The Noodles You Don't Know

And will I see you in Seattle?

Sawaddee ka! 🙏🏼

Before we dive into this week’s deliciousness, I have to tell you about a very exciting event coming up next month!

I’m going to be at Town Hall Seattle on May 9th at 7:30pm for an in-person event: a live conversation with the amazing J. Kenji López-Alt!

If you’re in the Seattle area, I’d love to see you! The event will also be livestreamed so you can still tune in live with an online ticket. My cookbook will also be selling at the event.

🎟 Event and ticket information is available here.

Ok, let’s move on to the food! This week’s newsletter was inspired by my latest YouTube video on pad thai’s lesser known (and easier to make!) cousin: Sen Chan Pad Pu.

That dish got me thinking about all the other lesser known Thai noodle dishes that don’t get their due - and they should because they’re all delicious in their own way!

So I’m going to remedy that and share some Thai noodle dishes you may not be as familiar with but that you should definitely try making.

Wok-Fried Rice Noodles with Chicken (Guay Tiew Kua Gai)

Guay Tiew Kua Gai or Rice Noodles with Chicken is a very popular street food that you can find all over Thailand - and it’s really easy to recreate at home! I like to call it the “lighter sister” of the popular Pad See Ew - it’s filled with chewy, fresh rice noodles that are wok fried till toasty and then served with Sriracha.

Rice Noodles with Curried Meat Sauce (Guay Tiew Nuea Sub)

Ground beef may not seem like an obvious Thai ingredient but it is the star of Guay Tiew Neua Sub or Rice Noodles with Curried Meat Sauce Dish. The meat sauce is rich and super comforting and it’s a very easy dish to make!

Rice Noodles with Fish Curry (Kanom Jeen Namya)

One of my favourite food memories is of this decidedly unglamorous street-side restaurant my family used to frequent often. All they served was this dish!

I like to call Kanom Jeen Thai spaghetti. Just like spaghetti, these long thin rice noodles are served with all kinds of different sauces throughout Thailand. But the most popular is probably Kanom Jeen Namya - the fish curry version - from southern Thailand, my hometown!

Thai Duck Noodle Soup (Bamee Ped Toon)

Thai Duck Noodle Soup is another very popular Thai street food - and it’s also very easy to make at home. If you’ve made Thai-style chicken stock, this is a great dish to use it in. The soup is flavored with tons of spices which infuse the duck with so much flavour. It’s such a comforting soup recipe!

Ginger Shrimp & Glass Noodles (Goong Ob Woonsen)

You can’t go into a seafood restaurant in Thailand without seeing Goong Ob Woonsen, or Ginger Shrimp & Glass Noodles, on the menu. I order it without fail whenever I’m out for seafood!

The noodles and shrimp are cooked together along with copious amounts of ginger, garlic and pepper for a very unique flavour. If you love seafood, this is a must make!