Continental’s Rad Na Noodles

Last weekend, I found myself rummaging through my pantry and came across a stockpile of Asian noodles: dried lo mein, udon, soba, ramen, dangmyeon , and a few packs of wide rice noodles.

Upon seeing the wide rice noodle, I immediately found myself dreaming about rad na, a favorite Thai dish served at The Continental, a restaurant around the corner from my first apartment in Philadelphia. Rad na is a stir fry, typically made with fresh rice noodles, meat, seafood, or tofu, and heaps of bean sprouts. At Continental, it’s served over shredded Romaine.

I found the combination of the warm, sauce-slicked noodles tangled with fresh bursts of bean sprouts and crisp, cool Romaine to be irresistible and couldn’t go more than a few weeks without ordering a bowl of it.

I even learned to make it at home (and wrote about it here! ), after spotting the recipe for it in Aliza Green’s Starting with Ingredients . This was in 2006, while still living in Philadelphia, when I could zoom on my bike to the Asian market and return in no time with slabs of fresh rice noodles, mountains of bean sprouts, and any “exotic” ingredient from dried shrimp to fermented black bean paste. ( What a dream! )

Today’s circumstances would call for some changes. Dried rice noodles would replace fresh, and the rad na sauce, which calls for oyster sauce, would need some altering. The last time I used oyster sauce I was disappointed with the flavor it imparted, and when I looked at its ingredient list, a mix of sugar, flavor enhancers, yeast extracts, oyster extracts, colors, and preservatives, it was no wonder.

A bit of googling gave me the courage to simply use a smaller amount of soy sauce in its place. And while perhaps some nuances of flavor were lost with this substitution, I didn’t find myself missing anything. Between the fish sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and brown sugar along with toasted cashews, egg, scallions, and bean sprouts, there is plenty of flavor and texture here to make it as irresistible as ever.

A Few 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 the 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.
• Bean Sprouts : I was thrilled to find them at Shop Rite, because they add the loveliest crunch/texture to this dish. If you can’t find bean sprouts, something like finely chopped endive or Savoy cabbage might offer a similar crunch.
• 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 Chang’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 . Crêpe-like omelet : Another nice method, which is outlined in the recipe, is to simply beat two eggs, and to cook them as you would a crêpe 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. See video below:

Here’s the play-by-play: Gather your ingredients.

Make a simple sauce of brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, water, and fish sauce:

Prep your ingredients: slice the Romaine and scallion; chop the cashews or peanuts, slice or cube the egg.

Boil dried rice noodle for 4 – 6 minutes. Drain.

Heat a wok with some oil, add the chili flakes, then the noodles, then the sauce, then everything else. Cook for about a minute. This is definitely a recipe where mise en place is important.

Dump your noodle mixture over the chopped Romaine.

Toss to combine. Serve immediately, passing more hot sauce on the side, if you wish.

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.

• 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

1. Place a large pot of water on to boil.
2. 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. )
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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

Last weekend, I found myself rummaging through my pantry and came across a stockpile of Asian noodles: dried lo mein, udon, soba, ramen, dangmyeon , and a few packs of wide rice noodles.

Upon seeing the wide rice noodle, I immediately found myself dreaming about rad na, a favorite Thai dish served at The Continental, a restaurant around the corner from my first apartment in Philadelphia. Rad na is a stir fry, typically made with fresh rice noodles, meat, seafood, or tofu, and heaps of bean sprouts. At Continental, it’s served over shredded Romaine.

I found the combination of the warm, sauce-slicked noodles tangled with fresh bursts of bean sprouts and crisp, cool Romaine to be irresistible and couldn’t go more than a few weeks without ordering a bowl of it.

