Chow Fun Vs Pad See Ew: What Are They and What’s the Difference?

Thai and Chinese food culture are incredible, with so many flavors and deliciousness that doesn’t go unrecognized. You can call them the home of noodles because that’s what it mainly offers. The chow fun and pad see ew are among the most famous noodle flavors. What are they, and are they similar?

Chow fun and pad see ew are pretty similar. They are stir-fried noodles made with thick white rice noodles in a wok. You can make them with your choice’s protein and add a dark sauce. However, the pad sees ew vegetable of choice is broccoli, and chow fun uses fresh mung sprouts.

These two noodles have a signature flavor that you cannot resist. When making them, you can twerk some ingredients to suit what will be tastier for you. Want to know more about chow fun vs pad see ew? Our comprehensive guide got you covered!

Know the Differences: Chow Fun Vs Pad See Ew

Chow fun and pad see ew are undeniably the leading tasty street foods in Thailand and some parts of China. Due to their rich flavors, most restaurants worldwide have them on their menus. If you can’t access them in a restaurant, the ingredients are easily accessible, so you can prepare yours at home.

 These two use almost similar ingredients and their tastes are practically identical, but their cooking styles are different. You stir-fry beef, scallions, ginger, broad rice noodles, and bean sprouts when making chow fun. Then, add a sweet and savory dark soy sauce as you stir until thoroughly cooked.

For pad see ew, you can opt for any meat protein and require broccoli and similarly dark soy sauce. Typically, the main similarities between these two dishes are that you stir fry them, use a dark soy sauce on them, and require wide rice noodles.

What sets them apart mainly is the protein and vegetables used. With pad see ew requiring chicken and Chinese broccoli, chow fun calls for beef and Chinese chives. Here are more differences between these foods!

Differences of Origin

Chow fun is a Cantonese cuisine; therefore, it originates from Southern China, specifically Canton. The Canton area comprises various provinces, including Guangzhou and Hong Kong. It is said that this particular dish emanates from Guangzhou, and it came to be during World War 2.

Beef chow fun is a staple food in Canton, and you will mainly purchase it in yum cha and cha chaan teng restaurants in Guangdong. Also, similar restaurants in Hong Kong serve it. Also, Chinese restaurants overseas have this dish.

 On the other hand, pad sees ew is Thailand-made food. However, its origin starts in China. So how did it reach Thailand?

The Teochew people moved from Guangdong province of Southern China and went to live in Bangkok, Thailand. They came up with a unique technique for frying the flat wide rice noodles and created a recipe they now own.

Though pad sees ew naturally originated from China, people in Thailand made it a staple food. You will therefore find it in most Thai cuisines. It’s also easily found in most Thai streets and any Thai restaurants worldwide.

You can find variations of pad see ew in countries such as Malaysia and Singapore. However, you will notice that pad see ew is stir-fried and made with a thick sauce. The other variations have a light taste.

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Differences in Texture

Though chow fun and pad see ew are made with flat rice noodles, their texture varies. Usually, chow fun is greasy, and its texture may be slippery because of its preparation techniques.

Most Cantonese restaurants that serve this meal wet-cook it. Therefore they soak the noodles in oil before cooking them. They will then dry-fry it while still moist, giving it a  greasy feel.

In contrast, pad sees ew has a more chewer and thicker texture. You need not pre-cook the noodles, so their springy texture is retained. Also, since your prepare pad see ew using Chinese broccoli ( Gai Lan), they add a unique and crunchy feel to this meal, especially when the heads and leaves are tender.

Differences in Taste

The taste in chow fun vs pad see ew is pretty noticeable and mainly differs due to the ingredients involved. However, they both have a rice-like flavor since they ordinarily use the same type of noodles to prepare. Also, they both are prepared using the wok, giving them a smoky flavor.

Beef chow fun uses sesame soy sauce and green onions to make it. Therefore you will notice this flavor from afar and a mild sweetness from the sauce.

