Kua Mee (Pad Lao)
Kua Mee is a Lao stir-fried noodle dish caramelized in sweet soy sauce, often considered the country’s answer to Pad Thai. With its unique sweetness and ideal caramelization, this dish is a popular street food and a party favorite throughout Lao and Isaan cultures.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 16 oz dried rice noodles (20 ounces fresh noodles. Pho noodles are ideal for soaking up the sauce. Prepare according to package instructions to get el dente noodles.
- 1/3 cup oil, divided. * 2 tablespoons for the omelet and the rest for frying the noodles. Use a high-smoke-point oil like avocado, canola, rice bran, or vegetable oil.
- 5 large eggs
- 1/4 tsp ground pepper. White or black, I prefer white.
- 1/4 cup garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup shallots, chopped into small pieces.
- 1/3 cup sugar. Brown or palm sugar or white sugar.
- 3 tbsp Golden Mountain seasoning sauce, divided. *1 tablespoon for seasoning the eggs and the rest for the noodles.
- 3 tbsp sweet soy sauce
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2/3 cup green onions, rough chopped
- 2/3 cup cilantro, rough chopped
- 1.5 cup bean sprouts
Instructions
- 1
Soak or cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions, then set them aside. See notes for cooking tips.
- 2
Whisk together the eggs, ground pepper, and seasoning sauce in a bowl until fully combined. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. When hot, pour in the egg mixture and let it spread into a thin, pancake-like layer. Do not break or touch it as it cooks. When the bottom is golden, carefully flip the egg to cook the other side, which will take less time. Remove from the heat and let it cool. Set aside.
- 3
Heat a bit of oil in a wok over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots, and stir-fry until fragrant.
- 4
Add the sugar, sweet soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and golden mountain seasoning sauce. Let it simmer until the sugar dissolves and thickens to develop a rich, caramelized color. Adjust the taste as needed.
- 5
Turn the heat to medium-high, toss the drained noodles into the wok, and stir-fry until they’re evenly coated with the sauce. Transfer the noodles to a large platter and let cool.
- 6
Once the eggs have cooled, slice them into thin, long strips. Roughly chop cilantro and green onion into small pieces. Toast some dried chilies for extra heat, and leave them whole to control the spice level. Or not. (:
- 7
When the noodles have cooled, gently mix the sliced eggs, bean sprouts, green onions, chopped herbs, and toasted chilies. Using kitchen gloves helps!
- 8
Plate the finished Kua Mee and garnish with a little more fresh herbs, lime wedges, fried garlic or shallot, and a sprinkle of chili flakes. Enjoy!