A bright, quick stir-fry of mixed seasonal vegetables tossed in a garlicky oyster-soy sauce over high heat. The everyday Thai vegetable dish that balances richer mains, keeping the greens crisp-tender and glossy.
Pad pak ruam is the everyday Thai mixed-vegetable stir-fry, whatever is fresh — gai lan, carrot, baby corn, mushroom — flashed in a hot wok with garlic and oyster sauce. It is the green dish at the heart of the family-style Thai meal.
Everything stays crisp-tender with a glossy, savory coating and a clear hit of garlic. Sweet baby corn, snappy beans and silky mushrooms each keep their own texture, light and clean against heavier dishes.
Very high heat and staggered additions cook each vegetable just to crisp-tender before it can soften, while a small splash of water flashes to steam to finish the firmer pieces without overcooking the rest.
Variations
With oyster mushrooms, baby corn, broccoli or snow peas, vegetarian with mushroom sauce, with shrimp or pork added
On the Palate
Where Pad Pak Ruam sits in the Thai flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 3
How it's made
8 steps · 15 min
- 16 min
Cut a mix of vegetables into even, bite-size pieces.
- 22 min
Mix oyster sauce, soy sauce, a little sugar and water into a sauce.
- 31 min
Heat oil in a wok until it just begins to smoke.
Watch outHeat the oil until it just wisps smoke — a wok that's not hot enough steams the vegetables limp instead of searing them crisp.
- 41 min
Stir-fry minced garlic until fragrant but not browned.
- 52 min
Add the firmer vegetables first and toss over high heat.
Watch outFirmer vegetables go in first and keep moving — you want them crisp-tender with a little blister, still snapping when you bite.
- 62 min
Add the tender vegetables and the sauce, tossing quickly.
- 71 min
Splash in a little water to create steam and finish cooking.
Watch outThe splash of water should hiss and flash to steam instantly — that quick burst finishes the firm pieces without stewing everything soft.
- 81 min
Toss once more and serve immediately while crisp.