On the other hand, pad sees ew features mild caramelizing sweetness due to the sauce used to prepare it. It also has a distinct chargrilled flavor.

Differences in Nutrition

When comparing the nutritional amount in pad see ew vs chow fun, pad sees ew has more calories. Its total calorie content is 255, and 93 are from fat. The calories in chow fun are 209 with 67 from fat.

However, the calorie content might be different depending on the serving. Typically, the calories on each serving portion for pad see ew will be 500 to 900. To get this count, include the calories in noodles, protein, vegetables, sauce, and seasoning.

Despite the high-calorie content, the pad sees ew provides vitamin A and C, calcium, and Iron which is beneficial to your body. Chow fun, on the other hand, is rich in Vitamin B1, B2, and B3 alongside lesser amounts of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, and Iron, unlike in pad see ew.

Both dishes also contain sodium, potassium, dietary fibers, and sugars essential to the body. However, the content of these in pad see ew is higher.

What is Chow Fun?

Chow fun is a stir-fried Cantonese dish made using beef, noodles, bean sprouts, scallions, ginger, and dark sesame soy sauce. Beef chow fun is available in dim sum restaurants in southern China and other Cantonese meat roasting places. It is also available in Malaysia and Singapore.

The noodles used are wide and flat and are mainly made from ground rice. They are purchased when dry in thick strips. Some markets sell them wet while coated with oil to keep them elastic.

You can add either beef or pork to your chow fun. Also, it’s common for people to use vegetables only to make them. To make it more flavorful, you can add more sauces and seasonings.

Using the dry frying method, you prepare chow fun in a wok or deep skillet. It derives the smoky flavor from the pan’s heat which is tasty. You can also “wet” cook them by soaking the noodles in oil and then frying them.

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What is Pad See Ew?

Pad see ew is a Thai, stir-fried dish similar to beef chow fun. It is made using the same rice noodles as chow fun, but you use chicken, tofu, or pork. It requires eggs and Chinese broccoli too.

While making it, you want to get the fantastic Wok hei flavor that most Thai restaurants quickly achieve. You may decide to add extra seasonings and spices for flavor.

Great pad sew requires you to use the proper sauce. Then you should caramelize the noodles, and it’s easy to do this on the wok.

Know the Uses: Chow Fun Vs Pad See EW

On the uses of chow fun vs see ew, both are pretty helpful to the body. The ingredients used in both ensure that you get a balanced diet. In both, there will be protein, vegetables, and a carbohydrate.

Chow fun adds energy to the body and gives it a better metabolism due to the protein calories in the ingredients, such as beef. There is a considerable portion of Iron, calcium, fiber, and more. The vitamin helps your body emit healthy cholesterol and makes your heart healthy.

The high carbohydrate amount in the pad sees ew gives your body energy and will keep the cholesterol levels in check. Vitamin C  aids in the growth of body tissues. Vitamin A, on the other hand, boosts your immune system.

If you are looking for a gluten-free option, chow fun will do. However, pad sees ew having the highest amount of calories generally makes it less healthy.

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Chow Fun Vs Pad See Ew: Which One Tastes Best?

The two dishes are as delicious and will have almost similar tastes. Remember, you prepare them in the same manner. The only thing you twerk is the ingredients.

However, the sweeter one in chow fun vs pad sees ew is the latter. It contains higher sugar content. So some people might prefer it to chow fun.

Other people who don’t like much sugar might opt for chow fun. Therefore, it’s a matter of personal choice.

Conclusion

We hope this guide helps you better understand chow fun vs pad see ew. They are pretty close dishes yet distinct in origin, ingredients, taste, and nutritional value. While both are delicious, people may prefer one over another based on how the dishes turn out.

These delicacies are available mainly in their areas of origin, China and Thailand. However, you will still find them in Thai and Chinese restaurants worldwide.

If you cannot access such restaurants, make yours at home! The trick is to get the Wok flame that gives chow fun and pad see ew the chargrilled flavor.