Rad Na Noodles
Rad na is a popular Thai noodle dish made of wok-seared rice noodles topped with a thick gravy sauce. It’s most commonly served with pork but you can also find version with seafood or fried tofu. If you’re short on time, you can skip the marinated pork and just add any protein you’d like.
This dish reminds me of my neighbors who took care of my sister and I when we were in elementary school while my parents were away for work. She would cook for us and her 3 sons. When she was short on time, she would make a huge pot of the sauce using meatballs instead of the marinated pork. I think of her every time we make this dish.
Ingredients (serves 2-4)
Marinated pork
8 ounces pork shoulder or loin sliced to about 1/8 inch thickness
2 tsp corn or tapioca starch
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/8 tsp white pepper powder
1 egg white
1 tsp water if needed
Pickled Jalapenos or Serranos (optional)
Prep at least a day in advance
6-8 jalapeno or serrano peppers; washed
1 cup white vinegar
1/8 tsp salt
Noodles
1 lb fresh rice noodles (chow fun noodles) or any kind of rice noodles you’d like (see Notes section)
1 tbsp dark soy sauce (see notes)
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp neutral oil
Gravy Sauce
2-3 tsp finely minced garlic, about 4-5 cloves
1 tbsp regular soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp fermented bean paste - mash the whole beans into smaller pieces
1 tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp white pepper powder (to taste)
2 tbsp neutral oil
3 tbsp corn or tapioca starch mixed with 3 tbsp of water
2 cups low/no sodium chicken or pork broth or water
2-3 cups gailan (chinese broccoli) or cauliflower cut into 1.5 inch pieces
Steps:
Prep at least a day in advance
Pickled peppers
Slice peppers into 1/8 inch round pieces
Mix vinegar, salt, and peppers into a clean jar. Refrigerate until ready
Marinated Pork
Mix pork, soy sauce, white pepper corn/tapioca starch, and egg white together in a bowl
Lightly massage everything together. If it isn’t mixing well, add a few teaspoons of water to help
Marinade for about 5-10 minutes. While the pork marinades, prep the noodles
Noodles
When using fresh noodles, they usually come in sheets that are stuck together. Peel each layer apart.
When using dry noodles, follow the instructions on the packaging which usually involves soaking the noodles ahead of time. Drain the noodles once they are ready to use.
Mix soy sauce, sugar, and oil into a large bowl. Then mix in noodles and make sure the noodles are coated with the soy sauce mixture.
Heat a large non-stick pan or preferably a well-seasoned wok on high. Once the pan is hot, toss the entire mixture into the pan and stir fry the noodles for about 1 minute, until the noodles have softened and you can smell the sugar caramelizing. Set the mixture aside
Gravy sauce
Heat a pot or saucepan on medium
Once the oil glistens, add the garlic. Stir quickly to avoid burning the garlic. After 30 seconds add the bean paste and cook for 30 seconds. Add water or broth.
Bring the water to a boil and add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and white pepper. Season to taste. Add more bean paste or salt if not salty enough. This helps avoid adding too much soy sauce which can make the sauce taste like a bottle of soy sauce
Turn down the heat to a low boil. Add the pork and cook it thoroughly, about two minutes
Once the pork is cooked, prepare the corn/tapioca starch slurry by mixing the starch and water very well as the starch typically sinks to the bottom.
Stir the slurry mixture vigorously before pouring into the sauce. Pour the slurry into the sauce. Stir gently but continuously to avoid clumping
Bring mixture to a boil then add the gailan. Cook until the mixture has thickened and looks clear, about 1-2 minutes.
Starch slurry
Sauce before pouring slurry
Serving
Place noodles into serving bowls or plates. Top with gravy and serve with the pickled pepper. Add white pepper powder and chili flakes to taste.
Before sauce
After sauce. Ready to eat!
Notes:
Noodles
Fresh noodles can be found at your local Asian supermarket near the deli section. If you are not using the noodles on the day of purchase, make sure to separate the layers before refrigerating. Cold noodles are very difficult to work with.
You can also use dry rice noodles of any size. When I don’t have access to fresh noodles, I prefer using thin vermicelli rice noodles but you can also use pad thai noodles
Dark soy sauce
Dragon Fly brand - this is the brand we use at my house. They come in different types; I use the one with the orange cap which is less sweet whereas the blue cap is sweeter and thicker.
Soy bean paste - You can substitute for red or dark miso if you cannot find this at your local asian supermarket.
Healthy Boy brand - this is the brand we use at my house.
Marinated pork
