Rad Na — Gravy Noodle Technique / ราดหน้า

Central Thai — Chinese-Thai cooking tradition; rad na is associated with the same Chinese-Thai culinary fusion as pad see ew and kuay tiew

Rad na (poured-face) is the Thai noodle dish with a thick cornstarch-thickened gravy — wide fresh rice noodles or egg noodles are wok-fried until charred, then topped with a poured gravy of Chinese broccoli (gai lan), protein (typically pork, prawn, or mixed seafood), oyster sauce, fish sauce, and chicken stock thickened with tapioca starch. The contrast between the charred, slightly crispy noodle base and the silky, glossy gravy is the technique's payoff. Getting the starch ratio correct is the critical skill — under-thickened produces a watery sauce; over-thickened produces a glue-like result that overwhelms the noodles.

Rad na demonstrates the Chinese influence on Thai noodle cooking — the gravy technique, the oyster sauce seasoning, and the noodle style all reflect the Cantonese culinary heritage of the Chinese-Thai community.