Thai chicken and gravy noodles ‘rad naa’

Rad naa may not win any Instagram beauty contests, but this Thai cult classic is beloved for a reason. Wok-seared chicken, charry rice noodles and Chinese broccoli are drenched in a glossy, savoury gravy – Thailand’s answer to Malaysia’s wat tan hor.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  2

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
• 300 g fresh rice noodles (see Note)
• 1 tsp sweet dark soy sauce
• 200 g chicken thigh fillets, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 100 g Chinese broccoli (in Thai called ‘kanaa’), thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 1 cup (250 ml) chicken stock
• 2 tbsp (40 ml) fish sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• ¼ tsp ground white pepper
• 2 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water
• Chilli power, to serve

For the chilli vinegar

• 1 long red chilli, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup (60 ml) white vinegar

For the marinade

• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• ½ tsp ground white pepper

Instructions

1. To make the chilli vinegar, combine the ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large wok or frying pan over high heat. Add the rice noodles and spread them out in the pan and allow them to cook for a few seconds, stir, then allow them to cook, undisturbed, for a further 30 seconds or so. Once the noodles begin to char at the edges, add the sweet dark soy sauce and stir-fry for another 30 seconds. Transfer the noodles to a serving plate.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken with the marinade ingredients.
4. Return the pan to the heat with the remaining oil. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes, or until cooked through and starting to char. Add the garlic and stir-fry for a few seconds. Add the Chinese broccoli and stir-fry for another 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, fish sauce, sugar and ¼ tsp white pepper. Stir to combine and simmer for 1 minute. Add the cornflour mixture and simmer for 1 minute, or until thick and glossy. Pour the hot chicken and gravy sauce over the noodles.
5. Serve the rad naa with the chilli vinegar and chilli powder.

Note 

Fresh rice noodles are available from Asian supermarkets. Dried rice noodles or cooked egg noodles can be used here too.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.