I even learned to make it at home (and wrote about it here! ), after spotting the recipe for it in Aliza Green’s Starting with Ingredients . This was in 2006, while still living in Philadelphia, when I could zoom on my bike to the Asian market and return in no time with slabs of fresh rice noodles, mountains of bean sprouts, and any “exotic” ingredient from dried shrimp to fermented black bean paste. ( What a dream! )

Today’s circumstances would call for some changes. Dried rice noodles would replace fresh, and the rad na sauce, which calls for oyster sauce, would need some altering. The last time I used oyster sauce I was disappointed with the flavor it imparted, and when I looked at its ingredient list, a mix of sugar, flavor enhancers, yeast extracts, oyster extracts, colors, and preservatives, it was no wonder.

A bit of googling gave me the courage to simply use a smaller amount of soy sauce in its place. And while perhaps some nuances of flavor were lost with this substitution, I didn’t find myself missing anything. Between the fish sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and brown sugar along with toasted cashews, egg, scallions, and bean sprouts, there is plenty of flavor and texture here to make it as irresistible as ever.

A Few 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 the 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.
• Bean Sprouts : I was thrilled to find them at Shop Rite, because they add the loveliest crunch/texture to this dish. If you can’t find bean sprouts, something like finely chopped endive or Savoy cabbage might offer a similar crunch.
• 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 Chang’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 . Crêpe-like omelet : Another nice method, which is outlined in the recipe, is to simply beat two eggs, and to cook them as you would a crêpe 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. See video below:

Here’s the play-by-play: Gather your ingredients.

Make a simple sauce of brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, water, and fish sauce:

Prep your ingredients: slice the Romaine and scallion; chop the cashews or peanuts, slice or cube the egg.

Boil dried rice noodle for 4 – 6 minutes. Drain.

Heat a wok with some oil, add the chili flakes, then the noodles, then the sauce, then everything else. Cook for about a minute. This is definitely a recipe where mise en place is important.

Dump your noodle mixture over the chopped Romaine.

Toss to combine. Serve immediately, passing more hot sauce on the side, if you wish.

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.

• 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

1. Place a large pot of water on to boil.
2. 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. )
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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

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.

• 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

1. Place a large pot of water on to boil.
2. 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. )
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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

Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2020/04/17/rad-na-thai-noodles/

If your mother is anything like mine, all she’ll want on Mother’s Day is a card. (Or a phone call!)

But alas, here I am sharing some material things that have caught my eye these past few months. And while it’s hard to encourage spending for a Hallmark holiday given the state of the world, I hope the ideas listed below, many of which relate to small, family-owned businesses, mostly provide inspiration.

In addition to the items below, here are a few more thoughts:

• Gift certificate to a local restaurant. ( Celadon! )
• Donation to a local business you love. ( Studio 4 Hot Yoga! )
• Care package assembled by a local shop. If you are local, The Vischer Ferry General Store will assemble a package for you (see below for an example). Call the store to customize. Blue Bird Home Decor , another local shop, will do the same and will ship as well.

As always, my perennial favorites can be found in the shop .

Dates + almond butter is always a winner as is Margaret Roach’s A Way to Garden .

Here are a few more ideas:

1. Pigeon Toe Spoon Rest. My mother sent me this spoon rest a few months ago, and I use it every day — how have I spent so many years cooking without one? It comes in a variety of colors, all of which are beautiful. If you don’t think the mother in your life is in need of a spoon rest, check out Pigeon Toe’s entire shop … it’s all so beautiful. I love this mini creamer .

3. I discovered Dot and Army via their cloth bowl covers, which are my favorite, but I have since become a fan of all Dot and Army things, namely their selection of less-waste goods. I love these reusable produce bags . Now more than ever it’s as important to arrive to the market not only with your reusable shopping bags but also with your produce bags.

4. House of Shan sweatshirt . My friend, Shannon Buth, designed this sweatshirt (and a whole line of other fun wares), and I’ve been living in it — it’s so soft and cozy.

5. A box of tea + a jar of honey or maple syrup . Raise your hand if you’ve been drinking tea all day long! I love this peppermint tea . I actually prefer sweetening it with a teaspoon of maple syrup, but honey is a good match, too.

