Thai Noodles with Gravy (Rad Nad)
Rad Na or Lad Na, is a comforting Thai dish of wide rice noodles covered in savory gravy. I’m using jumbo shrimp as my protein and some mixed vegetables.
Rad Na is a popular dish in Thailand but here in the states I rarely see this dish on Thai menus. While Pad See Ew and Pad Thai are well known here, Rad Na definitely deserves some attention.
It’s a warm cozy dish with salty and sweet notes. The rice noodles are thick and chewy and the perfect vessel to soak up the delicious gravy.
Rice Noodles
In order to achieve an authentic tasting Rad Na, use fresh rice noodles. These noodles can be found in the refrigerated section in most Asian grocery stores.
Typically they will have ones that are presliced and one’s that are a whole sheet. Get the whole sheet, and then slice it yourself to get a wide noodle.
Cut strips into one and a half inches. Then place the noodles in a single layer in a steamer or microwave to soften.
The steamer method will take about 10 minutes on a rapid boil. If using the microwave, do 1-minute increments until the noodles are soft.
Once the noodles are cool enough to handle, gently separate the layers. Mix the noodles with some sweet soy sauce, and toss to coat.
Add the coated noodles to a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Cook for a couple of minutes until some color develops. Portion the noodles out into bowls for serving.
Gravy Ingredients
The gravy consists of a combination of different sauces along with a broth and thickener. The ingredient list looks extensive, but most of these sauces are pretty common in traditional Thai cooking.
These are the sauces you’ll need with links to find them online:
Protein
For this recipe I’m using shrimp, rad na goong. I prefer using shrimp since it cooks quickly. However, any type of protein can be used for Rad Na. Chicken, pork, beef, or tofu can be substituted.
Regardless of the type of protein you are using, cook it completely first, then add it back into the gravy.
If you enjoy seafood and noodles, try my recipe for Pad Kee Mao Talay, or Drunken Noodles.
Serving and Storing
Rad Na is best served immediately after adding the gravy to the noodles. If you need to make this ahead of time, cook the gravy first and keep it warm on the stove for up to an hour.
Ladle the gravy, vegetables, and shrimp over the pan-fried rice noodles. Serve Rad Na with a dash of white pepper, ground Thai pepper, and chilies in vinegar.
Use a fork and spoon to get all the components in each bite.
Store leftover gravy and noodles separately for up to 3 days. Keep in mind if there is leftover shrimp, it may get tough after re-heating.
To reheat, microwave the noodles until soft and heat the gravy on the stove until simmering. Ladle over noodles and enjoy.
Rad Na Goong
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 oz Fresh Rice Noodles (uncut if available)
- ½ teaspoon Sweet Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 6 jumbo Shrimp (or ½ pound protein of your choice)
- 3 cloves Garlic (rough chopped)
- 1 teaspoon Thai SoyBean Paste
- 1½ cup Vegetables (carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, or you can do just broccoli or Chinese Gai Lan)
Sauce Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon Golden Mountain Soy Sauce
- ½ teaspoon Black Soy Sauce
- ½ teaspoon Oyster Sauce
- ½ teaspoon Sweet Soy Sauce
- 1 teaspoon White Sugar
- 1 cup Chicken Broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 tablespoon Corn Starch (or arrowroot powder)
Condiments: Jalapenos in vinegar, Ground White Pepper, Roasted Ground Thai Pepper
Instructions
- If using a whole sheet of rice noodles, cut the noodle into 1½ inch strips. If using pre-sliced noodles, then simply seperate them.
- Add noodles to a steamer and steam for 10 minutes. Or heat the noodles in the microwave for 1 minute increments until soft and pliable.
- Once the noodles are cool enough to handle, seperate them from each layer. Add ½ teaspoon of Sweet Soy Sauce to the noodles and toss to coat.
- In a non stick skillet, add the rice noodles and pan fry for a couple of minutes to develop some color. Place noodles into serving bowls.
- Add cornstarch to chicken or vegetable broth and stir to combine, set aside. Combine all the soy sauces into a small bowl and set aside.
- In the same skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Cook shirmp on each side until no longer opaque. Remove shrimp and set aside. See note below if cooking meat.
- Add chopped garlic and soybean paste to skillet. Cook for about a minute.
- Add vegetables, the soy sauce mixture, and ½ of the broth slurry. Bring heat up to medium high and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the shrimp back to the skillet along with the remainig broth slurry. Continue cooking and stirring until broth thickens. At this point, taste the sauce and adjust seasoning. Keep in mind the flavor will be dependent on the broth used and whether it was low sodium.
- The gravy is ready once it is smooth and creamy, it should stick to the back of a spoon. If it's too thick a little more water. Ladle the hot gravy, vegetables, and shrimp over the bowl of noodles.
- Serve Rad Na with a dash of ground white pepper, crushed Thai pepper, and chilies in vinegar.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and depends on ingredients and amounts used. Thai Caliente makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
