Thai Stir-Fried Noodles with Chicken (Kuay Tiew Kua Gai)

The stir-fried noodles called kuay tiew kua gai are a classic street food in Thailand, but here in the U.S., they’re the lesser-known cousin of sweet-sour-savory pad Thai and soy-centric pad see ew. The name translates, dully, as “stir-fried chicken noodles,” which undersells this simple, deeply satisfying dish. The flavors are savory, umami-rich and only subtly sweet, with a smokiness and char that comes from wok hei, the distinctive—and hard-to-achieve-at-home—taste of cooking in a well-seasoned wok licked by flames. We learned in Bangkok that there’s no right or wrong way to season kuay tiew kua gai, but that rice noodles, chicken and egg are the core ingredients. Our version is informed by the stir-fry chef Piched Kaewhem taught us, but since fresh wide rice noodles are hard to come by in supermarkets, we opted to use the widest—½ inch—dried rice stick noodles available. To develop as much wok hei as possible, we fry the soaked and drained noodles, allowing them to sizzle and lightly char before adding seasonings. Kuay tiew kua gai itself is not spicy, but it’s served with a vinegary hot sauce such as Sriracha and lime wedges for a bold, bright finish.