Description
Adapted from Aliza Green’s Starting with Ingredients, this variation replaces the 6 tablespoons of oyster sauce with 3 tablespoons of soy sauce and 3 tablespoons of water. I’m also using brown sugar in place of white. If you are sensitive to salt, consider using low-sodium soy salt.
Notes:
- Mise en place: The total cooking time for this dish is about 1 minute, so it’s important to have your ingredients all prepped: scallions sliced, nuts toasted and chopped, egg cooked and chopped, etc.
- Noodles: I really love wide dried rice noodles (10 mm) if you can find them. Asian markets carry them. I just ordered a package of these. I’ll keep you posted on how they work out.
- Egg: If you are comfortable scrambling the egg directly into the stir fry of noodles (or in the same pan, with the noodles pushed off to the side), go for it. I never love my results (poor technique on my part!) with this method do I do one of two things:
- Joanne Change’s water bath baked eggs: I have been in the habit of making the Joanne Chang water bath baked eggs nearly weekly for about a month now. It is so nice to have a slab of egg on hand not only for egg sandwiches (see Instagram video here), but also for dishes like this stir fry, when you need a little protein. Find Joanne’s recipe online.
- Crepe-like omelet: Another nice method, which is outlined in the recipe (and at the end of the video), is to simply beat two eggs, and to cook them as you would a crepe in a large, non-stick pan over low heat, swirling to create a very thin egg “pancake” Roll this into a coil and slice it into thin ribbons.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten, see notes above
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 head romaine
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more if you like heat)
- 1 bunch (4-6) scallions, thinly sliced on the bias (if you wish)
- 1/2 pound fresh mung bean sprouts
- 1 cup roasted cashew or peanuts, roughly chopped
- 8-oz dried wide rice noodles, see notes above
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- hot sauce, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Place a large pot of water on to boil.
- If you are making the egg crepe/omelet, heat a large (11-inches) nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon neutral oil. Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt and pour into the center of the pool of oil. Swirl pan so that eggs coat the pan in as thin a layer as the pan will allow. Turn heat to low. Cook 20-30 seconds. The top may not look entirely cooked. Turn off the heat. Roll the egg pancake into a coil and transfer to a board. Thinly slice into ribbons. Set aside. (Video guidance here.)
- Make the rad na sauce: Combine the soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Set aside near your cooktop.
- Prep the remaining ingredients. Slice the Romaine into 1/2-inch pieces, and transfer to a large bowl. Arrange everything else in small bowls near your cooktop: the pepper flakes, scallions, bean sprouts, nuts, eggs.
- Boil the dried rice noodles for 4 to 6 minutes (check your package for timing, as each will be different). Taste a noodle for doneness. When done, drain. Do not rinse.
- Heat a skillet or wok over high heat. Add the oil and the pepper flakes, followed immediately by the noodles — be careful adding the noodles as water clinging to them will spatter. Use tongs to quickly coat the noodles in the oil; then add the sauce, and use tongs again to coat them in the sauce. Add everything else: the bean sprouts, scallions, egg, and nuts, and toss to combine. Cook for about a minute total; then pour everything over the Romaine. Toss gently to combine. Serve immediately, passing more hot sauce on the side, if you wish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop, Wok
- Cuisine: Thai
