noodle Soup)
Pho Ga (Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup)

Never miss a recipe

Join thousands of subscribers and get our best recipes delivered to direct to your inbox!

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.