6. Breadtopia dried sourdough starter . EVERYBODY is baking bread. If you think the mother in your life is curious about dipping her toe into sourdough, a dry sourdough starter, which she can activate when she’s ready, would be such a nice gift. I’ve had great results with both Breadtopia’s dry and live sourdough starters.

7. With sourdough in mind, a beautiful Dot & Army flour sack towel would be a lovely gift. (Note: The below pictured towels are a slightly different (but very similar overall) size than the ones linked to.)

8. A cookie bouquet . My friend Kelly Trimarchi makes the most beautiful (and tasty!) cookies. Right now, too, she’s selling nurse appreciation kits and a whole bunch of other cute sets. (Local pick-up only!)

9. Burlap and Barrel Spices . One of you (thanks Hillary!) introduced me to Burlap and Barrel Spices earlier this year. B&B partners directly with smallholder farmers to source spices that have never been available in the US before and, in doing so, helps improve the livelihoods of their partner farmers. I have been using the new harvest turmeric and the royal cinnamon to make turmeric lattes (more on this soon!).

10. Nespresso Aeroccino . To make those turmeric lattes, I’ve been steaming cashew, almond, or oat milk with my Nespresso Aeroccino , and it’s such a treat to curl up to a warm, spiced, frothy milk-filled mug. (Note: You have to use full-fat milks to get a good froth; don’t buy this if you are looking to steam low-fat milks…you’ll be disappointed. I’ve been loving Elmhurst sweetened cashew and almond milks and Oatly oat milk.)

11. A new cookbook. These are two I’ve been loving: Susan Spungen’s Open Kitchen and Lukas Volger’s Start Simple . Find Susan’s recipe for grilled Romaine Caesar Salad (delicious!) here and Lukas’s recipe for roasted mushroom polenta bake (heaven!) here.

12. Or a new cooking memoir. I just ordered this: Phyllis Grant’s Everything is Under Control . Seems timely 😂😂😂

13. A Peasant Bread Kit, Mother’s Day Edition 💕💕💕 This set includes two 1-qt Pyrex bowls, a pink Dot and Army cloth bowl cover, a GIR spatula, a digital scale, a signed copy of Bread Toast Crumbs , and a Julia Child quotation notecard: “I think every woman should have a blowtorch.”

14. Neapolitan Pizza, delivered! How fun? I just ordered the starter pack . My neighbor did, too. A Zoom pizza party is in our future 🍕🍕🍕🍕

16. Opinel Knives . I don’t own an Opinel knife I don’t love. From the kitchen knives to the classic folding knives to the table knives , each is beautifully crafted. This spreading knife “sparks joy” every time I use it. They also have a line of gardening tools , which I have yet to explore, but which look lovely.

17. A NYTimes Cooking subscription . I recently made Samantha Seneviratne’s double chocolate cookies , and oh my goodness, wow. You need a NYTimes Cooking subscription to access the recipe. For $40/year, you gain access to all of the recipes . (It might be worth it for the cookie recipe alone 🍪🍪🍪)

18. Chickpeas or other dried beans. Doesn’t the Nuts.com packaging just make you smile? When I could not find dried chickpeas in any of my stores last month, I checked nuts.com and sure enough, they were in stock . I ordered some cranberry beans and lupini beans while I was at it.

19. A Gift from me to you . You made it this far. Thank you, as always, for reading. Here are a selection of my favorite things. My friend Louise McManus, owner of the beautiful Vischer Ferry General Store , selected a number of goodies: V&A Garden Tool Set, Corkcicle Tumbler, Beekman 1802 Body Wash and Lotion, and a spring candle. And I’ve added a House of Shan sweatshirt (you pick size/color) and The Break Active rings (you pick size/color).

Update: The giveaway is closed. The winner is Mary. I have emailed you.